Any USN/USCG Petty Officer First Class collectors?

[auggie]

I recently got back into collecting USN PO1 (E-6) rates.

I started a collection as a kid back in the mid 1960s.

Growing up near Lakehurst Naval Air Station and Ft. Monmouth there were no shortage of Army/Navy stores on the NJ Shore.

I am looking to add to my collection of 24 PO1 rates. (plus about 12 duplicates)

Hope to hear from others who have a similar interest.

Where do you find your rates?

What tips do you have?

I attempted to post pictures of my collection taken with my digital camera but they exceed the 150K max allowed for posting/attaching files.

Thanks

Auggie

[topdcnut]

Set or have someone set your camera on the lowest resolution setting.

[KurtA]

Ebay is the best place to find them. I've been finding great ones on there for years (and at a very reasonable price). The best thing about collecting USN rates is that repros aren't a big problem (other than some fake WW2 USMC Uniform Corpman rates I've begun to see).

[firefighter]

Since you collect PO patches I have a question.I have some PO2 & 3rd's that have there bottom 'V' stripe cut in the middle and folded back to make a PO1 & PO2.Were these people busted down a grade? I alway's heard the Navy was tough with sailor's, i.e.: Captain's mast.

[topdcnut]

The cut is for turning a PO1 patch into a 3rd or 2nd class patch. It could be for getting busted but generally it is for geting advanced.

[firefighter]

Thank you for the info.Appreciate it.

[hink441]

If I remeber correctly, they don't even make PO2 & PO3 patches, you have to have them converted from a PO1 patch. The only PO3 & PO2 rate patches I saw were the fully embroidered ones.

 

Chris

 

[firefighter]

Interesting.Is that from a Blue Jackets manual?

[auggie]

Hink441,

Awesome info.

Thanks for contributing.

Auggie

[dpcsdan]

They produced 3rd class and 2nd class rating badges (crows) through the 1960s, but 1st class crows were more common and were often cut down for the lower two grades. If I remember correctly, the blue embroidered crows from the 1970s was too thick to cut down.