History of the Patch

	MI-038 South Macomb Cadet Squadron 3-2, Macomb Group 3 Version 1a, merrowed edge

"At the time I  [John DiGiantomasso]  did the patch, 1977 or 1978, South Macomb was a powerhouse Cadet Squadron. We had just received our third straight Unit Citation award and had been named the National Squadron of Distinction, beating out two other squadrons in our same Group who came in 2nd and 3rd place nationally. At the time it was the first time that the top three squadrons nationally were in the same wing, let alone the same group."

"As such, we were somewhat considered rivals and were treated as outcasts (not too bad, more friendly than anything) but we didn't have a squadron patch. So I designed one with the front view of an F4U Corsair on it and the text "BLACK SHEEP" on the patch. I painted one and put it on the plexiglass of the squadron's vending machine. The TV Show "Black Sheep Squadron" was very popular at the time. Wing or Group Headquarters (I don't know which) said "We don't like the idea of a Squadron Patch with a Navy Plane on it. Why not make one with an Air Force plane?"

"About that time I was looking at a magazine and there was a McDonnell-Douglas advertisement with a picture of the brand-new F-15 Eagle in front of the jet more or less as you see it on the patch. I took that image, reversed it left to right, and added a CAP triangle and fit it to the patch shape and now I had an Air Force plane on our squadron patch. We had a contest of submissions and my design won in the balloting. That patch was approved by headquarters and somebody had them made up as the official Squadron 3-2 Patch."

Information provided by:
John DiGiantomasso and
2d Lt Mark L Curtis
June 2007