Jump to content

Another American Field Service Group


Croix de Guerre
 Share

Recommended Posts

Croix de Guerre

Here is another Field Service group in my collection. All you see belongs to one man's service. Here is the Readers Digest version. This man went over in the spring of 1917 as a volunteer in the AFS and was attached to SSU 27. After serving for six months he returned to the US and enlisted in the American Army. He was assigned to the United States Army Ambulance Corp Provisonal Section "A" and served as an amulance driver with the smal US contingent force in Italy.

 

The group consists of his American Field Service tunic and trousers, his AFS diploma (not pictured), souvenir Austrian gas mask, US tunic with the very rare Lion of St. Mark AAS patch, US overcoat with the same patch, shirt, shoes, puttees, gas mask, canteen, British style over-seas cap, photos, letters, paperwork, etc.

post-3356-1213839326.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wow Awesome w00t.gif

Its interesting to see the ribbons on the US tunic not just the AFS tunic.

Can you please tell me what the ribbons are?

 

Thanks for sharing thumbsup.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

CdG,

I am looking for an USAAS uniform worn by a member of the Indiana University section that served in Italy. Do you know if they would have worn the AAS Lion of St. Mark SSI also?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Croix de Guerre
Wow Awesome w00t.gif

Its interesting to see the ribbons on the US tunic not just the AFS tunic.

Can you please tell me what the ribbons are?

 

Thanks for sharing thumbsup.gif

 

 

Yeah I thought that was pretty cool too. I've seen that on a few other AFS uniforms as well. The ribbons are the American Field Service medal, the Croce al Merritto de Guerra {Italian War Cross} which is the red/white/green ribbon and to honest I'm not sure what the blue and white striped ribbon is.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Croix de Guerre
CdG,

I am looking for an USAAS uniform worn by a member of the Indiana University section that served in Italy. Do you know if they would have worn the AAS Lion of St. Mark SSI also?

I don't claim to be an expert on any group's service in Italy, much less all the various volunteer ambulance groups served in Europe (and if any one does make such a claim, I need to talk to them!) However, my understanding is that the Lion of St. Mark patch was only associated with the US Army troops in Italy and those directly connected to them. The YMCA volunteers were technically by the summer/fall of 1918 under the authority and in most cases assigned to a particular regiment or division. That why you'll occasionaly see a Y tunic with a divison shoulder patch. (Here is an example from my photo collection, known only as "Mr. Percy from Round Hill, Texas). My guess is that if Indiana U. sent over an ambulance section, they probably wore uniforms similar to what the AFS and Norton-Harjes sections were wearing. Have you written to Indiana U and checked thier archives? I do a great deal of research (which is 50% or more of the enjoyment of owning these items) and I have had a lot of success in contacting various colleges and universities. If you have an ID'd item and can run the threads back to a particular school, they can open a flood gate of information. I reccommend always checking their alumni records.

post-3356-1213890367.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Croix de Guerre

Here is a close up of the AAS Lion patch. I'm not a "patch guy" per se. I actually bought the group because of it's AFS connection. The Italian campaign stuff was sort of a bonus.

post-3356-1213890479.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Croix de Guerre
Here is a close up of the AAS Lion patch. I'm not a "patch guy" per se. I actually bought the group because of it's AFS connection. The Italian campaign stuff was sort of a bonus.

But you got to admit,,it's pretty darn cool! w00t.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yeah I thought that was pretty cool too. I've seen that on a few other AFS uniforms as well. The ribbons are the American Field Service medal, the Croce al Merritto de Guerra {Italian War Cross} which is the red/white/green ribbon and to honest I'm not sure what the blue and white striped ribbon is.

The blue and white striped one is the War Cross and the red, white, green one is for is the Italian War Medal.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Croix de Guerre
The blue and white striped one is the War Cross and the red, white, green one is for is the Italian War Medal.

Thank you for the information!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Croix de Guerre
CdG,

Do you know which section they are with?

 

Section 520, Provisional Section A,,my man Dan is in the front row, third from the right (in glasses)

post-3356-1214004119.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 5 months later...
Croix de Guerre
It's cold and rainy so I took a few pictures today,,,,Here is a shot of Brem Lunt's AFS Diploma.

 

 

Close up,,every member who served in the AFS recieved one of these diplomas for his service. They are all unique to each driver and hand signed.

post-3356-1228159668.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Croix de Guerre
It's cold and rainy so I took a few pictures today,,,,Here is a shot of Brem Lunt's AFS Diploma.

 

 

On the left is a representation of two soldiers from the American Revolution; one an American, the other French, harkening back to the Franco-American alliance during the Revolutionary War.

post-3356-1228159930.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Croix de Guerre
On the left is a representation of two soldiers from the American Revolution; one an American, the other French, harkening back to the French alliance during the Revolutionary War.

 

Next a representation of an AFS man and a French Poilu,,

post-3356-1228161333.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...