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Help with Metal Sergeant Chevron


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Picked this up at the local flea market. Measures approx. 2 1/4 by 1 1/4 inches. Clutch back.

No hallmarks or other markings.

 

Any insight would be appreciated.

post-51748-0-73717100-1396799261.jpg

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A midish 50s into the 60s item, a type worn on Helmet Liners, Ridgeway Caps and Pile Caps, a varient of this will be in Screwback form.

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Anyone have a period photograph of similar chevron in use?

Their there around the forum in various topics, do a seach using 1950s or 1960s metal rank pins etc etc.

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I have a M1951 field Cap with a Specialist 4 similar to your SFC Chevron. I also have a complete set of these helmet liner/cap chevrons.

post-60620-0-47847700-1396908637.jpg

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Here is the set. Screwbacks are older and slightly more desirable. I have these made in Japan, Germany and by US Makers.

post-60620-0-07751800-1396908718.jpg

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Here is the set. Screwbacks are older and slightly more desirable. I have these made in Japan, Germany and by US Makers.

 

Nice collection. Being that there is a SGM metal chevron, do you think a CSM exists?

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Nice collection. Being that there is a SGM metal chevron, do you think a CSM exists?

Never say never as the saying goes, but my gut feeling as of now would be, if it was made it really wouldn't be seen being worn, simply because the fashion of wearing these died out by the late 60s early 70s. And as we know, despite Army bulletins, memos, and printed Army/Armed Force Grades and Rank charts/posters of 1965-66 the rank of Command Sergeant Major and it insignia was didn't come out till, what May 1968, though there might of been 65-66 made examples of the CSM insignia, made but never issued.

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Never say never as the saying goes, but my gut feeling as of now would be, if it was made it really wouldn't be seen being worn, simply because the fashion of wearing these died out by the late 60s early 70s. And as we know, despite Army bulletins, memos, and printed Army/Armed Force Grades and Rank charts/posters of 1965-66 the rank of Command Sergeant Major and it insignia was didn't come out till, what May 1968, though there might of been 65-66 made examples of the CSM insignia, made but never issued.

 

For some reason I was thinking both style SGM chevrons were introduced in 1958. But being the CSM (star/wreath) didn't come to be until 1968, I now wouldn't think a CSM in this style would exist.

Thanks for setting my brain straight!

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I agree with Patches but with a caveat. It seems every time I say that a certain rank does not exist in a given set one shows up. I don't know exactly when this style of metal chevron went away and they were certainly gone when I entered the Army in Mid 1973. Who knows when manufacturers stopped making and stocking these chevrons.

 

But, that is what makes the search so much fun! With that said, I am missing the chevron for a buck sergeant. Anyone have one?

 

I have also never seen Spec 8 & Spec 9. However, I have metal chevrons for these two ranks in a 3/4" set. (see photo)

post-60620-0-92097200-1396960292.jpg

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UPDATE: Emerson's Encyclopeida of Insignia/Uniforms references enameled metal rank like mine as being commonly worn on utility caps (Ridgeway caps) during Korean War.

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UPDATE: Emerson's Encyclopeida of Insignia/Uniforms references enameled metal rank like mine as being commonly worn on utility caps (Ridgeway caps) during Korean War.

That would be very late Korean War period and post armistice. There a topic some where, and with farely recent posts that show korean made metal ranks of this type, painted Marine Yellow on Red one's too, circa 1952-54. Anyone remember this topic?

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  • 6 years later...

Just found this September 1966 photo where I believe the small enameled ranks are being worn, here on the cap and on the jacket above the NAME Tape of an instructor at the 101st Airborne Division RECONDO School Fort Campbell Kentucky.

kre.PNG

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  • 7 months later...
  • 3 months later...
On 4/7/2014 at 5:10 PM, hardstripe said:

I have a M1951 field Cap with a Specialist 4 similar to your SFC Chevron. I also have a complete set of these helmet liner/cap chevrons.

post-60620-0-47847700-1396908637.jpg

 

 

I picked up a Specialist 5 yesterday. It's a little corroded but the enamel is in pretty good shape. 

 

How much do they sell for typically?

 

 

575DDF80-7474-4305-BB0B-E1EC60CE6007.jpeg

6323679F-2DCA-41B4-8CA5-77BBCEE79CCA.jpeg

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8 hours ago, McDermut99 said:

 

 

I picked up a Specialist 5 yesterday. It's a little corroded but the enamel is in pretty good shape. 

 

How much do they sell for typically?

 

 

575DDF80-7474-4305-BB0B-E1EC60CE6007.jpeg

6323679F-2DCA-41B4-8CA5-77BBCEE79CCA.jpeg

Don't know.

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Typically these sell for $5.00-$20.00 at militaria shows. I have several extras that I have priced at $10.00 each. I have SP4, SP6, SP7, SSG, SFC, MSG and 1SG. PM me if interested. The metal chevrons on the left three slots are Korean war era, Korean made sandcast. same price.

 

IMG_0052.jpg.74020d967840478b4bda581bc46ac2da.jpg

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  • 2 months later...

Two Cooks from the same unit at Fort Polk summer 1968, a Basic Training Unit,. The Metal Enameled Ranks we see. one a Spec 4 and the other a PVT2. the PVT2 of course made when it was the rank insignia for Pfc, new rank titles occurring in the early late spring of 1968, new insignia for Pfc then.that additional thing on the PVT2's Cap is his NAME Tag from his Class As/Khakis.

cooks  polk 1968.jpg

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Got an interesting questions, seeing now that PVT2 Cook in the summer of 1968 with the rank that formally was for Pfc, is, was the new Pfc E-3 ever made in this fashion, metal enameled, ditto Command Sergeants Major.

 

Come to think of it, we haven't seen examples of the Sergeant Major E-9 either yet, I can see no reason these weren't made, seeing that the reinstated Buck Sergeants E-5 type were made in this metal enameled form, this being after 1958, the same year the new super grade of Sergeant Major E-9 came out.

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  • 2 months later...
  • 2 months later...
  • 1 month later...
  • 1 month later...

These photos from a 1967 Fort Dix, NJ basic training yearbook show them being worn on helmet liners and pile caps of cadre. As someone pointed out in another topic on this forum, the circular backing worn on the pile cap in the second photo is most likely the lid of a C-ration can.

Rank.Large Metal Chevrons.1.jpg

 

Rank.Large Metal Chevrons.3.jpg

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