WW2-era Chevrons - Theater Made?

[checkit]

Are these considered to be theater-made, and if so, which theater of operations would it be?

 

[checkit]

2

[atb]

They look like pre-WW2 US-made chevrons.i

[268th C.A.]

I'm glad you brought this up. I have several chevrons like this too. I have heard them referred to as CBI made, British made, ? I'd like to know as well. Thanks checkit !

[Steve B.]

I always considered those to be Pre-WWII or very early WWII.

 

I'd like to know if anyone has definitive evidence if that assumption is correct or not.

[cbuehler]

I believe these to be US made. I own and have seen quite a few chevrons with this style of embroidery, which definitely date from the ww2 era. Whether they are pre-war or early war, I dont think anyone knows for sure.

 

CB

[patches]

Golden Weave I Believe, pre WWII U.S. made.

[KurtA]

I bought some like this (but with winged props in the middle) in Kaufman's Army Navy Store in NYC in the late 1960's. It was part of all their old original stock from decades prior - all US made. At the time, I went way above my normal "10 year old kid spending limit" for chevrons - I paid 40 cents for a pair. Back then, that was no bargain, as most Army Navy stores in NYC had "five for a quarter" patch boxes. I just decided to "splurge" for something I wanted for my fledgling collection.

 

Speaking of old Army Navy stores, I was visiting lower Manhattan a few weeks ago and was in the area near the foot of the Brooklyn Bridge. I recalled being in that exact area about 45 years ago in an Army Navy store run by some whacky old lady and her husband. (They would open their locked door and asked you what you wanted. It wasn't a given that you would be granted entry.) You could see the bridge from outside their shop, so I knew I was near that location during my recent visit. They had a big drawer with some really great patches I didn't have. They told me the patches were 50 cents each, which I thought was totally insane. So, I left empty-handed and very disappointed. The couple was also irritated, as some dumb kid was wasting their time. During my recent visit, I couldn't recall the exact location of the long-gone store, but wondered if a pile of great original military surplus was in storage in one of the old buildings I was walking past....

[hardstripe]

This style of embroidery was produced between WWI and WWII. Very likely in the 1930s. I have several CCC Chevrons with the same style of embroidery as well as US Army chevrons in both khaki or brown on blue and khaki on khaki from the same era. I believe these were sold at Army-Navy stores in the 1930s to the 1940s. They were not produced to official specifications but were worn by many soldiers. They were also produced with a wide variety of branch insignia in the center. (Quartermaster, Signal, Medical. etc.)

[checkit]

Thanks Kurt - I think you have nailed the answer for all time. The odd weave reminds me of some early American Red Cross Patches that I once had, but I can't find any pics to verify that. There must have been a special type of embroidery machine for this stitch pattern.