medalcollector Posted February 21, 2015 Share #1 Posted February 21, 2015 Hello all, Came across this navy jumper with a red aiguillette? on left shoulder. Just wondering what this is for. I've seen it in white as well Thanks in advance Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stucky151 Posted February 22, 2015 Share #2 Posted February 22, 2015 I saw one of those in an antique store in Denver, very interested to learn what it is as well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jguy1986 Posted February 22, 2015 Share #3 Posted February 22, 2015 It's not an aiguillette, it's a pre-1948 group rating for sailors who weren't rated petty officers. White is for the seaman branch, red is for the fireman branch (engine room / mechanical specialities). See this: http://uniform-reference.net/insignia/usn/usn_ww2_enl_engine_room.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
medalcollector Posted February 22, 2015 Author Share #4 Posted February 22, 2015 Here is the white rating. It's on the right sholder this time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jguy1986 Posted February 22, 2015 Share #5 Posted February 22, 2015 Yup, seaman group rate. Basically, if you weren't a petty officer with a specific rate, you wore this group rate. The exceptions were the previously mentioned firemen in the engine room (with the red group shoulder rate), and the hospital apprentices (petty officer: Pharmacist Mate), who didn't wear any group shoulder rate but only wore a Red Cross specialty mark. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
medalcollector Posted February 22, 2015 Author Share #6 Posted February 22, 2015 It's not an aiguillette, it's a pre-1948 group rating for sailors who weren't rated petty officers. White is for the seaman branch, red is for the fireman branch (engine room / mechanical specialities). See this: http://uniform-reference.net/insignia/usn/usn_ww2_enl_engine_room.html Thank you very much. That was very helpful. Not having a good understanding of the navy enlisted ranks, before you become a xxx 3rd class, you are an Apprentice and then a fireman. Is that correct? The same uniform had what is similar to a corps device on the right sleeve. What is that for? Thanks again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
medalcollector Posted February 22, 2015 Author Share #7 Posted February 22, 2015 One more question. Why does some wear the rate (xxx 2nd class) on left sleeve while the others wear it in the right sleeve Thanks again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GIl Sanow Posted February 22, 2015 Share #8 Posted February 22, 2015 Thank you very much. That was very helpful. Not having a good understanding of the navy enlisted ranks, before you become a xxx 3rd class, you are an Apprentice and then a fireman. Is that correct? The same uniform had what is similar to a corps device on the right sleeve. What is that for? Thanks again Cuff shield is US Coast Guard, not USN -- good catch! G Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jguy1986 Posted February 22, 2015 Share #9 Posted February 22, 2015 Thank you very much. That was very helpful. Not having a good understanding of the navy enlisted ranks, before you become a xxx 3rd class, you are an Apprentice and then a fireman. Is that correct? The same uniform had what is similar to a corps device on the right sleeve. What is that for? Thanks again 1) A sailor entered the service and was an apprentice seaman basically just during boot camp, and once that was completed and he was assigned his job, he was a Fireman (as long as we're talking about engine room duties, otherwise it'd be Seaman for most other jobs), and as with everything, you'd move up the ranks. Seaman / Fireman Second class --> Seaman / Fireman First class --> Petty Officer Third Class --> Petty Officer Second Class, and so on. 2) That shield on the lower right sleeve means it's actually for a member of the Coast Guard. 3) Specific ratings after 1941 were either left sleeve or right sleeve. Boatswain's mates, quartemasters, gunners mates, etc. (for the most part if your job was above deck) had a right sleeve rating. All the other petty officers had left sleeve rates. There's a much more detailed, specific explanation behind it, but I'm running on three hours of sleep and don't have the energy to look up the specifics, I'll leave that up to somebody else. Check out the other pages on that link above and you'll get some really good information. Hope that all helps. -- Jon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
medalcollector Posted February 22, 2015 Author Share #10 Posted February 22, 2015 Jon, This is enough information to get pointed in the right direction. Thank you very much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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