USN MAA Navy Police/Master-At-Arms Badges

[dpcsdan]

As one would expect my hypothesis is fluid...while I did not find mention of petty officer's having collateral duties of police petty officer in a 1938 edition of The Blue Jacket's Manual (BJM), I just received a copy of General Training Course for Petty Officers 3c and 2c and the collateral duty of Master-At-Arms and police petty officer are listed in that book.

 

While that isn't definative on the usage of a badge in those positions, it does show the positions existed in 1938.

 

I'll need earlier editions of the BJM and PO 3&2 manuals to pin down when police petty officer became a collateral duty.

 

-dan

[MWalsh]

 

Any input from forum members?

 

Thanks,

-dan

 

Kind of Dan, maybe. Do you have any of the badge hallmark books that are out there? Those can really help establish date ranges for some of your badges.

[dpcsdan]

Kind of Dan, maybe. Do you have any of the badge hallmark books that are out there? Those can really help establish date ranges for some of your badges.

 

I have Badges of America's Finest, by James C. Casey and a 1950's catalog from the W.S. Darley Co.

Mostly online research at this point.

I have yet to find a book on only military police (all inclusive) memorabilia.

Thanks,

-dan

[dpcsdan]

There were many variations of the Master-At-Arms (MAA) position over the years. There was master-at-arms, chief master-at-arms, duty master at arms, division master-at-arms, afloat master-at-arms and assistant master-at-arms to name a few.

 

[67Rally]

 

I have yet to find a book on only military police (all inclusive) memorabilia.

Thanks,

-dan

This sounds like it would make a nice collaborative effort for some forum members to pull together.

[dpcsdan]

Yes it would.

We'll start by getting more USN usage information than we previously had, from this thread.

-dan

[dpcsdan]

Will trade other USN collectibles for a USN Shore Patrol badge. I have lots of scarce rating badges, unit lighters, unit plaques and other collectibles to trade.

current want list: http://navycollector.com/NavyCollector/Navy%20Images/__Navy%20Police%20Badge%20Want%20List.pdf

 

Thanks,

-dan

[hink441]

I have a fairly modern one to add. USS Nimitz MAA badge #9. On the back it is marked Govt Property, and made by Orber MFG Co.

 

Chris

 

[dpcsdan]

Locally custom made Guam Master At Arms 5-point star badge 1950s-60s.

Medical Master At Arms, early shield design circa late-1940s early-1950s.

-dan

 

[hink441]

Great looking badges!! Here are some of mine. USS Baldwin.

 

 

Commander of Naval Forces VietNam MAA

 

 

Treasure Island Master at Arms.

 

 

This one is my favorite. NAS Norfolk MAA.

 

 

A more modern Norfolk MAA.

 

[dpcsdan]

Nice items.

Especially like the NavForV badge, as well as the shipboard made USS Baldwin.

I was NavSupAct Saigon (71-72) "The Coming Out War period"

[hink441]

I added this one because I am also a Firefighter, I hope this one is okay. From NOB Guam.

 

[dpcsdan]

I intend to post any USN related badge in this thread. MAA, SP, PPO, Guard, Police (USN and USN Contractor), Leadingman (an area the USN utilized that other branches didn't seem to use), base Fire departments, Investigators, Inspectors, NCIS and others I may discover.

 

I'll also cover them all in my next book.

[hink441]

Here is a cool named leadingman badge I found.

 

[BROBS]

WW2 ACORN 33 Police badge.

 

 

2

[hink441]

Great looking badges!!

 

Here is another FD badge.

 

[dpcsdan]

The pin and catch style on badges can be a valuable piece of information in dating a badge. In the case of military police style badges the unit history can also help in dating a badge.

 

In the case of hallmarked pieces the company history can sometimes help in dating a piece. Since some makers have been in business for many years, this method is often less useful than the two pieces of information listed above.

 

Here is a link to a very good discussion of police badge pins and catches: http://www.badgecollecting.com/clerk.htm

 

 

-dan

[BROBS]

Dan,

Thank you for that link!

 

The maker mark on the ACORN badge dates it to WW2, and ACORNS were only in WW2... but interesting to see that they used a catch style not overly popular until years later.

 

Chipron stamp co. must have been ahead of their time!

-Brian

[Jay V]

Hi Guys, Really awesome thread and photos!!

[hink441]

NAS Kingsville.

 

[Jay V]

Not the best photos,but here are two of mine. Jay

[dpcsdan]

USN Security Officer, circa 1990s, cast modern eagle topped shield design with large "burgess" clasp.

-dan

[dpcsdan]

Shown is a Police Petty Officer (PPO) badge for the USS Santa Fe, "S" (supply) division. Stamped metal, eagle topped circle design with a "sideswing" clasp

My current hypothesis is that USN use of Police Petty Officer (P.P.O.) badges did not start until WWII, or just before WWII. A 1938 edition of The Blue Jacket's Manual (BJM) does not list a collateral duty of police petty officer, whereas a 1941 edition of the BJM does list the collateral duty of P.P.O., the collateral duty of P.P.O. is listed as late as 1968 in the BJM. The PPO was a division level collateral duty for mostly lower level petty officers. Duties included enforcing reveille and taps (lights out) and ensuring the smoking lamp status (lit/unlit) was observed. Mention in the BJM of the PPO collateral duty for petty officers not-with-standing, the PPO position was, for the most part, a WWII usage and little used after that. None of the ships I served on in the early 1960s utilized the PPO position.

 

 

-dan

 

[hink441]

Norfolk Navy Yard machinists.

 

[dpcsdan]

Master At Arms badge for the USS Ford County, circa early 1950s. Stamped eagle topped badge with a bar pin and Burgess clasp.

Note use of the "federal shield" design in the middle of badge. The federal eagle or Navy Department logo is more often used in this spot on MAA badges.