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JJB1
 
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JJB1
Total Posts:  83
Joined  31-10-2014
 
 
 
30 April 2015 12:22
 

Hello All,

My name is Jeff.

I received my notification of approval of membership in the American Heraldry Society last March and I’m very happy to be here.

I was born, raised and still live in north Texas; having lived away only a few years while in the US Army.

As I imagine is the case with many others, my interest in heraldry began with a desire to explore my genealogy. I looked at some "Family Crest" websites wanting to affiliate myself with an heraldic design. Luckily I hesitated as something seemed a little fishy about it—lots of people with common surnames of different origins, different spellings, etc. It only takes a little thought to see the gaping hole in the logic of it all.

But it reminded me of reading Ivanhoe by Sir Walter Scott with their "fetterlock" and "uprooted tree" designs on the shields. It made me want to have a design to represent myself as well; something my kids (and, eventually, grandkids) could use to keep our family from drifting apart as so many had in our genealogies. Names change over time. Documents get lost and family history gets forgotten. Properties and heirlooms get divided or sold into oblivion. Maybe only DNA and (hopefully) heraldry could be a constant uniting factor. Who knows?

Well; after reading a little bit of the information on heraldry that I found on the internet not long ago, I enthusiastically jumped in to have some arms made for myself. I don’t yet have any to display, but I do look forward to having some.

I discovered the AHS when I had some basic questions about my own situation. After that, I read some of the Forum threads. The subjects piqued my curiosity and I asked a few dumb questions that others were kind enough to answer for me. I was impressed by the scholarly answers by enthusiasts and academics who cited primary sources and bibliography. They’re so much unlike my own "shoot from the hip" generalizations where I attempt to see the forest for the trees while, more often than not, there really is no "forest" at all. I typically avoid online forums as so many are fighting pits for trash-talking and trolling. But this one is so well-organized and regulated that none of that exists here. So I paid up and joined. I have skulked around and have read a lot of the older Forum threads. I have learned so much more than I thought I knew.

But long story short; I am happy to be here and I appreciate the information and discussions. Thanks for having me.

 
Michael F. McCartney
 
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Michael F. McCartney
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30 April 2015 12:51
 

Welcome aboard!  We look forward to your active participation.

You mentioned the Army_- if you don’t mind sharing, when & where did you serve?

 

Mike~~

25th Inf Div, Cu Chi, RVN 1968-69

 
JJB1
 
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JJB1
Total Posts:  83
Joined  31-10-2014
 
 
 
30 April 2015 23:28
 

I was in the 172d SBCT at Fort Wainwright, Alaska from August 2003 to March of 2007—a little bit north of the 25th ID.

However, our brigade was technically deactivated in December of 2006 to become a brigade of the 25th.

I was in the field artillery and served in the 172d’s 4-11 FA and the 4-14 CAV as a troop FSO. I was with the 4-14 in Iraq from August 2005 to November 2006: Anbar, Nineveh and Baghdad

 
Michael F. McCartney
 
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Michael F. McCartney
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01 May 2015 01:37
 

A little bit north of the 25th -  smile—not much taro grown up there!  (but then the only taro I saw with the 25th, beside the patch sewn to my sleeve, was during R&R in Hawaii)

Sounds like you’ll have some stories to tell when your grandkids ask, "what did you do in the war, grandpa?"  Seriously, good for you.  Proud to have you here.

 

Back to on-topic, IIRC you have a petition pending with Garter et all; any news on that front?

 
JJB1
 
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JJB1
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01 May 2015 13:01
 

Well my wife teases me that I bought a Jacuzzi for someone running a phony website out of Arizona. I don’t have much of an update. I was of course anxious when I first submitted my petition in September. But the excitement sort of fades after a few months. Occasionally the Windsor Herald sends me an email updating me and I get a little excited. But these things take time. I used to call him now and then in November and December and he was extremely busy with everything from lectures to genealogical research and others’ arms. I felt I was being rude or impatient, so I decided to hold off and not worry about it. It’ll come when it comes and there is really is no rush.

I had originally submitted a ton of my own ideas for the design, but I later asked him to just toss them out and to please come up with something that he thinks would be best. I’m afraid I’ll mess everything up if I interfere. Also, to be fair, I don’t think the Earl Marshal has issued the warrant yet; so technically I’m not even authorized anything at this point. If/when I get them, I’ll probably register them as an original design on the US Heraldic Registry.

I will say that I’m really just more interested in learning and reading about heraldry now than I was before. I understand it better than I did back in September.

 

I’m sorry, but I only just noticed your reference in your message to the Republic of Vietnam from 1968 to 1969. So you weren’t in the 25th ID; but The 25th ID?—and at that time? It’s hard to know what to say. I have deep respect.

 
Michael F. McCartney
 
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Michael F. McCartney
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01 May 2015 20:31
 

Well, there were actually two 25th Divisions at or near Cu Chi - our U.S. 25th Infantry Division and the 25th ARVN (South Vietnamese) Division.

I was attached to the 25th Military Intelligence Detatchment, essentially the Division’s G2 support staff first as an Intelligence Officer (yeah, I know, oxymoron), then acting MID Executive Officer, then assigned to the Division G2-Air, then Assistant S2 for our 3rd Brigade.  TMI & off-topic here, sorry ‘bout that smile

 

For on-topic benefit of our overseas or nonmilitary brethren, the referencer to "taro" referred to a tropical Polynesian root plant, and to our Division’s shoulder patch, a red taro leaf charged with a yellow zig-zag lightning flash.  The Division’s home base was in Hawaii.  In heraldic terms this was in effect indeterminate cadency from the 24th Division (also from Hawaii) which used an uncharged green taro leaf on a roundel - I forget the color.  In any case, we only used the full color patch on our non-combat uniforms; on our field uniforms (green or camo) it was all black embroidery on green, less of an easy aiming point for the VC.  I believe JJB and his band of brothers would have worn dark brown on light brown or some such on their desert camo, for the same reasons.

 
JJB1
 
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JJB1
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Joined  31-10-2014
 
 
 
02 May 2015 11:46
 

Our brigade transitioned to the Army Combat Uniform (ACU)-style of fatigues, replacing the desert-pattern combat uniforms right before we deployed in the summer of 2005. Our subdued unit badge was in various green hues from almost black to grayish-looking.

The independent 172d brigade’s badge features two snow-capped mountain peaks with a bayonet between them. Above that was the Big Dipper Constellation and the North Star. I went on a long leave as soon as I returned in early December, 2006. After that, I was out-processing and then taking terminal leave. So I never got the chance to wear the 25th ID shoulder insignia once the 172d was deactivated and we all became a part of the 25th. I remember some people called the taro insignia the "Electric Chili Pepper". Some soldiers had a name for the 172d insignia too, but I can’t say it here.

The squadron with which I deployed within the brigade was the 4th of the 14th Cavalry. Here is the regimental blazon from the IOH website:

"Shield: Or, a bend Azure between a Moro kris paleways point up Sable, and a rattlesnake coiled to strike Proper."

 

"Crest: On a wreath of the colors Or and Azure, a dexter arm embowed habited Azure, the hand gloved in a buckskin gauntlet Proper, grasping a staff erect Sable barbed Or, thereon a standard flotant of the last charged with a horseshoe heels upward encircling the Arabic numeral "14" in Black."

 

"Motto: SUIVEZ MOI (Follow Me)."

 

The Distinctive Unit Insignia (the equivalent to an heraldic badge?) was basically the shield sans the crest with a scroll of the motto below. That was worn by all members of our regimentally-affiliated squadron. It went pinned onto the shoulders of the now-historic green service uniform or was pinned onto the chest of the blue dress uniform.

 

The original 14th Cavalry regiment was created in 1901 and was shipped off to fight in the US-Philippine War. After that, the unit saw service in the on-off border wars with Mexico. Today the regiment does not technically exist, except, like most combat units, as a sort of lineal affiliation from which various squadrons/battalions draw their history.

 
Michael F. McCartney
 
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Michael F. McCartney
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02 May 2015 13:11
 

Electric Chili Pepper?  In my day, it was the Electric Strawberry wink but may be of interest to others with sufficient interest or nothing better to do…

 
MacEanruig
 
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MacEanruig
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03 May 2015 21:34
 

I remember the 25th Infantry Division patch referred to as the Electric Strawberry. It is interesting the unofficial names units and insignia collect over time. One of my favorite units is the 101st Airborne patch. The "Screaming Eagle" has been called many monikers in the past, but it was called the "Puking Buzzard" by discontents when I was stationed at Fort Campbell, Ky in the late ‘70s.

 
JJB1
 
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JJB1
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05 May 2015 20:45
 

One of my favorite division patches is the 4th Infantry Division with it’s ivy design; as a pun on the Roman numeral, "IV".

 
mjsmith
 
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mjsmith
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06 May 2015 08:24
 

JJB;104201 wrote:

I was in the 172d SBCT at Fort Wainwright, Alaska from August 2003 to March of 2007—a little bit north of the 25th ID.

However, our brigade was technically deactivated in December of 2006 to become a brigade of the 25th.

I was in the field artillery and served in the 172d’s 4-11 FA and the 4-14 CAV as a troop FSO. I was with the 4-14 in Iraq from August 2005 to November 2006: Anbar, Nineveh and Baghdad


Did you serve any time as the FDO?  I spent 8 years as everything from advanced party to Chief of Section for the FDC at battery and battalion level back in the 90’s.  It’s always good to hear from another Redleg. Welcome aboard!

 
JJB1
 
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JJB1
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06 May 2015 11:40
 

Matthew,

Thanks a bunch.

While in 4-11, I did serve in the FDC. Our battery had just exchanged our six 105s for four 155s under the new organization. The battery structure was modified somewhat into a HQ, an FDC and two platoons of two guns each. I think the rationale there was flexibility so that when guns were not needed in certain missions, the gun crews would operate as half-sized "infantry" platoons. So technically, my official title was "platoon leader". But while in the field and shooting, the other platoon leader and I reverted to our traditional roles in the FDC or manning the safety circle when laying in the guns.

For those who have not seen it, the blazon of the 11th Field Artillery Regiment’s Coat of Arms (courtesy of the Institute of Heraldry website):

 

"Shield: Or, on a bend Gules, three alerions of the field, in dexter base a six-pointed mullet of the second. On a sinister canton of the like a winged centaur courant with bow and arrow Argent (for the 6th Field Artillery).

 

Crest: On a wreath of the colors Or and Gules, a lion rampant Sable, langued Gules, grasping in his dexter paw a six-pointed mullet as on shield.

 

Motto: ‘ON TIME’"

 

The Distinctive Unit Insignia is basically the full achievement outlined in gold with the motto on a scroll at the bottom.

 

As I understand it, the regiment was created in 1916 in Arizona during our hot/cold "war" with Mexico as WWI went on in Europe. The elements on the shield, according to TIOH, reflect the regiment’s WWI service in France in 1918: The 6th ID patch and elements of the arms of the Province of Lorraine, the crest of the 6th Field Artillery and the arms of Stenay are all present in one form or another.