Bob Watkins
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Insignia clarification
As most of you know, the attached image is the current symbol for
the 460th Bomb Group Association. I have been told that this panther
design was originally the wartime insignia of the 760th Bomb Squadron.
Can anyone out there shed some light on this matter?
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B-24 Best Web
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Bob Watkins
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Thanks Daniel.
Unless someone can come up with another viable scenario,
it would appear that the 760th was the only squadron
within the 460thBG structure to have their own insignia,
and that this image was 'drafted' post war to represent the
460th Association.
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B-24 Best Web
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NEW email info (will update tomorrow!)...
"Mr. Stockton:-
Having been a member of the 460th Bomb Group (H) Grp. Hdqtrs.
Spinazzola, Italy 1944-45 the "Group" insignia (to my knowledge) during
that time was the Black Panther. All members of the Group regardless of
squadron assignment wore the Black Panther patch on their A2s. Italian
vendors on the Isle of Capri produced the patch as a Group patch not a
squadron patch. I presume the patch style was developed prior to the time
the Group was sent overseas.
The Black Panther Association insignia was adopted by the 460th
Veterans Reunion Group & prominently displayed at all activities until
the Associations termination in 2005.
Lee Ording - Airborne Radar Operator 460th BG (H)"
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Bob Watkins
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Does anyone have knowledge of a 460th Bomb Group
commemorative publication printed shortly after the end of WWII?
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Sparky
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To all who have an interest in the origin of the 460th Bomb Group insignia. The "thumbnail" print posted skybear 45 was used by the 460th Bomb Group Association. I did this in 1989 and it was used until the organization was reorganized as the 460th Bomb Group (H) Society, Inc. in 1998, then I revised the logo to reflect the name change. There were no squadronj insignias, only that of the Group. The origin of the Black Panther insignia is quite interesting. It owes its existance to Col. Robert T. Crowder who was our original Group Comander. A West Point graduate who had a flare for making the 460th distinctive, it was Col. Crowder who came up with the idea of using a Black Panther as our Group insignia. He put Lt. Cliff Stone, a 763rd squadron pilot in cxharge of conducting a contest among all 460th personnel for the best drawing of a "Black Panther". There were only two entries, that of Cpl. Victor Eric Newberg, a 761st Squadron clerk and that of Sgt. Vernon Greene of the 761st Squadron. When it came time to judge the propsal Col. Crowder selected the winner. We are not totally sure who the winner was, but it appears that Newberg came up with the winner, we know that Crowder did not select the proposal of Greene. Both Green and Newberg are deceased. By the time we came together as a Group at Kearns Field, (Salt Lake City) in October 1943, the insignia was already in place and patches were available. Shortly after this were were transferred to Chatham Field, GA (Savannah) and assigned our first aircraft. These all carried the Black Panther on the nose as did those we took overseas in January 1944. The first jacket patches were about 4 1/2 inches square, made of white leather with the Panther logo silk screened on them..Later patches tended to be round, but the Panther remained the same. As Lee Ording mentioned, there were a lot of variations available that were provided by local artisans, especially on the Isle of Capri. We have a number of them. I hope this answers the question of how the 460th Bomb Group insignia came to be. Should you have further questions please feel free to get back to us. Sparky and Betty Bohnstedt 460th Bomb Group Historians
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Sparky
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A reply regarding a 460th Bomb Group publication after WW II. This was the work of Capt. Edward J. Devney who served as the 460th Bomb Group public relations officer. Ed returned to Clevland Heights, Ohio after the war, later moving to New York where he continued to be engaged with public relations until his death a number of years ago. The book he published was entitled 460th BOMB GROUP. It consists of 44 pages of text and photos. While not a detailed record of the Group, it is treasured by those of us who served with the 460th in 1943/44 and 45. Should you have an interest in a detailed history of the group, a very commprehensive book is available. The 460th Bomb Group History is a 208 page, hardbound book, 8 pages are in color, six are illustrations that I did for the book. There are about 500 photos, a very complete written history of the Group from its activation until we shut down in September 1945. There are poems and personal stories along with a listing of known aircraft assigned to the 460th, a list of our missions along with the names of about 4800 individuals who served with the Group at one time or another. Sparky and Betty Bohnstedt 460th Bomb Group Historians dlbjb460@aol.com
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Bob Watkins
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Sparky,
Many thanks for clearing this matter up for a lot of us. The background
as to the actual development of this insignia is terrific stuff.
Did any of the units ever incorporate anything with the group patch to
designate the individual squadron(s), I.E. squadron numbers, different
color backgrounds, etc?
Bob
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Sparky
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A bit of additional information with regard to 460th Bomb Group patches. To my knowledge the Group patch was never modified to reflect a squadron designation. Each squadron did have a specific color assigned to it, but this primarily applied to aircraft. These were the squadron colors. 760th BLUE, 761st RED, 762nd WHITE and the 763rd YELLOW. Engine cowl rings and the call letters were painted the squadron color. An aircraft of the 760th Squadron with the call letter "M" was referred to as "Blue Mike" or "Blue M"
Sparky and Betty Bohnstedt
460th Bomb Group Historians.
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Bob Watkins
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Sparky & Betty,
Thank both of you for your thorough and concise feedback to my query.
You've cleared up the primary issue of the insignia for me and helped
fill in some blanks in other areas as well. Very much appreciated.
Bob
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meschepers
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Do you know of any place that I could buy a replica of this patch? My grandfather was in the 460th, 761st squadron and was on Annabelle (his name was L.T. Burnett). I am wanting to get a 15th Air Force patch (which I have already found) and a 460th patch but I have not been able to locate one. IF someone can help me find one I would be very grateful.
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Sparky
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We will get back to you with the information you are looking for in a couple days. Right noiw we have a couple other requests to take care of.
Sparky & Betty Bohnstedt
460th Bomb Group Historians
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