Book excerpt: "U.S. Army Patches brings together in one colorful source more than eighteen hundred cloth insignia worn by U.S. soldiers from World War I to the present. Barry Jason Stein has gathered officially approved patches from both active and inactive units, as well as patches approved for local wear and many unauthorized patches, all of which offer unique insights into the U.S. military. Drawing on extensive research of government documents, Stein offers a brief profile of each army unit and a commentary on the significance of its heraldic terms. He includes anecdotal information that makes the volume as entertaining as it is resourceful. In his inventory of the patches, Stein lists items of special interest, including the period and the battle campaigns in which they were worn and the meaning of their motifs. In addition Stein provides an index of all previous designations by which the units have been known"--Dust jacket.