4 Star Slip On Rank Worn By Jimmy Doolittle

[seanmc1114]

Jimmy Doolittle was promoted to full General in 1985, long after his retirement from the Air Force. In the ceremony that appears to have taken place at the Pentagon based on the flags in the background, his fourth stars were pinned on by President Ronald Reagan and Senator Barry Goldwater. As shown in the first picture, he most likely appeared at the ceremony wearing the three stars of Lieutenant General and the two men probably pinned a fourth star on each of his epaulettes.

 

However, the second picture shows Gen. Doolittle wearing slide-on ranks of full General over his epaulettes in what appears to be some sort of formal portrait. Was this ever a proper wear of the slide-ons?

[12A54]

I am pretty sure those slip-on versions were intended for the shirt, not the jacket.

[Justin B.]

Yeah, I've noticed that myself. It wasn't regulation, but who's going to complain? The uniform looks 1960's or earlier with embroidered insignia, I'm wondering if the slides were used to cover up three stars that were direct-embroidered aluminum wire and so couldn't just be un-pinned?

[Lee Ragan]

I agree with Justin B.. The slip on epaulets were/are for shirts only and were worn for the portrait, probably to cover up the bullion stars that were embroidered into the shoulder epaulets of the uniform he is wearing.

[Teamski]

Eh, another one of them there McPeak contraptions I bet ya......

 

-Ski

[KurtA]

Jimmy probably bought that coat on Ebay.