US Army launches urgent probe after Alabama-based Special Forces soldier was seen with badge for HITLER’S brutal SS Totenkopf division on his helmet
- The Birmingham-based 20th Special Forces Group posted an image of a green beret wearing what appeared to be a Hitler-inspired patch
- The image appeared to use the Totenkopf found on the uniform of concentration camp guards
- It also appeared to depict a palm tree resembling an insignia seen on Nazi forces in North Africa
The US military has launched an urgent investigation after an Alabama-based special forces soldier was spotted wearing a Nazi-inspired badge on his helmet.
The 20th Special Forces Group posted a photo to its Instagram page showing a member wearing an emblem depicting a Totenkopf, a symbol Hitler adopted for his elite SS soldiers.
The symbol also appeared to include a palm tree design seen on badges worn by Nazi forces in North Africa.
The division shared the photo on Sunday, but it was quickly deleted after social media users noticed the similarities between the patch and Nazi imagery.
The US military has launched an urgent investigation after an Alabama-based special forces soldier was seen wearing a ‘Nazi-inspired’ badge on his helmet
The 20th Special Forces Group posted a photo showing a member wearing an emblem depicting a Totenkopf, a symbol adopted by Hitler for his elite SS guards
The badge also appeared to incorporate the palm tree design of Nazi patches worn by troops in North Africa
The National Guard said it is “investigating this abuse and will ensure accountability for our findings.” Pictured: 20th Special Forces Group during a training exercise near Chester Township, Michigan
“The use of symbols and patches that depict historical images of hate will not be tolerated within our organization,” the division said in a statement on Instagram.
“We are investigating this abuse and will be accountable for our findings.”
The statement said the division is “learning consistently” and that it will “focus on enforcing accountability across our formation.”
The Alabama National Guard is assisting with the investigation, Mack Muzio, a spokesman for the National Guard, added in a statement Army times.
The Totenkopf was used on the uniform of the SS-Totenkopfverbande that operated concentration camps.
It appears in the Anti-Defamation League’s hate symbol database and has been used by white supremacists and other neo-Nazis since World War II.
The photo was shared by the Birmingham group on Sunday with the caption: ‘That weekend feeling. Enjoy the rest of your weekend. Don’t stop training. Don’t be complacent.’
The badge pictured is believed to be from the Green Berets of the 3rd Special Forces Team.
The Totenkopf was used on the uniform of the SS-Totenkopfverbande that operated concentration camps
The Totenkopf, worn by SS officer Walter Reder (photo), has been adopted by white supremacist groups since World War II
In 2022, this patch, which appeared to be an amalgamation of Nazi symbols and is believed to be the one in the image, was reportedly used by other Green Berets before being banned.
The patch was used as an “unofficial” emblem until it was banned due to its “historical use,” Gordon confirmed.
The symbol appears to be a combination of the Totenkopf and the insignia used by the Deutsches Afrikacorps, the German forces that fought Allied forces in North Africa, according to the Army Times.
The word Totenkopf is German for “death’s head,” the Anti Defamation League explains on its website.
“After the war, neo-Nazis and other white supremacists revived the Totenkopf as a hate symbol because of its importance to the SS and it has been a common hate symbol ever since,” the database said.
“It is this specific image of a skull and crossbones that is considered a hate symbol, not every image of a skull and crossbones.”
The investigation comes just a month after the Montana National Guard apologized for using images of Nazi soldiers marching in its recruitment materials amid intense backlash.