ACH helmet cover with curious / unknown patch

I got this helmet cover today at a militaria sale show here in Belgium...There're realy curious helmet insignia that I can't identify. This insignia has a "13" inside it. Never saw one like this previously Does someone here have an idea ? Thanks for your response !

The band Pantera has an album cover I believe called 13 of Spades.

Yes, I'm with Arch. The patch is for the 101st airborne division.

Thank you all for your comments !

I also though it was very similar to the 506th helmet patch...but the "13" on it is realy curious. I did researches, but found nothing (nor pictures, nor informations)

If you want more info on the filthy 13 head to sofrep.com and search filthy 13.

Is the patch on both sides of the cover is my first question? I hav not seen anything like this, and it seems they are strict when it comes to uniformity of these helmet symbols. GIKyle had put a 1st battalion tick mark on his black heart and was called out on it and had to replace the cover. It is neat for sure, but not going to say yes or no till I see photo proof..Paul

Yes, the same insignia is sewn on both side ; here's the second one



Thanks all for your help on identification. I hope we'll be able to identify it.

The more I look at this the less I like it. There is something funky about the spade. I checked some of the ones in my collection and the finish of the spade is off. The ones I have all have a finished edge on the spade embroidery and the numbers are actually embroidered in the color not just embroidered around, leaving an empty space. The helmet patches are almost all produced around Ft. Campbell, one of the first ones to do the 506th or 4th BCT patches was called Blazing Stitches which is now closed. This was in 05 time period, when 4th BCT stood up. Again you would think there would be some type of photo evidence of these being worn. I'm not sold on this until I see one with wear or one in a 101st photo... Paul

Those insignia may be foreign made (Germany, Afghanistan, etc) ? I bought it from a (former ?) soldier that is/was stationned in Germany and finaly stayed in Europe. This is not a helmet cover he used personaly but he's in contact with other soldiers in Germany. He always comes at the militaria show in Belgium, this is where I met him. However, I never saw any reproduced / commercial item in his stand...I've asked him about this insignia, but he cannot tell me what they are for. So maybe they were embroidered in Germany or in a foreign country like Afghanistan,...?

Maybe they were made for a small group of soldiers who wanted their own team patch ? This is hard to tell, these recent years, some new helmet patches had been created. Just take a look to this post : https://oefoif.forumotion.net/t907p60-helmet-covers-in-usepictures-patched-most .So I wouldn't be surprise that they are some new with never listed there.

Or maybe we are just totaly wrong and this is not the 506th ? I also though it was that at a first look, but I've to admit I did researches and found nothing...

Those are just a few questions I ask me. Hope the informations about the seller will help for identification.

The 506th/ 4BCT is the only Army unit that wears the Spade on its helmet. That being said, I do not think this was a patch made and/ or worn by any member of that regiment. In late 2007, before the brigades first Afghan deployment, the BDE Commander got rid of all helmet patches that were specific to BDE sub units (BN or below)and replaced them all with a large spade, not unlike what is on this cover. Those patches had a thick merrowed edge in grey.

Now to your patch, There's nothing to say that some guy didn't have it made, in fact it does look crudely done judging by the finishing on the Spade. However I would highly doubt this was made in Afghanistan. It was certainly not made in Iraq because the 506th hasn't been there since 2006, and was not wearing this style of Spade. Additionally, there is no sew shop in the M.E. with a tailor that could make the numbers like that... at last not that well. The last piece of evidence I see that this was a fantasy piece is that the cover has never been on a helmet.

Just my thoughts, for whatever they're worth.


Kyle

Kyle if you dont mind my asking how can you tell its never been on a helmet?

For reference and style variation, here are three examples from my collection of early 506th helmet patches on the ACH helmet. Note that these are the earlier green type, worn after the 506th activation in 2005.





506th Engineer unit...


Here is a US Army photo of a 506th Soldier in Iraq with the early green 506th helmet patch...


Here is a US Army photo of a 506th Soldier in a 2010 Afghanistan photo. Notice the shape of the spade is a little different to that of the earlier green patches and now in ACU.

NDRanger- No problem. As we all know, helmets are made to get dirty, wet, and thrown around. This cover shows none of that. There is no shape to it, which these covers take after being on a helmet for awhile. The foliage green is still bright, though after awhile in the sun in fades to a little more drab of a color. There is nothing clinging to any of the velcro both inside and out, which to me means it has never touched the inside of a dirty helmet or pad, and obviously there's no hint of dirt anywhere, which ACU is notorious for showing every speck of dirt you get on it.

Kyle

Thanks kyle

I just do some additional researches and found this one :



That looks very close to the insignia sewn on the helmet cover...Sadly, there's no comments, just the picture on the page. On another website, one says this is "Lucky 13 spades", another one say this is "bad luck 13 spades"...

Well, this doesn't help some, but this is the only thing I found now...

also found this : http://www.myspace.com/commissar_morgan/photos/10527124



legend of picture says : "A co. 1-186 INF "Lucky 13" Afghanistan 2006-2007"

If you look closely there are no spades on the helmets. I'm really thinking fantasy piece.Paul

Yes I know there's no spades on helmet. I just wanted to mention the surname of the group :
"A co. 1-186 INF "Lucky 13" Afghanistan 2006-2007" I do not have the response that permit to identify this curious helmet cover, I'm just doing some researches...

I also think they are kind of morale helmet patch. Probably ordered in Afghanistan, perhaps by a superstitious soldier, or maybe a small team of soldiers ? Apparently the 13 of spades is a symbol of luck...(?)