Ordnance Technical Intelligence Teams. Help

Question and opinion regarding Living History / Reenacting.
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Bentwood
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Ordnance Technical Intelligence Teams. Help

Post by Bentwood » Mon Aug 28, 2017 9:03 pm

I am trying to get together an impression of the WWII European theater Ordnance Technical Intelligence Team member in time for the 75th D-Day anniversary. I have been invited over by friends and I am running into brick walls everywhere. Aberdeen is no help. Most of the experts like Dr Atwater are unreachable. Can anyone help? I need uniforms, patches, vehicles and markings. Getting desperate
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Lee Bishop
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Re: Ordnance Technical Intelligence Teams. Help

Post by Lee Bishop » Fri Sep 01, 2017 2:29 pm

Bentwood wrote:
Mon Aug 28, 2017 9:03 pm
I am trying to get together an impression of the WWII European theater Ordnance Technical Intelligence Team member in time for the 75th D-Day anniversary. I have been invited over by friends and I am running into brick walls everywhere. Aberdeen is no help. Most of the experts like Dr Atwater are unreachable. Can anyone help? I need uniforms, patches, vehicles and markings. Getting desperate
Dr Atwater retired many years ago. The Ordnance Museum hasn't been at Aberdeen in quite a while, as the Ordnance Center moved to Fort Lee.
I haven't done much research into the WW2 version of this, but I had patterned a Civil War impression on it while I was stationed at APG and would go to Gettysburg every now and then.
I'd bet such a group would be assigned to SGAEF directly or at the Army level. Probably COM-Z or 1st AG patches would make sense.
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AZ Jeff
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Re: Ordnance Technical Intelligence Teams. Help

Post by AZ Jeff » Fri Sep 01, 2017 6:38 pm

The WW2 Ordnance Tech Intel patch is an olive drab vertical rectangle containing a red Ordnance bomb with yellow flame and a straight (no serifs) white "I" in the center. It has a red border on the rectangle. See U.S. Army Patches, Flashes and Ovals by Barry Jason Stein (plate 48). Had one for several years before I knew what it was. I believe it was worn on the lower sleeve. Stein says it was worn beginning 1945 however...

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Lee Bishop
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Re: Ordnance Technical Intelligence Teams. Help

Post by Lee Bishop » Tue Sep 05, 2017 2:06 pm

Jeff,
The civilian Ordnance Dept specialty insignia were likely used postwar or stateside.
The original question is for the ones you'd find in Normandy (I assume the ones rounding up German equipment to send back to Aberdeen, right?)
I'd go with 1st Army or Com-Z patches and Ordnance insignia. No clue about vehicle bumper markings, though.
Good luck with your search, you might try checking here: http://www.goordnance.army.mil/OTHC/index.html
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Former US Army Captain and REMF :mrgreen:

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Re: Ordnance Technical Intelligence Teams. Help

Post by AZ Jeff » Wed Sep 06, 2017 6:15 am

Found some ASMIC article info on the OTIT patch (like the one Matt has in his G503 ID). The groups that wore this patch arrived in ETO after hostilities and the patches were theater-made.

I agree, the Ord folks that were collecting captured materiel for analysis, pre-May, 1945, were most likely under an Army with no specialized patch.

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Bentwood
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Re: Ordnance Technical Intelligence Teams. Help

Post by Bentwood » Wed Sep 06, 2017 9:31 am

Found a reference where it states they may have been attached to COM-Z. This makes sense as they would have to draw rations and have support to issue and maintain their vehicles.
I will need to research COM-Z patches and bumper markings.
Small Arms Armorer/Instructor
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44MBT
45GPW
Always looking for info and gear for the Ordnance Technical Intelligence Teams


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