Arm patch for the 758th Tank Battalion owned by Lt. Vernon O. Nicolls
date: label: Date
content: 1942-1945
name: label: Manufactured by
content: Unidentified
label: Issued by
content: United States Army, American, founded 1775
label: Owned by
content: Lieutenant Vernon O. Nicolls, American, 1909 - 2003
label: Used by
content: 758th Tank Battalion, American, 1941 - 1945
notes: label: Caption
content: Vernon Nicolls was born in Barbados in 1909 and immigrated to the U.S. in 1915. During World War II, while living in Brooklyn, Nicolls enlisted as a Private in the Army at Fort Jay on Governor's Island, New York, in 1942. After graduating from Officer Candidate School, Lieutenant Nicolls served in Italy with the 758th Tank Battalion, the Army's first African American armored unit.
label: Description
content: An arm patch for the 758th Tank Battalion of the United States Army owned by Lt. Vernon O. Nicolls. The patch is in the shape of the 758th's distinctive unit insignia, the head of an African elephant with large white tusks. The elephant is embroidered in black thread and is outlined in white thread. The black and white embroidery threads are visible on the back of the patch. The edges of the back side of the patch have been covered with cotton canvas backing that has been stitched into place.
place: label: Place used
content: Italy, Europe
topic: label: Topic
content: African American
label: Topic
content: Men
label: Topic
content: Military
label: Topic
content: World War II
setName: label: See more items in
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
label: Classification
content: Awards, Medals, and Insignia
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Kay L. Nicolls
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture
identifier: label: Object number
content: 2014.142.1
objectType: label: Type
content: patches (costume accessories)
label: Type
content: insignias
objectRights: label: Restrictions & Rights
content: No known copyright restrictions
label: Restrictions & Rights
content: Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
physicalDescription: label: Medium
content: thread on canvas
label: Dimensions
content: H x W x D: 3 1/2 × 4 × 1/4 in. (8.9 × 10.2 × 0.6 cm)