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"Runner" armband


SammyT
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This armband came with a WWII US Army grouping I purchased. It is yellow felt with the word "RUNNER" printed on it. Can anyone tell me what it was used for? thanks.

 

 

sammy t.

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ww2relichunter

i am not completely sure but it may have been for somebody who ran documents ? just a guess never seen one of theese before !

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ww2relichunter

it could also be another pow related piece as the italy pow patch was in the same group!

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could be, and they were both from the same group. That could make sense too, because at some point during the war the soldier was an MP. So possibly guarding POW's?

 

sammy t.

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ww2relichunter

He may have had interaction with POW mabye even helped in one of the pow camps you never know ! you should post pictures of the whole group

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thanks. The group consisted mostly of clothing, HBT shirts, pants, ike jacket, wool shirts, overseas hats, etc... Nothing exceptionally great or that would lend assistance to the armband and patch.

 

sammy t.

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Staff Duty Runner, or possibly CQ (Charge of Quarters) Runner.

 

Not POW.

 

Just about every Battalion and above in the Army has a Staff Duty desk. This is unsally manned 24/7, with an NCO in the role of "Staff Duty NCO" and a junior soldier in the role of "Staff Duty Runner" (and less often seen, the highly elusive "Staff Duty Officer"). During the duty day they often act as something between receptionist and Walmart greeter, after duty hours they perform security checks, etc.

 

As for the "Runner", its really more of a driver now days, but its still the traditional term. Its quite likely that before the days of emails they spent more time running documents and communications. This brassard would have likely been worn to show that the soldier wearing it was on duty and acting in an offical capacity. Especially useful back when soldiers were still wearing uniforms when not at work, such as was the case during WWII. Not an Army wide standard thing, likely something that a unit or installation decided to do.

 

Vance

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This was the prototype for the PE reflective safety belt. See the guy out doing PT (running) wore it and the yellow color made it easier for him to be seen. Seriously, you guys don't know what a runner was in WW1/WW2? In them days it took time to string wire, and radios generally were pretty lousy. So most communications was by a runner - aka - messenger. officers at all levels wrote out the message, handed it to a runner who went off and delivered it. As it is stenciled it is field made- and as yellow most probably for somewhere far behind the lines. It served as an indication the guy had places to be and not to stop him and ask for a pass, or tell him to load up your car or pick up trash or whatever.

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I don't know if it still exist or not but there was a time (as late as 1973, when I had my last CQ duty) when there was always a CQ (usally a E5 or E6 and a "Runner" usally a PFC or Spec 4 who were left "in charge" of the company area after 1700 hrs and when everyone else (CO, XO, & 1st Sgt had left for the day. It was a all night duty of which you were only releaved when the 1st Sgt showed up the next morning. I know that the CQ had an arm band that he was supposed to wear but I can not remember if the "Runner" had one or not.

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1SG_1st_Cav

I agree with Vance. I pulled CQ Runner duty as a Private and as a PFC in the early 1960's and we did have armbands. Danny

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