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Show Yo Swagga - Swagger Sticks, All Eras


12A54
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Happy to add to the discussion. I have been collecting American Swagger sticks for a number of years. They are generally not sought out by collectors, but many allow for the owners to be identified, which makes them interesting.

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Here is an early Officer's swagger stick or Bosun's starter cane. The stick is 30" long and the Boxer or Bulldog head is cast brass. There is a anchor and a USN carved into the stick. From the carving and casting the stick seems to be early to mid 19th century. My guess is that the ship was "Boxer" since Bulldog does not fit the time. The first Boxer in American history was actually Her Majesties British Ship" (HMS) Boxer, a Brig of 14 guns with a keel measuring 98 feet in length and just over 28 feet in breadth. The HMS Boxer, commanded by Captain Blyth, was sailing off the coast of Portland, Maine on September 5, 1813, when she was met by the USS Enterprise, commanded by Lieutenant William Burrows. The fight that ensued was heroic for both ships, and in the end Boxer's crew surrendered her to U.S. forces.
The first, the newly refurbished HMS Boxer (renamed the USS Boxer) was launched on May 17, 1815, with a new array of fourteen 32-pound cannons and two long 9-pound cannons. She was first Commanded by Lieutenant John Porter who sailed her to the Mediterranean to join Commodore Perry's squadron.
The second Boxer was the first USS Boxer built from the keel up. Constructed as a schooner, the second Boxer -sister ship to the fourth Enterprise - was launched on November 22, 1831, at the Boston Navy Yard. The ship was 88 feet long, 23 feet wide, had a battery of 10 guns and cost the U.S. Navy $30,697.00 to build. The USS Boxer served the U.S. Navy for 17 years, sailing the seas of the world until decommissioning in 1848.
The third Boxer, an English-built iron "side-wheeled" steamer, was originally known as the Tristam Shanty, that measured 222 feet in length and 23 feet in width. The Tristam Shanty was used by the Confederate military to run blockades the United States had established during the Civil War. However, she was captured by USS Kansas on May 15, 1864 then purchased by the U.S. Navy from the Boston Prize Court and commissioned into service as the "USS Boxer" on August 12, 1864. These ships seem to be the period of the stick but the head could also be a bulldog. Everything is a guess but it is fun to envision a piece that was on an American Naval vessel during the "War of 1812".

Dick

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  • 5 months later...

Here is a swagger stick that I have that I do not know much about. Not sure what unit or war. I think WWII but could be earlier. I have not been able to find the crest. I also believe the far east, maybe Burma/CBI based upon the 3 headed elephant crest opposite the star crest. It is a very nice swagger stick with other parts of a .50 cal bullet. The stick is approx. 22 inches long. Any information would be helpful. Most of my unit crest, etc. ref material is still in storage.

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  • 1 year later...

I bought a swagger stick yesterday and it got me thinking. I posted the one I bough yesterday and I decided to post the one my granddad bought my dad in 1949 for a quarter. It was one of the first things to hang in my room that I could handle. So show your swagger here!

 

Here is my first swagger stick. It is hand carved out of mahogany and is about 24" in length. It is tipped with a 45 cal bullet.

 

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Yesterday's swagger stick about 23" in length. USMC 1907 from Manila.

 

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  • 4 months later...
  • 6 months later...

An earlier post was made about a swagger stick made from a Label bayonet and carried by Patton. Here is one I have that was made in North Africa and purchased there by Sgt. J.S. The photos are not complete but show the general idea. Thanks.

 

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Here is one showing the soldier with the crop. He was an Army Photographer.

 

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  • 3 years later...
Salvage Sailor

How about some 1930's Coast Artillery swagger.....

 

This is a pair of 21" long swagger sticks which belonged to a CAC man with the initials A.K., the search for his full name continues.

 

One is from the 6th CAC at Fort Winfield Scott, California - The Harbor Defenses of San Francisco. (Fort Funston, Fort Miley, Presidio of San Francisco, Fort Winfield Scott, Fort McDowell, Fort Baker, Fort Barry, Fort Cronkhite)

 

The second is from the Hawaiian Separate Coast Artillery Brigade, HQ at Fort Shafter, T.H. (Fort Derussy, Fort Kamehameha, Fort Barrette, Fort Ruger, Fort Weaver, Fort Armstrong)

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Salvage Sailor

The 6th is made of California Redwood with a highly lacquered finish and an afixed Regimental decal - motto: "Certo Dirigo Ictu" (I Aim With a Sure Blow) and "6th Coast Artillery"

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Salvage Sailor

The Hawaii Separate Coast Artillery Brigade 21" swagger stick is made of Hawaii Koa wood and had the carved initials "A.K." It also has the H.S.C.A.B. afixed decal beneath a lacquer finish.

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Here's the only one I've ever owned --except for a really poorly made Iraqi stick---it's not very fancy--just has the EGA on the knob and nothing very fancy on the pointing end but it came from a WW2 & Korean War Marine artilleryman who also deployed to China to dis-arm the Japanese Army after the Okinawa campaign.

 

Among his items I also have a picture of him from Life magazine taken during the Chosin reservoir "attack in a different direction."

 

As you can see, it's really hard to get a good clear shot of the ega on the stick.

 

s/f

Al

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  • 2 weeks later...
iron bender

My dad's swagger stick from Korea in 1968-69. He was a 17th Infantry B co. platoon leader then took over as c/o of C company.  His mechanized mortar section actually covered Freedom Bridge when the Pueblo crew was returned. Kind of interesting family history. 

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  • 3 weeks later...
The Rooster

Greetings all. I have a few. But this is my best one. Although the sheath is damaged, I still

think its a great piece. Looks like it was made using an old bayonet.

Its one of the coolest pieces in my collection.

I feel honored and fortunate to be the caretaker of this piece.

Thank you for checking it out.

Major General Frank Milburn commanded the 21st corps in WW2.

And the 1st infantry before Korea.

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  • 1 year later...
easterneagle87

Found my first swagger stick yesterday. A Pawn shop find and when they pulled it out of the case and I saw the EGA, well .. it had to come home with me. So tell me more about his stick. I looked closer at the pommel cap and found this on the base near the wood shaft; USMC APPD 333.

 

Overall length; 22 inches. Brass pommel cap with EGA , no fowled anchor. Brass end tip. 

Any idea when it was made? Would really like some information on it. Thanks in advance.    

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These styles of sticks are relatively common, you can even find them in their original box on occasion. Think they date to the 50’s and 60’s. 

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  • 1 year later...
Salvage Sailor

A Gimlet Stick...  Gimlet - A gimlet is a hand tool for drilling small holes, mainly in wood, without splitting

 

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Then Lieutenant General Clyde Davis Eddleman, Commander Seventh Army Europe 1956 presentation swagger stick from the 21st 'Gimlet' Infantry Regiment - (1902-1992) USMA 1924, now at rest in Arlington National Cemetery

 

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Born in Orange, Texas, he graduated from West Point in 1924. He retired from the Army in 1962 while Vice Chief of Staff in Washington, after a long career that combined combat and high-level administrative experiences with military school experience as a student, instructor and commandant. In World War II, then a Colonel and Assistant Chief of Staff of the Sixth Army, he took part in more than 50 combat landings in the Pacific, receiving the Silver Star, Distinguished Service Medal and battlefield promotion to Brigadier General. His other decorations included the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star and the Philippine Distinguished Service Star.

 

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He also participated in the first four months of U.S. military occupation of Japan and was then called to Washington by Douglas MacArthur to serve as an Army representative on the joint Federal Agency review of the war effort. From the late 1940s until his 1960 appointment as Vice Chief of Staff, he was deputy commandant of the newly formed Army War College, deputy commander of U.S. troops for the Allied Military Government, deputy assistant Chief of Staff at the Pentagon, head of the 4th Infantry Division in West Germany, commandant of the Army War College, Deputy Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army and commander of the Seventh Army in Germany.

 

"Bore Gimlets Bore

The nickname “Gimlets” dates back to 1921 when Pfc. Eugene Riley, from E Company, 21st Infantry Regiment, dominated every opponent they faced in every sport during an interservice rivalry sports competition. The team was organized under Pfc. Riley and held the name “Gimlet Club of Royal Rooters” with their motto being “Bore Brother Bore." The Gimlet is a tool that became the symbol of toughness for the Royal Rooters, and due to their tenacity on the athletic fields the group quickly became known as the “The Gimlets." Shortly after that, the 21st Infantry Regiment received the nickname of “Gimlets.”

"I'll Try Sir"

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21st IR DI's on both sides

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Later he became a four star General, USAFE & then Vice Chief of Staff US Army.

 

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General Order No. 22 Death Notice

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