23 replies to this topic

[SARGE]

Gentlemen,

I came across this overseas cap on an auction website. The patch indicates it is from the Regular Veterans Association (RVA). This organization is unknown to me.



Does anyone know about this veteran organization? Requirements for membership. Date of establishment?

[Lee Ragan]

Sarge,
I did a quick Google search on this name but found little more than an address & phone number in Vermont. Looks like the name "Regular Veterans Association", now means a loose affiliation of modern veterans organizations in Vermont.
I've never heard of this organization either, however, I have a book on heraldry at home that has many of these long gone and obscure veterans organizations' badges, etc. illustrated and described. Will research it this weekend & post any findings next week.

[Kevin Beyer]

George,

I have been trying to locate a picture of their membership badge. I know I have one somewhere on one of my harddrives. I've seen several sell on eBay over the past three years. They have sold for less than $20 to more than $100. It all depends on the day and who is interested at the time.

Kevin

[SARGE]

Thanks guys. I had not seen this cap (or organization) before but oddly enough I saw another one just this weekend at a militaria show.

There are many of these obscure veteran associations that seem to come and go as the members die off. Some organizations have a broad enough base that they continue to survive such as the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars. The organizations that are less inclusive (such as Spanish American War Veterans) are doomed to die out over time as members age.

I look forward to any more information about this group that anyone might come up with.

[Lee Ragan]

Sarge,
I did some research on this organization over the weekend and came up at a dead end. That book on heraldry did list a lot of old veterans organizations with drawing of their badges, but nothing on these guys.
That's weird that you found some more of their stuff at that show!

[Kevin Beyer]

I still haven't been able to find the pictures I have of a Regular Veteran's membership medal. This has been bothering me since the thread began. But, I see that there is a pendant up for sale on eBay this week. Seeing that the auction is a public entity, I have taken the liberty of including the image below.




I'll still continue to look for a picture of a complete example.

Kevin

[Kevin Beyer]

I recently added a Regular Veterans Association lapel pin to my Veterans' Organization Lapel Pin collection.

 

 

It measures approximately 9/16" in diameter.  The reverse has a screw post, rather than a pin.  There is also a mark, but I can only read the part that says "UNION MADE".

 

 

Has anyone come across this type of back mark before?

Kevin

[4STARCHRIS]

This is all I found on this medal

4starchris

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[4STARCHRIS]

Here is the back side. Has anyone else seen this medal before?

4starchris

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[4STARCHRIS]

Up close

4starchris

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[SARGE]

Neat find!  I wonder if "Regularship" is a rank or membership level or just what?  I have never seen that word but that is where one would expect to find the membership status such as "Commander" or some-such. 

[4STARCHRIS]

I searched and searched and searched and finally found something on this organization.

4starchris

 

https://books.google...epage&q&f=false

[SARGE]

This is great info Chris.  Quite the activist organization it seems.  Since they are all "regular" guys I would guess that "regularship" is their membership status.

[mvmhm]

Just to add to this thread; I bought this on eBay this week for a whopping 99 cents...still looking for information on this group though.

 

 

Mark sends

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[mvmhm]

There's a book about them here:

 

https://books.google...epage&q&f=false

 

 

Mark sends

[mvmhm]

Looks like it started out as an organizations for disabled veterans under various names and became the RVA in 1934.

 

"The fact of the matter is that the movement began to take form at least back as far as 1880 when The United FIRST NATIONAL COMMANDER AND FOUNDER   Captain Harry B. Haines {From the American Veteran, October 1932) To Captain Harry B. Haines goes the honor of conceiving and founding The Regular Service Association which is our Regular Veterans Association of today — the name having been changed in 1935. Regular Walter Johnson who became Commander of The Regular Service Association in 1934, paid high tribute to Founder Haines when in the June issue of the Regular Veterans Bulletin he wrote: "He (National Commander Henry R. Cctterer) has the splendid opportunity of taking with and advising with Commander Haines who was the original organizer and the first National Commander of the original Regular Outfit." Regular Haines, our Founder, was a man of great vision and serious determination. He sacrificed much to organize the original Regular Outfit. He was on the job on behalf of Regulars — fighting Regulars' battles in Congress as far back as January 1932. date. In answer to the first question popped to him by Congressman Milligan, a member of the Committee, Regular Nicholas said: States Maimed Soldiers League was organized. Then, in 1932 the movement began from an entirely new direction when, in February of that year, Captain Harry B. Haines, a retired naval officer of Ocean City, New Jersey, started the organization and formation of The Regular and Disabled Service Association which later, sometime between January and about June 193 5 became The Regular Veterans Association. Records show clearly that R. V. A. is a continuation of The R. S. A. and that Captain Haines was the founder and organizer of the original Regular outfit."

 

 

 

 

 

Mark sends

Edited by mvmhm, 15 June 2019 - 07:46 AM.

[SARGE]

Neat information!  Thanks Mark.

[4STARCHRIS]

Mark.

I think this is the same book on post #12? I love your input with the hats. Those are nice. It is very hard to find anything associated with the group.

4starchris

Thanks

[BILL THE PATCH]

Here are a couple of items belonging to regular veterans. The pin is marked Sterling.

Sent from my Moto G (5) Plus using Tapatalk

[SARGE]

That is neat.  The sewn on safety pin makes the patch a pin-on.  Perhaps for a blazer pocket?

[4STARCHRIS]

That is a great pick up. Wondering about what year?

4starchris

[BILL THE PATCH]

Year, I have no idea. I never gave it much thought. Just thought ww2 era. I think it is a blazer patch. Here's another one it's on eBay. And this one is how i actually I'd mine.

[4STARCHRIS]

I like yours much more.

4starchris

[Kevin Beyer]

I have stumbled across what appears to be an RVA membership badge with both Department and Post Commander bars on it.  The border of these Commander bars are similar to that of the Regularship suspension bar.

 

There are also two date bars for the years 1939 and 1940.  These date bars are very similar to the ones used by the American Legion.  Are they original to the piece?  It is hard for me to say that they were added on later because it appears that the ribbon was made long enough to accommodate their presence.

 

I would love to find an RVA Constitution and Bylaws to see what they had to say about which bars were proper to attach.

 

 

Kevin