Unknown USAF Chevron

[Senator57]

Greetings-

 

I'm asking your assistance identifying what uniform these chevrons were used for? Also, what timeframe? I know these are USAF SSgt chevrons but I'm not familiar with the black on white color scheme. I know the white on white chevrons were used with the old summer mess dress. Thank you for your help.

 

V/R

 

-Frank

 

[Lee Ragan]

Holy moly!!! Just when you think you've seen 'em all, along comes another mystery. I sure hope one of you guys has the hot-skinney on these puppies! In over 30 years of chasing USAF chevrons, I've never seen nor heard of this color combination!

[36-tex]

WAS IT WORN ON THE WHITE DRESS TUX?

[Laury Allison]

I'm thinking it could be something for wear on arctic gear? Just a thought???? I don't ever remember seeing anything like this in the USAF uniform regs, but that type of clothing would be organizational gear and wasn't always covered in the basic regs. Most of that type of stuff (like flight clothing, etc.)....would have been in MAJCOM and Base Supplements.

 

Medical and Mess personnel wore white uniforms....but I don't think these were intended for use be either of those career fields. They would have used the standard sew-on chevrons or the small metal pin-on chevrons.

 

Laury

[gwb123]

I know SAC missile technicians sometimes wore a white coverall, but I believe these always had the standard blue and silver sleeve rank chevrons.

[QED4]

I am betting it is either a patch made in the wrong colours for civilian wear on Bomber Jacksets and the like or a "Make Ready" patch made by a manufacturer testing the equipment with what ever thread he had on hand.

[Lee Ragan]

I am betting it is either a patch made in the wrong colours for civilian wear on Bomber Jacksets and the like or a "Make Ready" patch made by a manufacturer testing the equipment with what ever thread he had on hand.

I'm inclined to think your later assesment is correct. This may have been made for that reason when they were making the white on white mess dress chevrons. The details of the stripes are not all that distinct on those white/white chevrons, whereas black on white would tell them if the machine was getting the embroidery 100% correct.

[Senator57]

Thank you for your inputs/insights. I really appreciate your help.

 

-Frank

[ctbergy]

What ever the case is that is a cool patch!

 

Chris

[Air Force Collector]

Is it possible to pinpoint a time period in which the chevrons were made by the way they are manufactured? Are they "cut-edge?" What does the rear look like? The USAF was into polar research by 1948 and they published the Polar Guide. Following WWII, the Soviet Union became the main threat and SAC had to find out how their planes worked in sub-zero weather. They had specialized clothing but, that I can tell from the guide, none of it is white. By the mid 1950s the USAF was involved with Operation Deep Freeze and Operation Deep Freeze II, I believe a joint military adventure for a US presents in Antarctica. By that point, a white background chevron could have been developed.

[Lee Ragan]

Is it possible to pinpoint a time period in which the chevrons were made by the way they are manufactured? Are they "cut-edge?" What does the rear look like? The USAF was into polar research by 1948 and they published the Polar Guide. Following WWII, the Soviet Union became the main threat and SAC had to find out how their planes worked in sub-zero weather. They had specialized clothing but, that I can tell from the guide, none of it is white. By the mid 1950s the USAF was involved with Operation Deep Freeze and Operation Deep Freeze II, I believe a joint military adventure for a US presents in Antarctica. By that point, a white background chevron could have been developed.

 

This color combination doesn't show up in any USAF chevrons references. Chevrons were not worn on cold weather clothing such as parkas. Makes me doubt that they were made for wear for that purpose.

[KurtA]

Over the past few years, I've seen a number of USAF chevrons in strange colors, including orange and red. I've assumed they don't really represent anything, but rather, were just "made" for whatever reason.

Kurt