Post Your Span-Am to WW I Full-Length Soldier Photos

[world war I nerd]

In case no one's noticed, for some reason, I like images showing German POWs. Here's another one depicting rather cheerful captives who are likely pleased to be out of harm's way. The Doughboy on the far right looks to have the red diamond logo of the 5th Division sewn on his left shoulder. This makes three images that I have come across showing that some, or all, of the 5th Division's personnel were wearing division insignia before the Armistice was signed.

 

There's no date on this photo, but it was likely taken during the Meuse Argonne offensive. Another image showed a staff officer reading maps in a front line dugout in October of 1918. The third example, comprised of stills from newsreel footage showed 5th Division men celebrating the end of the war on November 11, 1918.

 

Close up of what I'm pretty sure is a 5th Division shoulder patch ... but maybe it's something else. Any opinions?

[world war I nerd]

32nd Division soldier with a revolver, two .45. caliber magazine pouches and a bolo knife on his pistol belt. The photo of this unidentified man is printed on German postcard stock.

 

A closer look at his equipment and hard to see shoulder patch.

[world war I nerd]

Written on the reverse of this postcard is: "Chaplain & 'Y' man" ... as in YMCA. The chaplain is clearly a Navy man, but I don't see anything on the guy in Army duds that identifies him as YMCA. His cap badge is neither Army or YMCA. I'm not sure, but it might be a Knights of Columbus cap badge?

 

The upper halves of the Navy and "Y", or other man.

 

A close up of the so called "Y" man's cap badge. Do you know what it is?

[world war I nerd]

A nice studio portrait showing the shoulder patch and collar disc for the Army Service Corps. Too bad the image is unnamed.

 

A closer look at the Army Service Corps insignia and an even closer look at the ASC shoulder patch.

[Salvage Sailor]

On 10/4/2019 at 10:08 AM, world war I nerd said:

 

Very nice Salvage Sailor. You don't get to see too many "from ears to hooves" photos ... Got any more?

 

 

Indeed I do, although I need to find my stash to rescan many of them for details. Here's one I have on hand.

 

From Ears to Hooves - 4th US Cavalry Troop L

 

Temporary quarters at Castner Village while their permanent barracks quad was being built at Schofield Barracks by the 3rd Engineers. (Castner Village was the original 1908 post which became Schofield Barracks in 1913)

 

 

From Ears to Hooves - 4th US Cavalry Troop L

 

Temporary quarters at Castner Village while their permanent barracks quad was being built at Schofield Barracks by the 3rd Engineers. (Castner Village was the original 1908 post which became Schofield Barracks in 1913.

 

[world war I nerd]

Ah, another nice ears to hooves offering. I won't ask if you got any more, because I think I already know the answer.

 

Sailors with 1910 Infantry Equipment from the U.S.S. Michigan march through Vera Cruz, Mexico, 1914.

 

I've always wondered, but have yet to discover where did the Navy get it's 1910 Infantry Equipment as seen in this photo?

 

How was it marked/stenciled?

 

Does anybody know if it's Army or Navy or USMC issued?

[world war I nerd]

More Doughboys in France wielding a variety of tools and other implements useful for the upkeep and maintenance of camp. Unit and date unknown.

[world war I nerd]

A number of women holding up a rather large service flag. Each star indicates a man in service. This flag likely represents the men and boys from a town, a factory or a church that went overseas in the service of Uncle Sam.

[world war I nerd]

Men of the AEF milling around a muddy street in the French port city of St. Nazaire.

 

Close up of African American troops from the above photo.

[world war I nerd]

Signal Corps photo of an unidentified AEF Chaplain.

 

This close up reveals the edge of a shoulder patch, but from what unit?

[US Victory Museum]

On 10/11/2019 at 12:28 PM, world war I nerd said:

I've always wondered, but have yet to discover where did the Navy get it's 1910 Infantry Equipment as seen in this photo?

 

How was it marked/stenciled?

 

Does anybody know if it's Army or Navy or USMC issued?

 

I'm going to assert (without proof) that it's likely US Navy property used for naval landing forces.

 

The 1st pattern Model 1910 haversacks that I have observed, which were marked to ships were

also marked with the "U.S." on the exterior front flap. Ship names have been marked on the

reverse side of the pack. Pack tails have also been marked.

 

"Old Hoodoo"

 

 

 

2nd USS Anniston pack tail.

[world war I nerd]

US Victory Museum, thanks for coming through with actual examples of how the Navy marked their early 1910 Equipment ... Thank you.

 

Like you I always suspected that the majority of the Navy's web gear was, more or less, identical to that that was issued to the Army. Excluding, of course, early Navy rifle and pistol belts, as well as web holsters, which were made from blue, and I think, white webbing, and with Navy snaps.

 

Does anyone know when the Navy stopped issuing blue and white (or washed out khaki) web-gear and began issuing olive drab, like the examples shown above?

[Salvage Sailor]

From ears to hooves

4th US Cavalry mounted sergeant 1912, Schofield Barracks, T.H.

 

 

[world war I nerd]

U.S. Navy, Pacific Coast football champs, 1907. The U.S.S. Nebraska football team.

 

Close up of some of the Nebraska's 1907 gridiron greats.

[world war I nerd]

Stateside image of an unidentified African American Doughboy.

 

I can't be sure, but I think he's wearing a Quartermaster collar disc.

[world war I nerd]

Indian motorcycle and rider in AEF service, France, 1918 or 1919.

 

The "Indian" logo is clearly visible on the gas tank under the motorcycle's painted on registration number. The driver's 'T' collar disc informs us that the bike belongs to one of the AEF's supply, ammunition, sanitary or HQ trains.

[world war I nerd]

"Velvet Joe" is written on the reverse of this RPPC ... Likely a reference to his preference for Black Velvet pipe tobacco, which the two 89th Division Doughboys just happen to be sharing.

 

Close up of Velvet Joe and his pal, and of course, there painted 89th Division helmets. I'm guessing that the helmet insignia is a variation of the 314th Engineer Regiment's red and white insignia, which officially called for the center section to be red outlined in white. However, examples of the center section being equally divided vertically in red and white are not uncommon.

[world war I nerd]

A colorized, but sadly out of focus image of Knights of Columbus entertainers in Le Harve, France, 1919.

 

A closer look at the Knights of Columbus emblazoned capes worn by the female troupe of entertainers.

 

The rather lengthy caption on the reverse of the frame in which the Knights of Columbus image was housed.

[world war I nerd]

An interesting press photo that was taken quite a few years after the veteran WW I Doughboy in it returned to America. It seems that prior to boarding a troop ship, Lt Ray W. Beil of Battery A, 108th Field Artillery, 28th Division was obliged to scale down his personal luggage before he could embark for the United States in 1919. The shelter half in the photo - the one he carried throughout his service in France, was among the articles he discarded at that time.

 

In a strange twist of fate, a decade or so after he'd returned from France, that very shelter half turned up at Camp Cowles, a Boy Scout reservation in Seattle, Washington. There it was coincidentally issued to his son! After which, as the photo shows, it was reunited with its former owner.

 

 

Close up of the wayward shelter half clearly marked as once being the property of a much younger Lt. Beil.

[US Victory Museum]

Backstory:

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/334164-c-1898-officers-of-the-ny-22nd-inf-rgmt-before-after/

 

 

[mysteriousoozlefinch]

Pvt. Walter P. King (Ebony, VA) and Pvt. Peter M. Michael (Mt. Solon, VA), members of the St. Aignan Replacement Depot's Stockade Guard Company.

[world war I nerd]

Great additions USVM and oozlefinch!

 

Cabinet photo of U.S. infantryman Frank Durant, circa 1900 or so.

 

 

 

Sadly the sharpness of this photo is not as good as it should be, so the unit information on the crossed rifles stencil on to the campaign hat is illegible.

[world war I nerd]

National Guard troops from an unknown state and regiment march off to the Mexican border are cheered on by the inhabitants of an unnamed city.

 

A closer look at the guardsman's web gear. The dark rubber or oilskin blanket roll carried by the marching guardsman on the right is either non-regulation or an older/obsolete pattern.

[world war I nerd]

I'm guessing that this is some sort of bayonet training with padded, makeshift practice rifles, circa 1918.

[world war I nerd]

Close up of the YMCA man's visor cap and sleeve YMCA insignia.

 

Unnamed WW I era YMCA volunteer.