Chances are most people can not tell you what the Redcatcher patch stands for.
The Blue and White denote the Infantry. The Spear, an early Infantry weapon, in flames symbolizes the evolution and firepower of the modern Infantry. It represents early Infantry's use of thrusting weapons and projectiles thrown or shot from bows, ballistas and catapults.
Contrary to popular belief, the RED BALL in the center of the patch represents man's splitting of the atom, the Nuclear Age in which Infantry fights side by side with weapons of sophisticated warfare.
The Yellow flame signifies the advent of gunpowder and the new trend in Infantry warfare. Fusillades through the centuries echoed from reports of the matchlock, the flintlock, the percussion cap and repeating rifle.
Infantry warfare becomes more massive in the face of these weapons, but the repeating rifle dominates, with modifications, to this day.
The overall patch is symbolic of the development of Infantry and Infantry support through the ages. The oblong blue shield of the patch is a depiction of the shields used by the forerunners of modern Infantry, namely the Greek Phalanx and Roman Legion.
Redcatcher Newsletter Feb. 1, 1969
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