Was This US Special Forces Soldier Sporting A Nazi Symbol on His Helmet?

The Army is Investigating

The U.S. Army has launched an investigation in response to a photograph posted on the official Instagram account of 20th Special Forces Group (Airborne). The controversial image displayed a soldier donning a patch believed to resemble the Nazi SS Totenkopf, an emblem historically associated with an elite division of Hitler’s Waffen-SS.

Last Sunday, March 24th, the 20th Special Forces Group, based in Birmingham, Alabama,  uploaded the problematic photo with a caption encouraging weekend training and vigilance. However, the post quickly drew criticism for the patch seen on a service member’s helmet, leading to its eventual deletion.

In light of the incident, Maj. Russell Gordon, representing the 1st Special Forces Command, made a statement. “The use of symbols and patches depicting historical images of hate is not tolerated and a clear violation of our values. We are aware of the situation and are currently investigating the matter,” he said.

Official Statement From 20th SFG

Not the First Appearance of this Symbol

The patch in question, according to Maj. Gordon, traces its heritage back to a team within the 3rd Special Forces Group. This emblem, which was not officially sanctioned, was prohibited in 2022 by the leadership of  3rd Group upon its discovery, mainly due to its historical associations. Gordon’s command is responsible for overseeing 3rd Group.

The specifics regarding how extensively this patch was utilized among active duty members of the Green Berets, including the number of teams that might have used this or similar symbols in their insignia, remain uncertain.

Following the emergence of a picture on the official Instagram account of the 20th Special Forces Group, which displayed a soldier donning a patch with the Nazi SS Totenkopf symbol, the command announced a probe into the use of emblems and patches that represent historical hate imagery. This skull and crossbones symbol was emblematic of the “Totenkopf” 3rd SS Panzer Division, a unit initially formed in 1939 from SS death squads and concentration camp guards, infamous for their role in mass executions during the Holocaust and later known for committing atrocities against prisoners of war.

Clarification from Army Special Forces Command

In the controversial Instagram post, now deleted, the administrator of the 20th Group’s page claimed the patch was associated with a team from the 3rd Group and was misconstrued. However, a spokesperson for the Army Special Operations Command clarified that the soldier belonged to the National Guard’s 20th Group, not the 3rd Group.

Details remain vague despite efforts to trace the soldier’s possible connections to the 3rd Group or his knowledge of the patch’s symbolic background. The Alabama National Guard, where the 20th Group is headquartered, has indicated its cooperation with the ongoing investigation.
A recent Reddit post from an Army user showcased a sticker on a door at a Fort Liberty, North Carolina, training facility displaying a similar Totenkopf logo marked “ODA 3321.” This suggests that a Green Berets team used the unofficial emblem within the 3rd Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group, based at Fort Liberty.

The contentious team logo features a skull and crossbones akin to the Nazi SS Totenkopf, coupled with a palm tree from the insignia of the German Afrikakorps, which engaged Allied forces in North Africa until its defeat in 1943. Integrating the beret flash of the 3rd Group, this design consciously omits the swastika.

Other Similar Incidents

Instances of U.S. service members incorporating Nazi-themed visuals have occurred sporadically in the past, including a recent apology from the Montana National Guard for using images of Nazi soldiers in recruitment materials and a 2012 apology from the Marine Corps after a photograph surfaced of Marines posing with a flag featuring the Nazi SS symbol. Although these incidents have led to investigations and apologies, Pentagon officials assert that such cases are rare and often stem from a lack of awareness of the symbols’ full historical and ideological significance.

Despite this, the Department of Defense has been scrutinized for its measures to eliminate extremism within its ranks, with critics arguing that the efforts are either superficial or unfairly target conservative members of the military. This debate follows a Pentagon-funded study concluding that the prevalence of extremists in the military does not exceed that within the broader U.S. population.