Eagle pin = Rank?

[moshi]

I'm hoping someone may be able to identify the silver "landing" eagle pin on the collar of this uniform. It was a reserve uniform my grandfather wore during his time in the reserves for Korea.

 

He says it is the colonel rank but, in my research, haven't seen that rank displayed like that.

 

Also, are the ribbons, patches, and collar pins representative of what he would have actually wore during his time or is this more of a memorial type shirt?

[Sabrejet]

There are two Branch of Service insignias on the collar...Signals and Army Air Forces (if it's all silver then it'll be CAP) Normal practice is to wear the BOS on the right collar point and rank on the left. The flying eagle is not a US military rank pin. The "2" is the SSI of the US 2nd Army...not aviation related at all. The ribbons are a mixture of periods too.

[moshi]

He was part of the US 2nd Army and was supposedly a corporal in the signal corps at the time. He says he was a pilot with the rank of colonel, in the Commemorative Air Force in the Cleveland Wing until the they disbanded.

 

This explains the "Ghost Squadron" patch and "CAF" pin above the ribbons. But as far as my research has lead me the CAF was not military related.

 

What I'm lloking to do is a nice shadow box of all the things he would have worn during his service, hat pin, correct collar brass, patches, etc.? Based on the military related stuff there and the story I have gotten, what type of insignia should I be looking for, for someone in the US Army Reserve during the Korean War that was a Corporal in the Signal Corps.?

[Sabrejet]

The signals pin is an officers' one. If he was a Corporal he would have worn two Enlisted Man's brass collar discs...one with the same crossed flags design, but just plain brass, not enamelled, and the other a "US" cipher....plus a pair of Corporal's stripes of course!

[Sabrejet]

BTW...the top two ribbons are L to R, Army Good Conduct and Korean War medal, so they should form a part of any shadow box display honoring his KW service.

[moshi]

BTW...the top two ribbons are L to R, Army Good Conduct and Korean War medal, so they should form a part of any shadow box display honoring his KW service.

 

I did read the pinned post about ribbons and it actually help me solve the last one on the second row being a Reserve Officers Association ribbon. Thank you for your help!

[Sabrejet]

Enlisted man's Signals collar discs.

[moshi]

Awesome. What about the hat pin? Just the standard one?

[Sabrejet]

Correct!

[moshi]

Just to be sure about the ribbons too...for his army reserve service during the Korean War it would be, as the picture shows:

 

Good Conduct, Korean War, Army Service, Armed Forces Reserve, Reserve Officers' Association

 

That is what he would have been wearing on his unifrom at the time? What about the "ruptured duck" discharge pin? He was honorably discharged after 7 years.

 

Sorry about all the questions, his papers were lost in the '73 St. Louis fir apparently and he has not had the greatest memory.

[Sabrejet]

You have the option of displaying a cloth "ruptured duck" as worn on the uniform, or the brass lapel pin worn on civilan jackets.

 

 

[moshi]

Just to be sure about the ribbons too...for his army reserve service during the Korean War it would be, as the picture shows:

 

Good Conduct, Korean War, Army Service, Armed Forces Reserve, Reserve Officers' Association

 

That is what he would have been wearing on his unifrom at the time? What about the "ruptured duck" discharge pin? He was honorably discharged after 7 years.

 

Sorry about all the questions, his papers were lost in the '73 St. Louis fir apparently and he has not had the greatest memory.

 

Thanks for the duck info. Was I right about the ribbons?

[Sabrejet]

I believe you said he was a Corporal, so why would he have had a reserve officers' ribbon?

[moshi]

I believe you said he was a Corporal, so why would he have had a reserve officers' ribbon?

 

Ahh...good question. Thanks.

[Lee Ragan]

That eagle pin on the shoulder strap is the Confederate (now Commemorative), Air Force Colonels rank insignia. (All CAF members are given the title of Colonel.) What you have is a CAF uniform shirt with some of his WWII insignia added. The CAF is a private organization is is not connected officially to the U.S. Military. If you ever go to a CAF airshow, you will see all sorts of stuff being worn on their shirts. Most will be the members prior service insignia such as the 2nd Army patch & ribbons on this shirt. The wings are "Membership" wings & do not indicate flying status.

As to the little winged insignia on the right collar, I'd like to see a close up of that to make a positive identification.

[moshi]

That eagle pin on the shoulder strap is the Confederate (now Commemorative), Air Force Colonels rank insignia. (All CAF members are given the title of Colonel.) What you have is a CAF uniform shirt with some of his WWII insignia added. The CAF is a private organization is is not connected officially to the U.S. Military. If you ever go to a CAF airshow, you will see all sorts of stuff being worn on their shirts. Most will be the members prior service insignia such as the 2nd Army patch & ribbons on this shirt. The wings are "Membership" wings & do not indicate flying status.

As to the little winged insignia on the right collar, I'd like to see a close up of that to make a positive identification.

 

Thank You very much for the info on the CAF. I figured the shirt was something like what you described, Lee.

[quack]

Maybe I'm reading between the lines, but did he ever serve in Korea? You only say he "had time in the Reserves For Korea". If he did not actually go to Korea, he should not have been authorised the Korean Service Medal, as it was available only for service in the Korean Service Area (I don't know if that would include support forces in Japan or not).