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Why is there a Silver Bar Above this Gold Overseas Chevron?


world war I nerd
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world war I nerd

Does anyone know why this gold tape WW I overseas service chevron has a silver tape bar above it?

 

Thanks for looking and or guessing ... World War I Nerd

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world war I nerd

Yes, allegedly the first 100,000 American Doughboys wore what was called the "First Over Star" above their overseas service chevrons.

 

A white or silver star was also allegedly worn by the Doughboys who volunteered or enlisted early in the war, but for whatever reason never made it to the Western Front. That was called an "Early Enlistment Star".

 

I have however, seen a few service coats with a gold bar sewn below the overseas chevrons. That insignia has been labeled by dealers as a "Runner's" or "Messenger's" stripe. This apparently indicated that the wearer of that coat delivered messages in combat for.

 

There was also some other type of unofficial chevron that was worn by Doughboys who spent time in a German POW camp during the war. I've read about them but never seen one.

 

The following photo montage borrowed from the WW I Service Chevron's post shows a few examples of what may or may not be the so called "Runners" or "Messenger's" stripe.

 

The silver bar above the service chevrons is something I've never seen before.

 

All of the above insignia were unauthorized. Thus the wearing of them was prohibited by the War Department.

 

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I've never seen this referenced as a messenger stripe, or anything similar.

 

I have seen photos of doughboys wearing combinations of standard overseas stripes and foreign army service chevrons.

 

Considering the 1st Army portrait above shows the soldier wearing 3 OS stripes, it would be a possibility that he also saw some service with the French army.

 

It is also in my mind that some service organizations (YMCA, Salvation Army, etc.) have their own overseas chevrons....which might be an alternate explanation.

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It's too easy to speculate (which I don't really like doing), but since that is all we have to go on at the moment, here is my theory.

 

 

It represents 3 months of service.

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Good evening all,

 

My best guess (!) is that the bar below the OS stripes was indeed to signify "messenger" or "runner." I did read that somewhere, but of course can't remember where :blink:. Maybe above the OS stripes was just a variant ,or maybe sewn on above by mistake?

Brian: good to see my RPPC is of any use! ;)

 

Rogier

Yes, allegedly the first 100,000 American Doughboys wore what was called the "First Over Star" above their overseas service chevrons.

 

A white or silver star was also allegedly worn by the Doughboys who volunteered or enlisted early in the war, but for whatever reason never made it to the Western Front. That was called an "Early Enlistment Star".

 

I have however, seen a few service coats with a gold bar sewn below the overseas chevrons. That insignia has been labeled by dealers as a "Runner's" or "Messenger's" stripe. This apparently indicated that the wearer of that coat delivered messages in combat for.

 

There was also some other type of unofficial chevron that was worn by Doughboys who spent time in a German POW camp during the war. I've read about them but never seen one.

 

The following photo montage borrowed from the WW I Service Chevron's post shows a few examples of what may or may not be the so called "Runners" or "Messenger's" stripe.

 

The silver bar above the service chevrons is something I've never seen before.

 

All of the above insignia were unauthorized. Thus the wearing of them was prohibited by the War Department.

 

 

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world war I nerd

For what it's worth, I got the "runners/messenger" stripe label from Bay State Militatia. They've had at least two WW I servicer coats with the gold stripe-bar under the service chevrons for sale in the past. Both service coats appeared to have been issued to normal AEF Doughboys.

 

Here's a 12th Infantry Division service coat that was posted elsewhere on the forum with a similar gold stripe.

 

I know that the YMCA used an alternate overseas service chevron in the shape of a small triangle.

 

The Red Cross used a series of horizontal bars as officer's rank insignia that was borrowed from the French Army. According to the attached diagram none of them consisted of a single bar (unless they had a second lieutenant's rank insignia that was not included in the drawing).

 

Rogier, thanks for confirming there is a description of a "runner stripe" out there somewhere. I knew that 1st Army photo came from the forum, I just didn't know that it was yours!

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I think we may have two different discussions going on; the question of the stripe at the beginning of this thread, and the issue of stripes in general.

 

In my opinion the two may not be related. The one in the first post has the stripe above it, and in silver. I have strong suspicions it was made for use by a soldier (or authorized war worker) who spent 3 months (or so) in active stateside service, and then qualified for the full gold overseas 6 month chevron. As I recall, there was a lot of complaining going on (and much griping in general) over the stripes, and how men who had spent longer than 6 months (but not yet 12 months) were only eligible for the one chevron. It seems to me, that I came across some letter (to a paper or magazine) suggesting a 3 month chevron or stripe to better represent the time served. I can see someone thinking a half-chevron (or stripe) would represent half of the authorized full chevron. But the problem is that it is all speculation.

 

Regarding the runner stripe; I have never found anything official on it. I suspect it was not bullion or metallic in nature, but probably wool. The use of metal bullion tape (or stars) in gold or silver cuff insignia seems limited wound or stateside/overseas service.

 

The stripe below the chevron could mean the same as whatever the one in the first post was supposed to signify, or they could have been distinctly different.

 

Just some thoughts

RC

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There is a relatively common, yet under appreciated book titled "What The Boys Did Over There" that I believe has a couple of good photos of doughboys wearing a mix of chevrons.

 

My copy of the book wasn't on the shelf.....it strikes me that I might have lent it to a friend when he was in the hospital, and never got it back.

 

I'll keep looking,...or perhaps someone else has a copy and can post a photo or two from it.

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world war I nerd

Another emblem that rated high on the heroes, Bourse was the silver bar for voluntary enlistment.”*

Based on the above quote which appeared in the Stars and Stripes newspaper article that follows, it would seem that the silver bar above the gold overseas service chevron depicted at the beginning of this post may signify “voluntary enlistment”.

 

*PS, I didn’t know what “Bourse” was either. It’s a French word that loosely translates into “stock exchange, especially the stock exchange of certain European cities.

 

Credit for locating this particular article goes to forum member Jagetta (thanks John) who posted it to a different thread whose topic dealt with an unauthorized gold star that was allegedly awarded for shooting down an enemy plane.

 

For anyone interested in that thread follow this link: http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/259436-gold-star-award-for-shooting-down-an-enemy-aircraft/

 

Ship’s Tailors Lead Busy Life

Near Heroes Get Away With It as Far as Transport’s Deck

The wound and service stripe market took a terrible slump at Brest last week when the news filtered back from outbound transports that a new brand of inspection was being held for every batch of home-going members of the A.E.F. It was discovered that anybody whose sleeves didn’t pass inspection and check with the little old service record had to report to the company tailor for an amputation.

 

For several weeks the needles in the base ports have been working nights sewing six-month chevrons on five-months-and-twenty-nine day veterans, decorating right cuffs of heroes whose only wounds are located in their pride, and attaching neat little French campaign badges that proclaim participation in every event, from the first battle of the Marne, Verdun, and the taking of Kiau-Chau to the capture of Coblenz. When they walked across the gangplank lately a few outfits have looked like veterans of the Napoleonic war. But when they walk off they won’t.

 

Another emblem that rated high on the heroes Bourse was the silver bar for voluntary enlistment. A gold star also showed on a few sleeves for the “first 100,000.” But when the men hit the deck for the first assembly, both faded in the sea fog like a pint of cognac before an M.P.

 

Hereafter, the extra stars and bars will go home in the barracks bag, and if they appear at all it will be in the back parlor with the curtains drawn, probably with the nonchalant explanation of the wearer that modesty forbids wearing them out where any common M.P. could see them and get jealous.

 

Stars and Stripes newspaper, January 24, 1919, Vol. 1, No. 51, page 01

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My compliments and approbations to Jagetta and World War I nerd.

 

You seem to have found a piece of the puzzle!

 

I'll file this reference away in my mental database.

 

Excellent research, gentlemen.

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world war I nerd

Now to muddy the waters …Rusty Canteen added some text extracted from a 1919 dated publication titled, Facts For Patriots, to a similar post about first Over & enlistment stars, which can be found at: http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/227017-aef-first-over-early-enlistment-stars/

 

The text posted briefly described the purpose of the gold, light blue and silver service chevrons, the red discharge chevron, and also that of a “white stripe” and a “white star” as worn by American Doughboys at the end of the Great War. According to the author the white stripe and white star indicated the following:

 

One white stripe on the left arm denotes six months’ service in the United States

A white star, which is worn above the stripe, denotes enlistment, that the soldier volunteered and was not drafted.

 

Facts For Patriots by Mrs. Clyde Davis Connelly, 1919, page 139

Therefore we now have two post war sources, both dated 1919; one citing a “silver bar” and the other a “white stripe”, both of which apparently implied voluntary enlistment.

 

By the way, the prescribed or regulation silver service chevron, whose duty was technically the same as that of the above mentioned white stripe, was described thusly in Facts For Patriots:

 

Silver Chevron – For officers Field Clerks and enlisted men who served six months outside the theater of operations, a silver chevron (worn the same as the gold chevron) is allowed. For each additional six months another chevron is worn.

Facts For Patriots by Mrs. Clyde Davis Connelly, 1919, page 139

If we are to believe both sources (Stars and Stripes & Facts For Patriots), then there must have been two distinctly different period insignia that represented voluntary enlistment:

 

1. A silver bar

2. A white star

 

There also must have been two distinctly different period insignia that represented stateside service:

 

1. A white stripe

2, A silver chevron

 

Now one question remains to be asked – was the information contained in both of those sources accurate?

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  • 2 weeks later...

There may be another explanation for stars on the cuffs! In his book, Orders, Decorations and Insignia, Military and Civil, COL Robert E. Wyllie (G.P. Putnam Sons, 1921) states, on page 208:

"In addition, each officer and man in an organization which is cited in War Department orders wears a silver star on the cuff, a second star is added for a second citation. For a third citation, the two silver stars are replaced by a gold star, etc., a gold star is used for every three citations , and a silver star for each intermediate one. This is purely a regimental decration, and not in any sense personal, it is part of the uniform of the organization and must be removed when the individual is transferred elsewhere."

 

If one has a uniform with either (or both) silver and gold stars, it might be worthwhile to determine what unit is involved.

 

Personally, I have never seen any such insignia that I can recall.

 

G

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I've never seen that reference before.....and can't say I've ever seen photographic evidence that would coincide with a citation of some sort. Interesting reference, though.....

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Well, I stumbled across it while working on an article for FOOTLOCKER, and I was really surprised. Now we need to see pix of them being worn.

 

G

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world war I nerd

This photo was originally posted by Cookieman in the First Over & Early Enlistment Star thread.

 

I thought I put it here as well because this soldier's got it all!

 

He's wearing what look to be three silver overseas chevrons, a silver star and a slightly darker bar with a red discharge chevron above that. In addition he's also wearing a Quartermaster Corps PFC rank insignia.

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  • 4 months later...

Found this while going through some WW1 paper items today.........Was folded up in a booklet from the American Legion.

 

It appears to show a small bar and states..."SILVER" volunteer enlisment.hard to see with the area being folded but there is a bar by the star.Can low it up and it shows up better.

 

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RustyCanteen

Hi Ron, excellent find!

 

I think it is actually referring to the star, by noting that a Gold star would denote first 10,000 overseas (that seems to be what it says), while a Silver star would denote a volunteer enlistment.

 

 

Thank you for sharing it with us.

 

RC

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Now, why is it that the Honorable Discharge stripes are not rarely still upside down on sleeves of the of the WWI uniforms? Coincidentally, that's the case on Sgt. York's uniform in the Tennessee State Museum and the sculptor of the statue of him in the Argonne on the state capitol grounds reproduced it the same way, inappropriately , having used the uniform as the model for reference!! I've actually seen this on many uniforms- was it some kind of statement of defiance once the Doughboys were officially "out"?

 

David

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Hi Ron, excellent find!

 

I think it is actually referring to the star, by noting that a Gold star would denote first 10,000 overseas (that seems to be what it says), while a Silver star would denote a volunteer enlistment.

 

 

 

 

Thank you for sharing it with us.

 

RC

 

Right you are.I can see the refferance better.

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