Vintage Circa 1944 World War Two United States Army Eastern Defense Command Uniform Insignia - EDC Shoulder Patch

Eastern Defense Command (EDC), originally established in March 1941, was the command formation of the U.S. Army responsible for the defense of the Atlantic Coast region of the United States. A second major responsibility of EDC was the training of soldiers prior to their deployment overseas. EDC's operational region covered the states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida (excluding the western half of the Panhandle) as well as the District of Columbia.

This is the official Eastern Defense Command insignia approved in November 1943 - described as a shield divided horizontally red and blue by a yellow partition line invected, with two yellow tridents in saltire all within a yellow border. The colors red, blue and yellow represent the three arms composing the Eastern Defense Command - Artillery, Infantry and Cavalry. The tridents and the invected partition line which suggests waves are representative of the coastal defense functions of the organization.

This shoulder patch was acquired here in Connecticut, a center of textile production during the Second World War. The shield is 3" high x 2-1/4" wide, and appears to be machine-stitched twill.

CONDITION: Insignia is in excellent condition, and whether or not it was actually worn has not been determined. However, it does not glow when examined under ultraviolet light, and appears to be made of World War II vintage all-natural fiber material. All significant flaws are visible in photos.

Item ID: 45-0430G