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Joe, glad that you are doing better. I chuckled at Rocky's comment "don't overdo" because it reminded me of when the doctor told my Dad to :"take it easy". After he came home from the office visit , my mother & I heard a loud crash outside & there was Dad holding an axe - he'd just chopped down a tree. My mother turned to me & said: "Your father cannot call a halt." (he was always "your father" when he was in trouble. Ha! ) So glad you're outta the hospital and enjoying the outdoors!

Rocky - I'll keep you in my prayers Easter Sunday for your MRI. Make sure you have EXTRA

treats after you get THAT over with! My mother loved banana splits, so after an MRI or ultrasound - I'd get her the most over-the-top banana split imaginable , loaded with nuts, fudge sauce, and whipped cream.

On the old wool uniforms & leggings - when my father arrived at Camp Edwards 181st infantry

regiment in '41, alot of the guys were issued actual WW1 uniforms. From the YD historian:

"It was not unusual for a man to reach into one of the pockets and find a PX receipt dated 1918. Wrap leggings, called puttees, extended from just below the kneew (2 fingers below was regulation) to the ankle, with the end-tie tucked back into the wrap just below the tops of the high brown shoes. If the men wound the wrap too tight, it would cut off the circulation, and if too loose, it would slide down to their ankles."

"On a long march, the end of the wrap would occasionally come loose and begin to unravel. Those following next in the column would step on the wrap further pulling it undone to trail several feet behind the marcher, who was usually too exhausted to stop & fix the problem. Some of the men 'got smart' and used safety pins to secure the ends. The Army later replaced the wrap leggings with canvas ones. Non-coms taught the new soldiers to put the hooks on the outer side of their legs so they wouldn't snag as they tried to walk."

Richard Taafe(HQ Co 3rd Bn 181st)wrote: "All of us envied the paratroopers, who were allowed to wear the new combat boots." (I bet!)

Here`s a website with some info & history of Army shoulder patches, & distictive unit insignia:

American Military Patches, Other Insignia and Decorations

Basicly, shoulder patces were authorized for only Division level & above & only 1 could be worn on the sleeve. Therefore a unit would wear the patch of the command unit they were assigned to. For example, all componet units of the 3rd Infantry Division would wear the Blue & White Stripe division patch. As Marion mentioned, the "bastard" units such as many engineer units even tho they were under Corps Command but usualy operating in divison areas would just wear their regimental or battalion DUI. Corps and Army patches were mosty worn by HQ staff officers & other personel ie: Intel, Signals, MP etc working only at the Corps or Army HQs and command posts.