Customer Reviews

U.S. Military Patches of World War II

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I bought this book with thinking it would be the end-all be-all on WWII patches. Well, it isn't unfortunately. While the presentation is really good, hardcover, colored pictures and all, the content is less than stellar. First of all, you will find that large gaps between patches/text and blank pages are evident that the author is trying to fill the book up. Many more patches/ variations should of been included to enhance the quality of this book. You are really getting less info than what you are lead to believe. The information is not that accurate either. For example, the author ID's the 108th Airborne Division as a "phantom" division when it was actually a postwar reserve unit. Another example is the assertion that the 18th Airborne Corps used to be designated the 18th Armored Corps which was never the case. One glaring omission was found in the text concerning using ultraviolet light to ID reproduction patches. The author says that no matter what, if a patch glows, it is a repro. For new collectors, this is a very misleading statement. If a patch is washed using laundry detergent, it WILL glow due to the detergents phosphorescent ingredients.

So, in the end, you have a book that is somewhat useful, but fails to deliver. Having been a patch collector for 23 years, I cannot recommend this book as a sole source...

As a novice World War II patch collector, I found this book to be very informative. It has good descriptions of the major patches that the collector will encounter, along with estimated prices for both common and uncommon variations. The book also has very useful information on how to spot post-World War II patches. I highly recommend this book for the beginning patch collector.

As a passionate collector of US Shoulder Sleeve Insignia of WWII for 20 years I find this book to be of value to all people who have an interest in our hobby whether novice or long time collectors. To encapsulate the very basic and understanding of collecting, manufacturing , pricing , terms , experiance, etc.., documenting and putting it into print using personal experiance adds value that all collectors would like to do with their patch collection. As with all printed matter there will always be critiscism of either errors or not enough information. I find this book to have a wealth of information that is well documented , researched and is an excellent guide to go by, especially for the novice and also experiance collecter alike-you cannot please every body all the time but you can please a lot of people most of the time. My only question mark are the quality of the photos , a more sharper photo would show the intricate weave better but if this is the only "?" this book stands in good order and is a must for the collector. I commend the author and would like to see more from Christopher P Brown.

The book is fantastic. In new condition. Full color photographs and loads of information about each patch and WWII patches in general. We were given a collection of WWII military patches and wanted to display them properly and give people an idea of where the patches were worn and who wore them.

This is an outstanding work. Lots of variations, values, rare types, all branches, etc. I have never found another like this. The information made available is wonderful and in many instances, the author reveals facts that are little-known, or in some cases, rights erroneous, generally accepted information. Gorgeous color plates, all original patches, etc. Many, I've never seen before. The most helpful is the info on how to determine authenticity. That alone is worth the read! Excellent, excellent book!