Jump to content

US Navy Dress Epaulettes


29navy
 Share

Recommended Posts

What do you all make of this set of LT Commander Medical Dress Epaulets on ebay?

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/RARE-US-NAVY-OFFICERS-EPAULETS-1921-Lt-Commander-Medical-Doctor-METAL-BOX/232985478063?_trkparms=aid%3D111001%26algo%3DREC.SEED%26ao%3D12%26asc%3D20140905073823%26meid%3D2fc627c9ebe9491dae12095bebe14206%26pid%3D100284%26rk%3D2%26rkt%3D12%26sd%3D232985478063%26itm%3D232985478063&_trksid=p5713.c100284.m3505

 

 

Something caught my eye and I realized that the rank marks are on backwards or upside down. The stem should be pointing out.

 

 

post-913-0-51542300-1541417443_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yeah, somebody put it on the wrong way. It might have been that way for 90 years! You can see the pin holes from the lower grades, too.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Right. Back in the 1913/17 regs, for staff officers, the corps insignia was on the end (or the frog) flanked by the rank insignia. I wasn't thinking that far back.

 

And since they didn't wear them that often. It was never noticed.

 

Thanks.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Right. Back in the 1913/17 regs, for staff officers, the corps insignia was on the end (or the frog) flanked by the rank insignia. I wasn't thinking that far back.

 

 

 

Yep, for all Lieutenants, JGs and ensigns. I made some visual aids on the placement at some point for some reason I forgot.

 

post-3982-0-45276900-1541431715_thumb.jpg

 

post-3982-0-42174300-1541431832_thumb.jpg

 

post-3982-0-04954300-1541431875_thumb.jpg

 

Another thing that's interesting about the corps devices, the stem of the leaves back then seems upside down compared to what we think of for flag shoulder boards today.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks Justin. I mis-spoke earlier, the placement of the rank and branch mark had to do with rank rather than with whether it was a staff corps officer or not. Three categories, Flag, Capt and commanders, and LT Cmdr and below.

 

Interesting, i hadn't initially noticed, but the medical insignia, (oak leaf with an acorn) does appear mounted upside down on the anchor, but that's not what it calls for in the 1913/17 or 22 Regs. Those regs call for the stem to be down.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

Interesting, i hadn't initially noticed, but the medical insignia, (oak leaf with an acorn) does appear mounted upside down on the anchor, but that's not what it calls for in the 1913/17 or 22 Regs. Those regs call for the stem to be down.

 

It was regulation, or at least it wasn't non-regulation! It goes back to the staff corps uniform changes around the end of WW1. When the corps device began to be superimposed on the anchor for the stand-up collar blues and the epaulettes, Uniform Regulations Change No. 25 of Nov. 1918 specified the medical, dental, supply and professors' leaves as "stem toward the stock" of the anchor. You can see the accompanying illustration here:
The wording in subsequent regulations was more vague, with the orientation of the devices described in relation to the sleeve stripes. The "old" orientation on flag officer shoulder boards can be seen through WW2. I believe the 1951 Uniform Regulations were the first to illustrate a different orientation for the devices on flag officer shoulder boards.
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...