jagjetta Posted October 28, 2015 Share #1 Posted October 28, 2015 I thought I would try my hand at creating a thread of Pre-WWI portraits. I will start off with this image identified simply as "Uncle Roll, World War One." Probably taken at least five years prior to the US entry into WWI, Uncle Roll is wearing a cotton tunic with rimless M1902 buttons, fold-over collar, pointed cuffs and large patch pockets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jagjetta Posted October 28, 2015 Author Share #2 Posted October 28, 2015 Soldier of Company A, 8th Cavalry, wearing a Philippine Campaign Medal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jagjetta Posted October 28, 2015 Author Share #3 Posted October 28, 2015 Probably a member of a State or locally-raised unit, this 15th Infantry soldier posed with a Vetterlli Rifle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jagjetta Posted October 28, 2015 Author Share #4 Posted October 28, 2015 Identified as "Howard J. Walter, National Guard, Washington, DC," this Signal Corps NCO is wearing a cap with detachable branch of service band and gilt insignia. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jagjetta Posted October 28, 2015 Author Share #5 Posted October 28, 2015 The two sailors in this 1912-dated RPPC are armed with Civil War-era cutlasses. When this image was made, they were stationed at the Naval Training Station in San Francisco. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gumshoe Posted October 28, 2015 Share #6 Posted October 28, 2015 Probably a member of a State or locally-raised unit, this 15th Infantry soldier posed with a Vetterlli Rifle 15th-Inf-Vetterlli-Rifle-a.jpg 15th-Inf-Vetterlli-Rifle-b.jpg 15th-Inf-Vetterlli-Rifle-c.jpg 15th-Inf-Vetterlli-Rifle-e.jpg Rifle appears to be a M1871-88 Beaumont-Vitali. Interesting studio prop likely provided by the photographer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cutiger83 Posted October 28, 2015 Share #7 Posted October 28, 2015 Soldier of Company A, 8th Cavalry, wearing a Philippine Campaign Medal Interesting picture. It looks like he is wearing USMC shooting badges. Was the expert rifleman for Army or National Guard too? ...Kat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jagjetta Posted October 28, 2015 Author Share #8 Posted October 28, 2015 US soldier wearing the 1902 pattern uniform with a sun helmet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jagjetta Posted October 28, 2015 Author Share #9 Posted October 28, 2015 Interesting picture. It looks like he is wearing USMC shooting badges. Was the expert rifleman for Army or National Guard too? ...Kat As I understand, the Army Expert Rifleman Badge was awarded to Army and USMC personnel who qualified. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jagjetta Posted October 28, 2015 Author Share #10 Posted October 28, 2015 13th Cavalry, Co. C soldier wearing the white coat with white mohair braid prescribed in 1902 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jagjetta Posted October 28, 2015 Author Share #11 Posted October 28, 2015 2nd Infantry, Co. E NCO wearing the 1902 pattern Enlisted Dress Coat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jerseygary Posted October 28, 2015 Share #12 Posted October 28, 2015 Probably a member of a State or locally-raised unit, this 15th Infantry soldier posed with a Vetterlli Rifle 15th-Inf-Vetterlli-Rifle-a.jpg 15th-Inf-Vetterlli-Rifle-b.jpg 15th-Inf-Vetterlli-Rifle-c.jpg 15th-Inf-Vetterlli-Rifle-e.jpg I have seen a few photos of the Polish Falcons in a uniform just like this along with the same model of rifle. The Falcons were a social and para-military organization founded in partitioned Poland in the 1800's to train men to eventually take back their country from German/Russian/Austro-Hungarian occupation. There were many Falcon "nests" in America before WWI and the para-military wing trained men at summer camps much like the Plattsburg training camps. The men dressed in surplus US Army uniforms of this same model and a large lot of these Vetterli rifles were procured for their use. I believe the Polish American Museum in Chicago has an original one of these uniforms on display with the rifle. Most of the photos show the men wearing the old pre-Montana peak campaign hat. After America's entry in WWI the Falcons sent thousands of members trained at the para-military camps into the US Army and thousands of others to the Polish Army in France. Is it possible to zoom in on the buckle and cap badge to see? The buckle should have an eagle holding a barbell in its claws if it is really a Polish Falcon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jagjetta Posted October 28, 2015 Author Share #13 Posted October 28, 2015 Jersey, I think you have pegged it...I obtained this photo along with a photo of a soldier in Haller's Blue Army. The inscription on the back of this one is in Polish. The camera or the subject wiggled a bit during exposure. The crossed rifles on his cap appear to be topped by "15". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jagjetta Posted October 28, 2015 Author Share #14 Posted October 28, 2015 Jersey: This is the photo that came with the possible "Falcon" image You know, now that I look at the two images on the screen, I am starting to think it is the same guy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jagjetta Posted October 28, 2015 Author Share #15 Posted October 28, 2015 Same guy? Nah... Guess not. Maybe related, but not the same man, in my opinion Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KurtA Posted October 29, 2015 Share #16 Posted October 29, 2015 Identified as "Howard J. Walter, National Guard, Washington, DC," this Signal Corps NCO is wearing a cap with detachable branch of service band and gilt insignia. Being National Guard probably explains why he doesn't have "US" insignia in front of the crossed flags branch insignia on the collar. Great photos you posted! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
338thRCT Posted November 4, 2015 Share #17 Posted November 4, 2015 Wanted to add a few from my collection. Young G Troop /12th Cavalry trooper Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
338thRCT Posted November 4, 2015 Share #18 Posted November 4, 2015 Two US Army pals at the studio. Was unable to get a close-up of insignia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
338thRCT Posted November 4, 2015 Share #19 Posted November 4, 2015 US Navy seaman. Can't make out the name of his ship. Note spelling on the life ring. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jagjetta Posted November 4, 2015 Author Share #20 Posted November 4, 2015 Ooh I like that "Tenn a see!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graybeard Posted November 5, 2015 Share #21 Posted November 5, 2015 Interesting on the two Army pals, two collar insignia disks on each side. Is that normal for the period? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
338thRCT Posted August 17, 2016 Share #22 Posted August 17, 2016 Picked this up last week. Mans name on back is Herbert Heckerman. I'm assuming Ohio NG? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr_rambow Posted August 17, 2016 Share #23 Posted August 17, 2016 I need to make a note to contribute to this thread, it is an area of interest for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GIl Sanow Posted August 17, 2016 Share #24 Posted August 17, 2016 Interesting on the two Army pals, two collar insignia disks on each side. Is that normal for the period? "Double disk" type was adopted in 1909. Soon replaced by straight standing collar with single disk on each side in 1911. G Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee Ragan Posted August 17, 2016 Share #25 Posted August 17, 2016 The man in number 14 is in the Polish Army. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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