31st Infantry Division tunic help.

[grimnar]

Hi guys,
Another recent purchase that I am pretty happy to have in the collection.

Now my question is.. the tunic is patched to the 31st Inf Div, but the overseas service bars denote that the soldier served 3 years overseas. From my understanding the 31st did not proceed overseas until the 12 March 1944, and returning to the US on the 11 March 1946. So on my count they served only 2 years overseas.

All the insignia have been sew on at the same time and there is no 'ghosting' of a former SSI on the right shoulder.

Any theory on why the extra year overseas? Was there a unit affiliated with the 31st that preceded them overseas or fought somewhere else before joining the 31st?

Thanks in advance
Matt

 

 

 

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[grimnar]

[cbuehler]

The ribbon bars that should be appearing on this coat are not present, and it may be that the single pacific ribbon is all that remained and the full original set is missing, or was added later.

If all the patches etc. are original to the coat, which they appear to be, he must have served in another division in the Pacific prior to being assigned to the 31st.

Patches used on the right arm for prior service were not always worn.

I might add that could also have been in the occupation of Japan which would account for the extra overseas bars or have been in the Army overseas (including Hawaii) for years even prior to the war.

CB