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USN wearing Aerial Gunner wings


scottiques
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Here is something I haven't seen before.

 

The USN sailor is wearing Army Air Corps Aerial Gunner wings!

 

He also sports (Left to right) the American Defense Medal with bronze service star, American Campaign Medal with bronze service star and the Asiatic/ Pacific Campaign Medal with bronze service star. They are arranged in the correct order.

 

Below all of these he also sports a "Sharpshooter" qualification badge. I usually see these attributed to the USMC.

 

Has anyone seen a USN guy wearing Army and USMC badges before? While he could be a PX/ BX hero, I would lean more toward these being legitimate.

 

Any thoughts or comments are appreciated.

 

Scott

 

post-124583-0-48954800-1381510979.jpg

 

post-124583-0-43199200-1381510987.jpg

 

post-124583-0-09535500-1381510998.jpg

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teufelhunde.ret

 

....Below all of these he also sports a "Sharpshooter" qualification badge. I usually see these attributed to the USMC.

 

Correct, not an authorized Badge. USN personnel wear a Marksman Ribbon only.

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Look carefully at the photo. Sometimes photo studios added re touched ribbons and badges to portraits after the fact. A 1940s version of clip art. Maybe the studio got the services screwed up...

 

Another thought: I believe the Army used this style of sharpshooter badge in WWII. Perhaps this is a post war photo, and the man had prior service in the Army as an air crewman during the war?

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Thanks Kadet.

 

These are actual ribbons and patches "in" the photograph-- definitely not something photographer added.

 

Scott

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An Aviation Machinist's Mate with AAF aerial gunner wings and USMC sharpshooter badge? What, no DFC and Air Medal? This really stretches the limit of possibilities. Maybe this is a more modern photo where the studio provided the clothes?

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An Aviation Machinist's Mate with AAF aerial gunner wings and USMC sharpshooter badge? What, no DFC and Air Medal? This really stretches the limit of possibilities. Maybe this is a more modern photo where the studio provided the clothes?

 

 

Nope it is a WW2 era image.

 

Scott

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Stolen honor is no new thing. Human beings are human beings and not everyone who wears the uniform is a hero or such. I knew a few guys who were given the choice of jail or the army. A couple turned out pretty good, while others continued their old ways, just in a new place.

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Although I agree it could be stolen honour he may have been in the Army prior toWW2 and enlistment ended in 1942-3 then joined the Navy?? Who knows?

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Although I agree it could be stolen honour he may have been in the Army prior toWW2 and enlistment ended in 1942-3 then joined the Navy?? Who knows?

 

 

I too wouldn't jump to the conclusion that he is a PX/ BX Warrior.

 

Scott

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Would this sailor have served on the navy version of the B24 there fore had gone through the army course for crew members therefore would have received the wings when he graduated, though not allowed to wear them on duty decided to wear them for this photo. The sharp shooter medal, I will leave that for others to draw their own conclusion.

John

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Would this sailor have served on the navy version of the B24 there fore had gone through the army course for crew members therefore would have received the wings when he graduated, though not allowed to wear them on duty decided to wear them for this photo. The sharp shooter medal, I will leave that for others to draw their own conclusion.

John

 

Something to consider-- thanks for posting John.

 

Scott

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Another thing to consider is the possibility this sailor served in the Guard pre war or maybe had some training in a CMTC program,CCC etc. and was awarded the shooting badge.The star on his American Defense indicates he was in prior to Pearl Harbor if I recall correctly??

so did he get the award prior to his Naval Service??

 

I have a copy of a photo of a local 17th airborne vet.Its his picture from his basic glider training prior to him going to jump school.On his uniform is the small glider pilots wing with the G in the shield worn above his left pocket.Was this worn for the picture only or was it something they wore unofficially?? When I asked him he didnt remember and he it didnt seem important to him.

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The star on his American Defense indicates he was in prior to Pearl Harbor if I recall correctly??

 

No. By definition a service member had to have been in the service before 07 Dec 1941 to be eligible for the American Defense Service Medal. For the Navy the bronze service star represents receipt of one of two clasps- "FLEET" and "BASE." The Army issues a star for receipt of the clasp "FOREIGN SERVICE." The Navy required 10 days of active duty between 08 Sep 1939 and o7 Dec 1941 to receive the ADSM and the Army required 12 months federal service btween the same dates. The Coast Guard issued a "SEA" clasp to its personnel who qualified for it and did not qualofy for the Nay's clasps.

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I started a thread in the military discussions forum regarding articles from the WWII WASP newspaper called "The Avenger". Grant S posted a reply stating this article may answer this question regarding the wings. It would be an extremely long shot if this is the same person but this could answer the questions in this thread. I believe his insignia is legitimate.

 

March 3, 1944 The Avenger

 

18 Year Old Has Served with Army, Navy, Marines

 

Columbus, Ohio (ALNS) – Stanley Shevlin who is just 18 years old has already seen service in the Army, Navy, and Marine Corps – and is now back in the Navy again. It all started in 1941 when Stanley joined the Army shortly after his 16th birthday. While on maneuvers in Hawaii he developed a bad ankle, so was sent back to the States and given a medical discharge. Just after Pearl Harbor, young Shevlin persuaded the Marines that he was OK and he enlisted again the Gyrenes – but again the ankle went bad and he got medical discharge number two. One month later, in September, 1942, Shevlin tried the Navy, passed the physical, served on an aircraft carrier, became an aerial gunner and had to bail out of the plane he was riding in. When he hit the ground, bang went the ankle again and he was given his third discharge. But now he’s back again. After treating the lame ankle, Shevlin got his draft board to classify him as 1-A, he was called and the Navy now has him again.

 

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doinworkinvans

I am thinking he has prior service somewhere at some time...not going to speculate on dates. And then for the picture he put on everything he had to look nice. Probably just doing it in innocence, and then 70 years later we are all reaching to the far limits of the universe to figure out why...I am sure it just some simple explanation. That's my theory anyway.

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I started a thread in the military discussions forum regarding articles from the WWII WASP newspaper called "The Avenger". Grant S posted a reply stating this article may answer this question regarding the wings. It would be an extremely long shot if this is the same person but this could answer the questions in this thread. I believe his insignia is legitimate.

 

March 3, 1944 The Avenger

 

18 Year Old Has Served with Army, Navy, Marines

 

Columbus, Ohio (ALNS) – Stanley Shevlin who is just 18 years old has already seen service in the Army, Navy, and Marine Corps – and is now back in the Navy again. It all started in 1941 when Stanley joined the Army shortly after his 16th birthday. While on maneuvers in Hawaii he developed a bad ankle, so was sent back to the States and given a medical discharge. Just after Pearl Harbor, young Shevlin persuaded the Marines that he was OK and he enlisted again the Gyrenes – but again the ankle went bad and he got medical discharge number two. One month later, in September, 1942, Shevlin tried the Navy, passed the physical, served on an aircraft carrier, became an aerial gunner and had to bail out of the plane he was riding in. When he hit the ground, bang went the ankle again and he was given his third discharge. But now he’s back again. After treating the lame ankle, Shevlin got his draft board to classify him as 1-A, he was called and the Navy now has him again.

 

 

Thanks cutiger-- I agree it is a stretch, but it certainly identifies SOMEONE who would have a reason to wear these items on his uniform.

 

Scott

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I agree it is a stretch, but it certainly identifies SOMEONE who would have a reason to wear these items on his uniform.

 

Scott

 

 

Exactly! I am glad that Grant pointed out your post.

 

....Kat

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It is funny, when something inexplicable is set before our eyes how the brain either races for an answer or the skeptic in us speaks. We cannot know the answers to every question, however what is there in the photo which produces an answer saying the man embellished his service? Nothing. It is a bias, a stray thought, which is being transferred onto this unknown man.

 

I do not really see a reason to suggest that this uknown man wished to embellish anything for the camera. Yes there are more questions than answers, but the photo does not lie, we have only to consider what we see and nothing else. That is not to say that it was customary to wear those items, but there is nothing to indicate he wore them purely to deceive anyone.

 

Just my thoughts,

RC

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It is funny, when something inexplicable is set before our eyes how the brain either races for an answer or the skeptic in us speaks. We cannot know the answers to every question, however what is there in the photo which produces an answer saying the man embellished his service? Nothing. It is a bias, a stray thought, which is being transferred onto this unknown man.

 

I do not really see a reason to suggest that this uknown man wished to embellish anything for the camera. Yes there are more questions than answers, but the photo does not lie, we have only to consider what we see and nothing else. That is not to say that it was customary to wear those items, but there is nothing to indicate he wore them purely to deceive anyone.

 

Just my thoughts,

RC

 

Thanks RC.

 

I think it is the skeptic in most of us caused by the many bogus items that we all encounter on a regular basis.

 

I regularly approach ebay auctions and show tables with that mindset and understand how that same attitude can be transferred over to something completely from the era (my photo). As with you, I see nothing to suggest this guy was adding badges to enhance his appearance and suspect he instead had an interesting service record.

 

Scott

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I have a Navy Corpsman group to a man that served in the National Guard before the war and switched to the Navy due to Navy needs / request. He was awarded both the Army and Navy Good Conduct Medals.

 

 

W

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I have a Navy Corpsman group to a man that served in the National Guard before the war and switched to the Navy due to Navy needs / request. He was awarded both the Army and Navy Good Conduct Medals.

 

 

W

Is this WW2? When did he switch services? If I remember the Army GCM regs right, he would have had to have been on active Federal service in the Army for at least one year to receive the GCM. Non-active National Guard service did not count.

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