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Red patches denote support Marines, ease confusion on battlefield

Marine Corps News

Story Identification #: 200492820475
Story by Lance Cpl. Martin R. Harris

CAMP FOSTER, OKINAWA, Japan — (Sept. 27, 2004) -- You see them everywhere on Marine Corps installations -- Marines with small, red patches uniformly stitched to their camouflage trousers and covers. But what many may not know is that these Marines, with their distinctive, red patches, are symbolic of a uniform change that dates back to the bloody beaches of World War II.

Support Marines first adopted the red patch because of confusion between infantry Marines and landing support Marines during the World War II island-hopping campaign. Commanders were having trouble distinguishing between combat and support Marines, often leading commanders to send landing support Marines into front-line action.

When a lieutenant from the infantry ran up to a support Marine and said, “Grab your rifle, you’re coming with me,” the Marine had no way to prove that he was a support Marine. The support Marine grabbed his rifle and went, which led to serious breakdowns in the flow of supplies and gear, explained 1st Sgt. Stephen A. Bell, Headquarters and Service Company, 3rd Transportation Support Battalion, 3rd Force Service Support Group.

This problem was addressed at a 2nd Marine Division planners’ conference, which was held after the battle of Tarawa in 1943. The division planners decided to have a red patch sewn on the support Marines’ covers, or hats, and trousers, setting them apart from infantry Marines, according to retired Marine Col. James A. Donovan, former editor of “Leatherneck Magazine.”

The new patch not only helped the landing specialists, but it also worked in reverse order, preventing “gung ho” support Marines’ from moving into combat areas, Bell explained.

The sense of pride and responsibility within the current day 3rd TSB is no different from that of the landing support Marines of 1943. The battalion assists III Marine Expeditionary Force units during every exercise, explained Lt. Col. Christopher B. Snyder, executive officer for the battalion.

“We are the mechanism that provides the arrival and assembly for III MEF,” Snyder said. “We load and unload all the ships and aircraft and also run any beachhead or railroad operations.”

The support battalion’s red patch is known worldwide. They recently had the opportunity to be ambassadors to the Thai Army while taking part in cross-training exercises during Cobra Gold ’04 in Thailand.

“After carrying out our duties as the landing party, we cross trained with the Thai military by performing (high mobility multipurpose wheeled vehicle) maintenance and medical training,” Snyder said. “Any time we get to interact with another nation’s military, it’s a great opportunity to learn not only about the professional differences between us, but also the cultural differences.”

The red patch is a sign of tradition and responsibility, explained 3rd TSB Sergeant Major Billy R. Hawkins.

“To my Marines, the red patch warrants a sense of respect and defines them as ‘the Marines in charge,’” Hawkins said. “Marines getting on or off a ship can see a red patch and know they can ask that red-patcher (Marine) for directions to find their gear or basically anything
else that Marine needs.”