While at Blythe Army Air Base and just two days after the initial orders from the 34th Bomb Group, Major Tom Jeffrey, the newly appointed Deputy Commander, directed each squadron to develop a distinctive emblem that would set it apart from each of the others.
There are many historic references to such a technique. This emblem would be made a patch to be worn on the uniform. Major Jeffrey suggested each
squadron commander run a contest within his squadron for the design of such an emblem.
The 570th Squadron Navigator Marshall Shore and Bombardier Don Ventriss had their office in an army tent out behind the building where Captain Joe Gemmill, the Squadron Commander, and First Lieutenant Bill Jones, the Operations Officer, had their office. There was no floor or lights and Ventriss and Shore sat on folding chairs in the sand. Ventriss had some background in illustrating and came up with the idea of an old English "Joker" which was superimposed on four playing card aces, spades, diamonds, clubs and hearts. He drew it out on a table and then put it up on a makeshift easel to color it in with water colors.
The task took him two days to finish. When he got it perfected to his satisfaction, he submitted it in the 570th Bomb Squadron competition. It was so original and different that it was voted the winner of the competition.
It was offically approved 10 May 1943. Unfortunately none of the other three squadrons gained official approval.
"Written by John S. Warner"