USMC Marksmanship Badges

[Matt_X]

If its of any help.  This USMC Sharpshooter's badge was earned on June 15, 1943 at Parris.

There are no manufacture marks on the back.

Safety pin type.  I can take a photo of that if someone wants.

 

[CopOut]

Hi folks,

I'm a newb to all thing's militaria, and just kind of getting my feet wet. What is the hives thought on this one?

Best,

C

 

 

 

Smedley Butler's book:

[Basic Rifleman]

Very nice, early badge. It's great that it's named/engraved and has a great backstory.

[CopOut]

16 hours ago, Basic Rifleman said:

Very nice, early badge. It's great that it's named/engraved and has a great backstory.

Thanks for the feedback, sir!

[mkelly]

Qualification medals from my grandfathers effects.

USMC 1928-1932 and 1942-1946.

I'm curious what the different weapons were:

Rifle (would think this would be M1903)

Rifle - A (M1903A3? M1 Garand?

Machine Gun (Thompson? M1919? M2? BAR?)

Pistol - D (M1917 Double action revolver?)

[Basic Rifleman]

On 9/17/2023 at 8:08 PM, mkelly said:

Qualification medals from my grandfathers effects.

USMC 1928-1932 and 1942-1946.

I'm curious what the different weapons were:

Rifle (would think this would be M1903)

Rifle - A (M1903A3? M1 Garand?

Machine Gun (Thompson? M1919? M2? BAR?)

Pistol - D (M1917 Double action revolver?)

 

So the various rifle bars on this style badge sometimes refer to the specific weapon used, but more often than not refer to a specific qualification course.

 

First, you are correct in saying your grandfather would have qualified with the M1903 during the earlier dates he served. The M1 started service in the Marines in 1942 and fully replaced the M1903 by 1947, so he may have used the M1 from 1942-1946.

Specifically, the "RIFLE - A" qualification bar shown here referred to a common seven-stage course shooting from 200-500 yards that all (I think) Marines used to qualify on.

It's my understanding the machine gun used for qualifications during this period was the M1917. The Thompson Submachine Gun qualification bar was a separate qualification and the bar read "T.S.M.G." instead of "machine gun".

The "Pistol D" referred to a "dismounted" qualification course, while the "Pistol M" qualification was for "mounted" (on a horse) qualification. 

 

Hope this helps! 

[SgtMaddoxUSMC]

On 12/10/2023 at 1:09 PM, Basic Rifleman said:

 

So the various rifle bars on this style badge sometimes refer to the specific weapon used, but more often than not refer to a specific qualification course.

 

First, you are correct in saying your grandfather would have qualified with the M1903 during the earlier dates he served. The M1 started service in the Marines in 1942 and fully replaced the M1903 by 1947, so he may have used the M1 from 1942-1946.

Specifically, the "RIFLE - A" qualification bar shown here referred to a common seven-stage course shooting from 200-500 yards that all (I think) Marines used to qualify on.

It's my understanding the machine gun used for qualifications during this period was the M1917. The Thompson Submachine Gun qualification bar was a separate qualification and the bar read "T.S.M.G." instead of "machine gun".

The "Pistol D" referred to a "dismounted" qualification course, while the "Pistol M" qualification was for "mounted" (on a horse) qualification. 

 

Hope this helps! 

The weapons qual bars that included the proficiency level (Expert, Sharpshooter, Marksman or more commonly EX, SS, MM) are the USMC issued bars.  The bars without this, but just a weapon or course, were the Army bars.  That being said, Marines would wear whatever they wanted.  You can frequently find them mixed on a single badge.

This badge is definitely an Army badge, but Marines did wear that style for a few years as well.  We also, at one point in time, fired the same course of fire as the Army.