Jump to content

Question about Subdued Major Rank Pins


stratasfan
 Share

Recommended Posts

Hi! I was looking at Major rank pins, and keep seeing subdued versions. Quick question, which I couldn't locate the answer for online (so I'm obviously not searching for the right key words! ;) ) . . . The Major and Lt. Col. rank insignia are the same, just one is silver and one is gold. In the subdued form, how would you tell which is which? Or would the Majors and the Lt. Col.s just wear the same rank pins when they had to wear subdued ranks?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Black (or blue for USAF) equals silver, brown equals gold. At some point with the Army Combat Uniform, "brown" was replaced by "bronze," but basically the same. The "other color" applies to 2nd lieutenant as well as major.

When the Army had gold and silver warrant officer bars (VN era), the subdued were also black and brown, with the "blocks" replaced by olive green. When they switched to black blocks on silver bars, the subdued version became green bars with black blocks.

 

Justin B.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Oh, many thanks! I've never run across pictures of brown ones yet. How interesting. Wouldn't it make for being hard to recognize in the field? Wonder why they didn't make Lt. Col. or Major insignia look different from the other?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Oh, many thanks! I've never run across pictures of brown ones yet. How interesting. Wouldn't it make for being hard to recognize in the field? Wonder why they didn't make Lt. Col. or Major insignia look different from the other?

 

The whole idea was to make it harder to see, and thus harder to target leaders specifically in combat in Vietnam. The bars, leaves etc. had been around for a hundred years or so, so changing them probably wasn't really an option. When people are close enough to see the insignia, the color differences work. Well enough they've lasted almost 50 years, anyway!

Justin B.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Oh, any would work! I don't have a definite variety in mind for the display, so I am open! Just thought of it, and hadn't made up my mind! Just let me know what you would like for them, and I'll get back to you! I am off to the attic in a few minutes so that I can see about picking a display case. ;) If I still didn't need to assemble the display, I think I would burst at not being able to give it to my Uncle before December. However . . . since I don't even have all the pieces yet . . . I guess patience does have to happen for a bit, anyway. ;)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Boy, oh, boy! Thanks ever so! I'm sooooo thrilled about this display! All the help I've received from in here, I can't wait to post pics when I finally finish it! Can't wait for my Uncle to get it! :) PM on the way.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

E...any of these work?

 

attachicon.gifrps20170911_123253.jpg

 

Remember the black ones would be wrong for major.

 

Early-on the USAF's Vietnam subdued insignia were black, with narrow yellow borders for major and white for lieutenant colonel. Some cool pics here:

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/16191-show-of-shows-usaf-jungle-jacket/

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...