Worn by Duke alumni during World War II, these military patches represent branches of the U.S. military: Army, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Navy. Many students gained military training by joining divisions like the Duke Naval Reserves Officer Training Corps and the 65th General Hospital Unit. Cooperative relationships with the government fostered a surge in engineering studies and advanced experimental research in chemistry, medicine, and other disciplines. Identifying markers in each of the patches include the Navy’s ship wheel, the Marines’ anchor and seahorse, and an Air Force troop carrier plane.
World War II Military Patches, Artifact and Relics Collection, Box 15, Duke University Archives, David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University.
JANUARY 8, 2024 – DECEMBER 15, 2024 Duke University Libraries