I've been allowed to re-print the text and photo that was printed in the "Military Collector & Historian" Vol.XLIII, No.4. Winter 1991, this is the Company of Military Historians Journal. The article is by my friend Edward S. Milligan. Many thanks to Ed for this data. When the "Forca Expedicionaria Brasileria" [FEB] went to Italy in 1944, there was a strong contingent of German and Italian sympathisers in Brazil. These people were not happy with the idea of Brazilian troops fighting against the Axis. They were active in a Fifth Column as the FEB trained for deployment to Europe [note 1]. One of the Fifth Column slogans was "E mais facil uma cobra fumar que a Forca Expedicionaria ter successo." [It is easier for a snake to smoke than for the Expeditionary Force to succeed]. At first this seemed to fit the situation, as the FEB was replete with all sorts of problems. However, after this organization arrived in Italy and went into the line, it showed its mettle as a fighting unit. That changed everything. The FEB adopted a shoulder insignia with a snake smoking: "A cobra esta fumando!" [The snake is smoking!] [note 2] This was the FEB's answer to its critics and the rational behind their emblem. See the re-produced photo and the pattern of the lace work, page 152. TDH The insignia has a red border and "BRASIL" sewn on in white on an upper blue field. The bottom section is gold with a green snake. The snake has one eye and is smoking a red pipe which emits white smoke. Note [1] Lewis A. Tambs, "Five Times Against the System: Brazilian Foreign Military Expeditions and their effect on National Politics", as cited in "Perspectives on Armed Politics in Brazil", Henry H. Keith and Robert A. Hayes, editors [Centre 'for Latin American Studies, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 19761, page 15. Note [2] Jones Correia, "Acobra esta fumando!", Defensa Nacional, 54-616 [19671, pp. 184-185. See also Richard W.Smith.... Smith and Peiz, "Shoulder Sleeve Insignia of 'the U.S. Armed Forces, 1941-1945. [Privately Printed, 1981] Page 136; extant insignia in the collection of the author. Back to Table of Contents -- El Dorado Vol V No. 4 Back to El Dorado List of Issues Back to MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 1993 by The South and Central American Military Historians Society This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com