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Navy Gemsco Rank Insignia, PO1


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Can anyone guesstimate what time frame this rank insignia was used? It's stamped Gemsco on the back.

 

Is it unusual to find these in all brass rather than mixed silver & brass? Somewhere I read that it might have something to do with consecutive good conduct years. The fellow that it belonged to had a Navy Good Conduct medal with 2 stars. The ribbon/medal equals 3 years... plus 6 more for the stars? (9 years total?) He served from 1958-1978.

 

Thanks!

post-4361-0-74852500-1445637389.jpg

post-4361-0-69138200-1445637480.jpg

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Salvage Sailor

Aloha,

 

Nice ballcap first class crow from the early sixties. If he has a USN good conduct ribbon with two stars, that's for 12 years service rather than nine years.

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  • 2 years later...

There is an often cited article from a January 1969 issue of NAVY TIMES announcing the Navy Uniform Board authorization of the E-8 & E-9 & MCPON stars added to the cap insignia for the CPO combination cap and garrison cap. Also in that article was a tidbit that the same board authorized a SILVER E-4 to E-6 working cap insignia (crow). It noted this was simply formalizing a long standing local command tradition of allowing the 'port call' made petty officer work cap device.. They would be available as soon as the Navy Exchange could work up the distribution.

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I love the old brass crows. I wish I had been able to hang onto my dads old PO1 crows. I'd have worn them on active duty. I remember "Older" ( in their mid/ late 20s), Sailors still using them.

 

The Navy never seemed to get too wrapped up in those sorts of regulations for working uniforms ( or maybe I never cared all that much ?). I wore a WW2 Naval Amphibious Personell patch onmy foul weather jacket for 3 Amphibious ships and everyone just thought it was cool!!

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Thanks for the follow up, Sigsaye!

 

Where and how did the “crow” originate? I recently picked up a Vietnam era beret with a red and yellow “crow” flash (Navy Adisory Group). I knew what it was but it was misrepresented as a 5th Special Forces Colonel’s beret!

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Salvage Sailor

Gemsco made US Naval insignia, primarily patches, until 1975 when both they and Hilborn-Hamburger ceased their production of USN items (Hilborn around 1972). The slack on the patches was taken up by Swiss-Tex from 1972 until 1989.

 

Vietnam Era Gemsco carded pin back insignia DESRON 32 - Destroyer Squadron Thirty Two Anywhere Anytime

DESRON 32 Gemsco 001.jpg

DESRON 32 Gemsco 002.jpg

DESRON 32 Gemsco 003.jpg

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There is an often cited article from a January 1969 issue of NAVY TIMES announcing the Navy Uniform Board authorization of the E-8 & E-9 & MCPON stars added to the cap insignia for the CPO combination cap and garrison cap. Also in that article was a tidbit that the same board authorized a SILVER E-4 to E-6 working cap insignia (crow). It noted this was simply formalizing a long standing local command tradition of allowing the 'port call' made petty officer work cap device.. They would be available as soon as the Navy Exchange could work up the distribution.

 

The silver crow pins for the working cap did indeed appear in the 1969 USN Uniform Regulations, dated 17 Oct 1969.

 

post-3982-0-68433900-1511117989.jpg

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Salvage Sailor

"...required wear on the new working cap."

 

.....or your Japanese made ballcap from A-33 (Navy Exchange) at Yokosuka Naval Base

USN Ballcap PO2 001.jpg

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Salvage Sailor

^Perfect example! I don't know if it was or not, but from the photo it looks like it would be really comfortable.

 

Very comfortable, I wore this on many a sea and ocean. The insignia is a gemsco blue card PO2, same as that posted by topdcnut in the lower left above

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Salvage Sailor

With, the Japanese cap has a large flap around the inside.

 

The 'new' USN ballcap (circa 1969-1980's) did not and would leave divits on your noggin from the clutch backs

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And there was always some joker ready to smack your forehead.

Everyone I knew (including me) would bend the points down on the clutch backs so they didn't. Need the clutch backs.
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  • 3 weeks later...
Salvage Sailor

Other manufacturers examples (1970's) pulled from my seabag

 

Hilborn Hamburger PO 2 (full and half size) clutchback

PO 2 Hilborn Hamburger 001.jpg

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Salvage Sailor
Other manufacturers examples (1970's) pulled from my seabag


Vanguard PO 2 (full and half size) clutchback

PO 2 Vanguard 001.jpg

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Salvage Sailor

Other manufacturers examples (1980's) pulled from my seabag

 

Ira Green PO 1 clutchback - It's silver, the plastic has yellowed making it look gold

PO 1 Ira Green 001.jpg

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  • 3 months later...

Hi, slightly older thread..but y'all might know the date/era of these?

s-l1600.jpg

 

s-l1600.jpg

(recent scores! :) )

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