Civil Air Patrol Chevrons

[hardstripe]

I had some oddly sized chevrons on my table at the recent ASMIC show in KC. The chevrons did not sell because no one knew what they really were including myself.

 

While researching another topic I ran across a couple of CAP insignia guides

 

Civil Air Patrol Uniforms & Insignia The First Ten Years 1941-1951 AND Civil Air Patrol Uniforms & Insignia The Second Ten Years 1952-1961

 

written by Col Louisa S. Morse, CAP.

 

The guides show those oddly shaped chevrons to be CAP chevrons used circa 1951. Here are a couple of photos: Staff Sergeant and Technical Sergeant

 

I have .pdf copies of the two guides if any one is interested.

 

Hardstripe

 

[Garth Thompson]

Dennis,

Very interesting chevrons, I would like to have the pdf's of the CAP insignia. I think you have my email.

Garth

[Lee Ragan]

Those were used from 1951 to 1956. I have been told that they were also used by the Air National Guard for a short time, but I've never been able to verify that. They were worn only by Senior Member enlisted troops in CAP and not worn by Cadets.

After all these may years collecting CAP insignia, I'm still missing the Staff Sergeant in this series of chevrons.

[hardstripe]

Lee,

 

If the staff sergeant has three stripes, as noted in my reference. I have several for sale. These are the 1 3/4 inch wide version. According to the reference there never was a staff sergeant with one rocker in this set.

 

I also have another red merrowed border chevron for the FORSCOM Army Band. It is a 3 inch wide corporal.

 

Hardstripe

[Lee Ragan]

Lee,

 

If the staff sergeant has three stripes, as noted in my reference. I have several for sale. These are the 1 3/4 inch wide version. According to the reference there never was a staff sergeant with one rocker in this set.

 

I also have another red merrowed border chevron for the FORSCOM Army Band. It is a 3 inch wide corporal.

 

Hardstripe

I had been told years ago (by whom I can't remember), that there wasn't a one rocker S/Sgt in that series, but really suspected there was and the old references were wrong. BUT, that very well could have been the case as the 1943 National Georaphic chart on WWII era CAP insignia does not show a Staff Sgt. chevron for the old OD on red chevrons either. I have copies of Col. Morse's books and need to re-check them.

I think you are probably right in that there was no S/Sgt with a rocker in the Army style chevrons. After CAP adopted USAF chevrons in 1956 we see S/Sgt with 4 stripes for the first time in CAP. Enlisted ranks just about disappeared from CAP by the late 1960's but are back again and worn only by those members who are also in the armed forces and want to retain enlisted status in CAP. In my 18 years in CAP (1977-1995), I never saw one CAP enlisted member!

If you want to sell of trade the red merrowed edge Army band chevron, send me a PM. I could use that one.