Pershing Professionals Badge

Type	Badge
Presented by	56th Field Artillery Group, United States Army
Eligibility	Proficiency on the Pershing nuclear missile system
Status	Discontinued
First awarded	1968
Last awarded	1979

The Pershing Professionals Badge is a local individual award created by the 56th Artillery Group to recognize proficiency on the nuclear Pershing missile system. It was awarded from December 1968 through 1979.^[1]^[2]

Originally awarded only as bronze, the silver and gold versions of the badge were later developed. Cloth versions of the badge were also available. The badge and patches were locally procured in Schwäbisch Gmünd. The badge was colloquially known as the Pocket Rocket or Pershing Pickle.

The badge went through some design changes:

The original badge was stamped, and showed 56 Artillery Group and the motto of QRA (Quick, Reliable, Accurate or Quick Reaction Alert).
The text changed to 56 Artillery Brigade after the September 1970 redesignation.
After June 1971, the badge changed to reflect the new shoulder sleeve insignia. The text changed to 56th FA Brigade, the lightning bolts from the insignia were added and the background became textured. The badge was now cast instead of stamped.

The 3rd Ordnance Battalion allowed some soldiers to wear the badge for supporting the missile launches performed at Cape Canaveral and elsewhere.

The 3rd Battalion, 9th Field Artillery Regiment was the Pershing training unit at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. In 1976, they developed the similar Field Artillery Missileman's Badge for proficiency. The badge was a red rectangle with a silver missile and was awarded in basic, senior and master levels.^[3]

In 1978, the Army began to rescind authorization for local uniforms and awards and the badge was withdrawn in 1979. Remaining badges were generally given as gifts to departing members.

References

Bibliography

Emerson, William K. (April 2004). Marksmanship in the U.S. Army: A History of Medals, Shooting Programs, and Training. University of Oklahoma Press. ISBN 978-0806135755.
56th Artillery Group Reg 672-3. 56th Artillery Group. 6 December 1968.

v t e Pershing missile
Systems	Pershing 1 Field Artillery Missile System Pershing 1a Field Artillery Missile System Pershing II Weapon System
56th Field Artillery Command	4th Battalion, 41st Field Artillery Regiment 1st Battalion, 81st Field Artillery Regiment 3rd Battalion, 84th Field Artillery Regiment 2nd Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment 1st Battalion, 41st Field Artillery Regiment 266th Chemical Detachment 55th Support Battalion 1st Battalion, 9th Field Artillery Regiment 2nd Battalion, 9th Field Artillery Regiment 4th Battalion, 9th Field Artillery Regiment 193rd Aviation Company 38th Signal Battalion
59th Ordnance Brigade	3rd Ordnance Battalion 41st Ordnance Company 579th Ordnance Company 512th United States Army Artillery Group 74th U.S. Army Field Artillery Detachment 82nd U.S. Army Missile Detachment 5th United States Army Artillery Group 85th U.S. Army Field Artillery Detachment
German Air Force	Missile Wing 1 Missile Wing 2
214th Field Artillery Brigade	2nd Missile Battalion, 44th Artillery Regiment 3rd Battalion, 9th Field Artillery Regiment
1st Field Artillery Missile Brigade	2nd Missile Battalion, 79th Artillery Regiment 251st Ordnance Detachment
United States Army Missile Command	Pershing Project Manager's Office
United States Army Europe	Pershing Operational Test Unit
Schools	United States Army Ordnance Missile and Munitions Center and School United States Army Field Artillery School
Johns Hopkins University	Applied Physics Laboratory
Treaties	Strategic Arms Limitation Talks Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty
Equipment	AN/TRC-80 Radio Terminal Set M474 Carrier M656 Ford Truck M1001 MAN Truck
Other	Pershing missile bibliography Pershing missile displays Pershing missile launches Pershing missile models Pershing Professionals Badge Pershing tab Field Artillery Missileman's Badge Deutschland 83 Coleman Aerospace Hera