WW1 USS Virginia group

[Marchville1918]

Chester Steed enlisted July 1917, after training he served on the USS Virginia from March 1918 until Nov 1918. Discharged June 1919

picture is reversed left to right.

[ParanormalTrooper]

Nice grouping, great to see that it still has the neckerchief!

 

Very cool, is the hat a USS Virginia hat?

[Marchville1918]

Yes the hat still has the Virginia ribbon. It is dark and hard to take a picture of. Do you recognize the small white insignia between his rating and the overseas chevron?

[RustyCanteen]

Do you recognize the small white insignia between his rating and the overseas chevron?

 

it's an engineering specialty branch mark, there have been a couple of threads on it, but I could not find them. Great grouping!

[KurtA]

 

it's an engineering specialty branch mark, there have been a couple of threads on it, but I could not find them. Great grouping!

 

To add to this, it's Public Works of the US Navy Civil Engineering. Their primary responsibility was building housing at the Great Lakes Naval Training Facility. Forerunner of the Navy Seabees.

[Marchville1918]

OK ! That fits, because he was discharged at the receiving ship Great Lakes in June of 1919. So between leaving the USS Virginia in Nov 1918 and discharge he must have been involved in construction at Great Lakes. I have owned this group for nearly 20 years and always wondered about that insignia. Thanks very much for the info.