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Torpedoed Pin for Merchant Marines


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I don't have this item but I thought it was very unique. I have never seen or heard about one of these. I am posting these pictures with the permission of Tarbridge.

 

These pins were given to Merchant Marines that survived a sinking WWII. ..issued by three Marine Fireman, Oilers & Wipers union.

 

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vintageproductions

I've had a few of these and I think they are very under rated in the collectors eyes.

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Here is a different one that I'm wondering if it came about afterwards because of the one given out by the union.

 

 

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I discovered that the torpedoed pin with the V is part of a set of two pins awarded by the National Maritime Union. Ian Millar wrote an article about them in the OMSA Journal in 1991 (Vol. 42, No. 10). Here are the links because the article is split.

 

http://www.omsa.org/files/jomsa_arch/Splits/1991/16747_JOMSA_Vol42_10_28.pdf

http://www.omsa.org/files/jomsa_arch/Splits/1991/67105_JOMSA_Vol42_10_31.pdf

 

I actually picked up both of these years ago at the old Lakewood Flea Market in Atlanta. I saw the torpedoed pin and thought that was really cool and was about to buy it, when I noticed the other union pin that was in the same tray. I thought I'd pick it up too, not realizing that they went together. For once, I didn't do something stupid and leave half of something behind because I didn't know any better.

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  • 1 year later...

Hello guys. Does anyone know the value of the version Tonomachi posted? I saw one like the first version posted by Cutiger recently sold on eBay for $230.

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  • 1 year later...
Airborne-Hunter

Here's my collection of torpedoed and similar union associated pins. I haven't nailed down the Maritime Aid pin yet, but its made in the same manner as all the rest and has the same union logo. So I am certain it has something to do with the USMS pins; I'm just not sure exactly for what yet or awarded by who exactly.The "RS" logo on most of the pins is for Robert Stoll 70 Fulton St. NY.

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These are really neat pins, and the torpedoed pins actually sought after by many Norwegian collectors,as many Norwegians in exile during the war found their way into US and British merchant services.

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I've had this one in my collection for a few years. I think they are a cool pin... but as stated before, you wouldn't want to go through what it took to get one! This one has the original card it was issued on.

 

 

 

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