Post your Military Buckles - with or without the belt

[oldabewla]

WWII Officers Armor

[Salvage Sailor]

On 8/25/2015 at 3:57 PM, hink441 said:

One of my favorites. USS Lexington Aviator's buckle.

 

Hink,

 

Is that a Myers & Myers Jewelers, Kansas City, MO buckle?

[hink441]

 

Hink,

 

Is that a Myers & Myers Jewelers, Kansas City, MO buckle?

I really don't know for sure. There is no maker's mark on the back side. There is only a U.S. Patent date of 1923 on the reverse.

 

Chris

[kfields]

Great buckles!

I'll add a few of mine.

First is a WW1 vintage French buckle that was probably picked off the field by a U.S. soldier who added the inscription to the front. I think this is my first ever purchase off of ebay in 1999.

 

This second buckle is WWII vintage. An enterprising 83rd Division soldier added his artwork to show the countries he served in. I suspect the 'E. O.' may be the initials of the soldier? Or maybe it means European Operations. It looks like whoever made it soldered a larger piece of cut down shell brass casing to the front of a small brass buckle. I bought an old WW1 era ammo box at a gunshow in Ohio. We sealed the deal when he agreed to throw in this buckle.

 

A third buckle is from a Marine who served in China immediately post-war. He probably took part in the effort to accept the surrender of Japanese forces that still retained their full fighting strength. The neat thing about this buckle is I know who it originally belonged to: Thomas L. Holder. When I bought it off the internet about 13 years ago, it was sold as an unidentified piece. When I got it, I looked on the back of the buckle and found this inscribed on back:

PL. SGT THOMAS L. HOLDER

288506

U.S.M.C. 1940-1947

 

Lesson learned: ALWAYS look on the back, on the rim, inside, in every pocket, the lining .

[hirsca]

Here is the only one that I can find right now. I love the double ended buckles. Can't find the one I wore during Viet Nam operations with my ship's name and image. Thanks, Al

[Salvage Sailor]

Matching set made by Gemsco

 

 

Belt buckle, patch, tie clip and cufflinks belonging to a Staff officer of the Mine Warfare Force

 

[Salvage Sailor]

New Mobile Diving and Salvage Unit One Officer's buckle

 

New Mobile Diving and Salvage Unit One Enlisted belt buckle

[Old Marine]

Two WWII Buckles, one ETO and one PTO. The 752nd fought in Italy and the other buckle has a well worn 1943 Australian Penny.

[hink441]

Here is a UDT-11 buckle I just received yesterday.

 

 

Here is a SEAL Team Three buckle that came from the same Sailor as the UDT-11 buckle.

 

[suwanneetrader]

Here are a couple of buckles in my collection that I wished I knew more about the Marines who wore them. The EGA buckle engraved USMC Lee Christensen. I wish I knew when and where he served and any decorations.

 

The second buckle I know alittle about it's owner as I have a few things of his --Harold J. Longendyre 2nd Div. 1946 Tsingtao, China. I believe he may have had contact with Japanese soldiers as I'm told the small pin was worn by Home Guard Artillerymen.

 

Any info someone may add on these Marines will be greatly appreciated and retained with the items for future custodians of them and their history. Richard.

 

[Salvage Sailor]

On 8/25/2015 at 3:57 PM, hink441 said:

One of my favorites. USS Lexington Aviator's buckle.

 

Finally got my camera working

 

Hink,

 

This buckle is made from the same blank as your USS LEXINGTON aviator buckle. 

Of more interest, it's not only dated but maker marked by the Jeweler.

 

 

Hawaiian Division (Baseball) Champions

1935

Schofield Barracks Hawaii

11th F(ield) A(rtillery)

R.J.Bullard

 

Myers & Myers

Jewelers

Kansas City, MO

 

 

[Cobra 6 Actual]

Here are a few more:

 

 

The rather cheap-looking one on the upper right is actually made from Mother of Pearl and hand painted.

[hink441]

 

Finally got my camera working

 

Hink,

 

This buckle is made from the same blank as your USS LEXINGTON aviator buckle.

 

Of more interest, it's not only dated but maker marked by the Jeweler.

 

 

 

 

Hawaiian Division (Baseball) Champions

1935

Schofield Barracks Hawaii

11th F(ield) A(rtillery)

R.J.Bullard

Myers & Myers

Jewelers

Kansas City, MO

Hi SS, that is another great looking buckle!! I believe there were several manufacturers of these buckles. I have a USS Nevada buckle that has a manufacturer from Lousiana. I think these buckles have an Art Deco look to them, and I usually buy them when I run across them.

 

Chris

[Cobra 6 Actual]

Here'a another:

[Salvage Sailor]

Nice one Cobra

[Cobra 6 Actual]

Nice one Cobra

Thanks, Salvage Sailor. Here's one from our Coast Guard buddies:

[Salvage Sailor]

Operation Deep Freeze - Antarctica

 

 

Gemsco Buckle and lapel pin

 

 

 

[hink441]

Here is a Father and Son pair of buckles. Lt. Krantz was an Avenger pilot with VT-17 and was shot down near Rabaul. He survived the war.

 

 

Here is CDR. Krantz later in life.

 

[Salvage Sailor]

USN Combat Cameraman (Aviation)

Named and dated - PI 1946

 

Two Hilborn Hamburger's still in the boxes

 

USS KITTIWAKE (ASR-13)

USS PETREL (ASR-14)

Both Submarine Rescue vessels

 

More Zippos - Very difficult to photograph due to the mirror chrome finishes

(I usually shoot them on a piece of white paper to cut the reflections)

 

Fleet Tug USS PAPAGO (ATF-160) - This is actually an "error" buckle.

The hull depicted is for an ATA/ATR, not an ATF

It should look like the ATF hull below (Tamaroa)

 

Coast Guard Zippo buckle - The heroic ship from the "Perfect Storm"

 

USCGC TAMAROA (WMEC-166) ex-USS ZUNI (ATF-95) Iwo Jima Veteran

 

More ATF, ARS, PC, FFG, .....

 

The ESCAPE and HOIST buckles are 1950's Vulcans

The two PRESERVERS are different makes and one is elongated

The PAIUTE and UTINA are Vietnam era

The GARY is a type not yet listed, made in the 1980's

The SQUALL is a 1990's buckle

 

Submarine Tender USS EMORY LAND (AS-39)

Another PI type, not very popular as they were poorly made with epoxy resin and tin

as evidenced by the crappy Surface Warfare insignia

 

This was the more popular style of engraved PI buckle

Vietnam Salvage Tug USS BEAUFORT (ATS-2)

NIGHTFIGHTER (Has sailors name on the reverse)

[Salvage Sailor]

From a much larger Quartermaster grouping - He was recalled for the Cuban Missile Crisis

 

1st US ARMY

[hardheaded]

A lot of nice buckles on here!

 

Kinda reminding me of Army / Navy games though LOL! As soon as I find some of my others I'll be adding them.

 

HH

[Salvage Sailor]

.....and where are the Zoomies?

 

I don't collect USAF but someone will post them

[hink441]

Salvage Sailor,

Great looking buckles!! Love the PI buckles!

 

Chris

[hardheaded]

.

[Jumpin Jack]

 

Enlisted AAF buckle with branch collar insignia added.

 

 

Large winged propeller added to buckle.

 

 

Impressed Korean parachute wing given to me when I jumped with the Korean Special Forces.

 

 

Private purchase web belt with original box of the N.S. Meyer Co.

 

 

Navy buckle with unidentified destroyer.

 

 

Very small buckle with eagle with AEF above, and V in the center of the shield. I have absolutely no idea what this is. My guess, however is AEF stands for Allied Expeditionary Forces, and the V I have no guess.

 

 

While very basic, I thought it would be interesting to show the private purchase officer's buckle (right) compared to the basic pattern found on the belt of the officer's tunic.