insignia in this photo

[disneydave]

I'm trying to help a friend who is trying to identify when or where this photo of Walt Disney was taken. Can anyone identify the insignia seen on the military guy's uniform in the background? Is it American, or perhaps South American in origin? This might help us.

 

Thanks.

 

[vintageproductions]

It is the US Army Hawaiian Department patch.

[disneydave]

Thanks for the speedy reply! Maybe a silly question, but who would have worn it?

[BEAST]

Thanks for the speedy reply! Maybe a silly question, but who would have worn it?

 

Here is a US Army website that has a brief history of the Hawaiian Department: http://www.usarpac.army.mil/history/dec7_hawndept.asp

[disneydave]

Thanks Beast.

 

Apparently Walt Disney visited Hawaii on several occasions in the 1930s. Now to find out when and where the photo was taken!

 

Regards,

 

David

[kiaiokalewa]

Aloha,

 

I'm not certain of Walt Disney's public status during the 1930's or his association with the U.S. Army in the Territory of Hawaii but the military did have several different events that would have drawn in the local community and distinguised guests. The most popular with the soldiers and the local public was the Smokers events at Schofield Barracks Boxing Bowl. There was the annual Horse and Transportation Shows held also up at Schofield and then there were the different Unit Organization Day events. All of these events including other brought the military and local communities together to promote good will and the opportunity for the Commanding Officers to show off their spit and polished troops. If Walt was a big deal during the 1930's then there is a good chance that he is covered in the local newspapers during that time. The Pearlcity and Honolulu Public Libraries have microfish collections of both local newspapers from that time. I'd check it out for you but I now reside on the Big Island and I won't make another trip back to Oahu until next year. By the way the Hawaiian Department was located at Fort Shafter and the soldier is a uniformed officer looking much like the Commanding Officer for the Hawaii Seperate Coast Artillery Brigade, Brigadier General R.S. Abernethy. He commanded HSCAB from October 5, 1932 - January 18, 1937.

 

Mahalo,

 

John Patton

 

Thanks Beast.

Apparently Walt Disney visited Hawaii on several occasions in the 1930s. Now to find out when and where the photo was taken!

 

Regards,

 

David

[matterhorn]

John- were there any Polo events? Walt Disney in the time period was an avid Polo player and this may have been something he would have attended.

[kiaiokalewa]

John- were there any Polo events? Walt Disney in the time period was an avid Polo player and this may have been something he would have attended.

Aloha,

 

Actually there were a number of Polo Events and was covered in the Horse and Transportation Program from 1931-1937. This was a gentlemens sport and Officers only participated in these Polo games. Most of the venues occurred downtown Waikiki at Kapiolani Park which was the former Camp McKinley and close to the Honolulu Zoo now. Polo was a big deal with the elite class and prominate family names like the Cambells, the Rices and the Balwins formed family teams that ran circles around the military teams. Once upon a time General Patton (then a Colonel) was assigned to the Hawaii Department (I can't recall the years but roughly 1935-37) formed a team and had all his team member wear super huge Hawaii Department insignia on the front of their jerseys. Patton certainly wasn't short of esprite de corps but even his team got spanked by the Balwin Brothers! Polo events were also covered in the local newspapers: The Bullitin and The Advertiser.

 

Mahalo,

 

John

[disneydave]

Thanks for the great replies John. I'll pass your info on to my friend Michael Barrier, who is trying to research the history behind the photo. Much appreciated!

 

David

[S_E_Craig]

Also during WW11 Disney was contracted by the US Army to make trainning and instructional films, as well as morale boosting films. He also did some designs for some patches as well,

as a side line note during WW1 he was a ambulance driver.

 

S E Craig

[The Meatcan]

funny timing seeing this patch on the forum. I just watched "From Here to Eternity" the other night for the umpteenth time and had always wondered what patch everyone was wearing. I finally got around to looking it up on this website (is there anything you can't find here?). Sure enough, Hawaiian Department. Cool.

[disneydave]

Also during WW11 Disney was contracted by the US Army to make trainning and instructional films, as well as morale boosting films. He also did some designs for some patches as well,

as a side line note during WW1 he was a ambulance driver.

 

S E Craig

 

Absolutely correct....and not just teh Army...the Navy was actually his biggest customer as far as instrucitonal films go. I wrote a book on the topic and I have around 250 related items in my collection.