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[[File:FrankieSegarra.jpg|thumb|Marine wearing the red patch on the [[utility cover]] of his [[Marine Corps Combat Utility Uniform|utility uniform]].]]
The "'''Red Patch'''" is a distinguishing marking worn by [[United States Marine Corps|United States Marines]] of the [[List_of_United_States_Marine_Corps_MOS#04_Logistics|Logistics Specialist (0441)]] [[United States military occupation code|MOS]] (formerly 0481 Landing Support Specialist).<ref>{{cite web |last1=Luckwaldt |first1=Adam |title=Marine Corps Landing Support Technician |url=https://www.thebalancecareers.com/career-profile-marine-corps-landing-support-technician-2356469 |website=thebalancecareers.com |date=9 March 2019}}</ref>

==History==
The red patch dates back to the early days of WWII during the [[Battle of Guadalcanal]]. After the initial assault on the beachhead, follow-on troops came ashore and confusion on the beach led to landing support Marines (then known as shore party) and [[infantry]]men getting mixed together. Some shore party Marines went inland along with infantry battalions, while some infantrymen were left behind on the beach. It is not known for certain who made the decision, but a device was created in order to distinguish the shore party Marines: a red patch on the trousers and hat, referred to by Marines as a cover, (a patch was not put on the blouse because many Marines did not wear them due to the heat of the South Pacific). Around the same time, Naval Shore Parties, now known as [[Beachmaster Unit One]] began to wear yellow patches on their uniforms, as they do today.

Shore party Marines were either assigned to [[Pioneer (military)|pioneer]] battalions or as part of an infantry battalion's shore party. Pioneer battalions consisted of shore party Marines, combat engineers, and heavy equipment operators and were in charge of establishing beach support areas in the [[Pacific Theater of World War II]]. Pioneer battalions were sometimes used to relieve [[infantry battalion]]s on the front lines and were often involved in heavy fighting in places such as [[Battle of Edson's Ridge|Bloody Ridge]] on Guadalcanal.  One of the more notable shore party Marines was [[1st Lieutenant|1st Lt.]] [[Alexander Bonnyman]] Jr., [[executive officer]] of the [[2nd Battalion 8th Marines]]' Shore Party, who received the [[Medal of Honor]] for his actions during the [[Battle of Tarawa]].

==Current usage==
The red patch measures {{convert|3|x|1|in|cm|abbr=on}} on the trousers, worn {{convert|2.5|in|cm|abbr=on}} below the cargo pocket, centered, and {{convert|1|x|1|in|cm|abbr=on}} on the front of the eight point cover, centered. A {{convert|1|x|1|in|cm|abbr=on}} patch is supposed to be worn on the front and rear of the [[Kevlar helmet]], but this practice has fallen into disuse.

==See also==
* [[Uniforms of the United States Marine Corps]]
* [[United States military beret flash]]

==References==
{{reflist}}
{{Marine Corps}}
*{{cite web|url=http://www.marines.mil/unit/mcbbutler/Pages/2003/Red%20Patch%20warrants%20question.aspx|title=Red Patch warrants question|date=December 12, 2003|publisher=United States Marine Corps|accessdate=15 April 2010|location=[[Camp Foster]]}} {{Dead link|date=October 2010|bot=H3llBot}}
*{{cite web|url=http://www.marines.mil/unit/mcbbutler/Pages/2004/Red%20patches%20denote%20support%20Marines,%20ease%20confusion%20on%20battlefield.aspx|title=Red patches denote support Marines, ease confusion on battlefield|last=Harris|first=LCpl Martin R.|date=September 27, 2004|publisher=United States Marine Corps|accessdate=15 April 2010|location=Camp Foster}} {{Dead link|date=October 2010|bot=H3llBot}}
*{{cite web|url=http://www.marines.mil/unit/mcbbutler/Pages/2007/Company’s%20red%20patch%20dates%20back%20to%20World%20War%20II.aspx|title=Company’s red patch dates back to World War II|last=Blodgett|first=LCpl Corey A.|date=July 26, 2007|publisher=United States Marine Corps|accessdate=15 April 2010|location=Camp Foster}} {{Dead link|date=October 2010|bot=H3llBot}}
*{{cite news|title=Here's Why|date=April 19, 2010|publisher=[[Marine Corps Times]]|pages=3}}

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[[Category:United States Marine Corps personnel]]