Officers With Marksmanship Badges On Their Dress Uniforms 1930s-Early 1970s

[seanmc1114]

The same officer with marksmanship badges from the previous post.

 

"Colonel Nat S. Perrine and Colonel Henry C. McLean, right, who served as commander at Camp Wolters until General Reinhardt arrived. The two men are seen sitting side by side each other, as they watch the Armistice Day Parade on Tuesday.

Date Created: 1941-11-11"

[seanmc1114]

Lieutenant Colonel William Madison Garland, assistant director for Ground Instruction, Midland Army Flying School, Midland, Texas. February 1942

 

The first bar reads "Aerial Gunner". I can't make out the other two.

[seanmc1114]

Major General John P. Lucas as commanding officer of the Fourth Army - December 1945

[seanmc1114]

Major James B. Wallace, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Major Wallace is wearing a military uniform and standing with his hands in front of him. He commanded the 569th B-17 maintenance squadron at Las Vegas Army Air Field.

Date Created: 1944-06-24

 

His Expert Badge has a Submachine Gun bar. Also note his Balloon Pilot wings.

[seanmc1114]

Brigadier General Emil F. Reinhardt, left, commandant of Camp Wolters, and his aid, Major W. W. O'Conner, right, as they visited at Hotel Texas with Mrs. John E. Farrell, center, prior to a dinner party given by Mr. and Mrs. Farrell in honor of the general. Date Created: 1941-11-15

[patches]

On 11/21/2017 at 5:41 PM, patches said:

An unknown Liaison Pilot wears his Badge.

 

Found his name, he is Albert C. Sebourn, in Korean War 2nd Helicopter Detachment.

 

https://www.koreanwar.org/html/units/2helidet.htm

[patches]

One Holger Toftoy USMA 1926, Toftoy, first commissioned U.S. Army Air Service then transferred to the Coast Artillery Corps would rise to Major General and figure in missile technology.

 

Toftoy wears the badges as we see on his cadet greys,, he was an ROTC cadet at the University of Wisconsin before being accepted for West Point.

[patches]

Another Air Corps Officer with Badge and Ladder, he was in the 447th Bombardment Group.

[patches]

I didn't want to start a whole separate topic for this guy, so lets just post him here,

 

An EM in WWII who pinned his Marksmanship Badge on his OD shirt when he sat for this portrait, no idea where it is, maybe at home on leave figuring if this was on the post he'd get close lined by an NCO or an O as soon as he was spotted, I don't even think the Marksmanship Badges were authorized on the Khaki Shirts at this time right, that starts to be see after the war ended these badges worn along with ribbons, and it soon became authorized, but the wear of Marksmanship Badges on the OD? Ribbons yes, but very late war in the ETO, not so with the MM badges.

 

GI by the way is named, name John Frank Martin of Louisiana. He starts off in the AAA, but transfers to Infantry, and serves in the 9th Infantry Division's 47th Infantry.

 

 

https://www.nationalww2museum.org/sites/default/files/2018-09/PREMIERSAMPLE_SAMPLE_REDUCED_SIZE_V3r_0.pdf

a write up, a book 

[GITom1944]

On 12/25/2017 at 11:56 PM, patches said:

And here's another photo of Van Heflin, is this from a film.

 

 

Because here he is again, this time with a Expert Badge and AC BOS, on the other hand I haven't seen in his IMDB any wartime movies where he played an officer except one, and that one was an Uncredited role in Land and Live in the Jungle, a Army Survival film.

 

Van Heflin was born Emmet Evan Heflin on 13Dec1908 (acc. to his draft card). He was in the 1st Motion Picture Unit in California. Some sources say he served with the 9th Air Force as a photographer, but this may be incorrect. Heflin made multiple training films and a few Hollywood pictures during the war years. It might be Heflin had been a reserve officer before the war. In May 1942, newspapers reported he had "received his call to go into the Army," He was probably an infantry lieutenant attached to the 1st MPU & the photos shown are of him in his actual uniform. This produced the odd combination of infantry branch crossed rifles on his lapels and an AAF patch on his left shoulder. This June 1943 newspaper article states he was stationed at Camp Roberts at that time.

 

Edit: Heflin may have crossed cannon on his lapels.

 

Tom

[patches]

A Capt Bruce M. Carswell in 1961 with the Ladder to his badge. I think he was West Point Class of 49.

[patches]

15 minutes ago, patches said:

A Capt Bruce M. Carswell in 1961 with the Ladder to his badge. I think he was West Point Class of 49.

Wow just found this photo, Carswell the Engineer Officer serving in the Atomic Bomb patch unit  in 1963, he just got married 

 

[patches]

Now here's a interesting one, the badge worn on a Fatigue Item, the OG Wool Shirts, and along with ribbons.

 

Here one Colonel Walter C. Wickboldt C.O. of the 1st Battle Group 22nd Infantry, 4th Infantry Division in around 1957-58 at Fort Lewis Washington State, the officer next to him may be a Major Robert H. Gass, found a Robert H.Gass WWII and Korea Vet who retired as a Major in 1964, if so, as a Major he will be the Battle Group Operations Officer/Chief of Staff.

[rd12]

This looks like a modified uniform for a ceremony. I've seen badges worn on the wool shirt (airborne, CIB), but never ribbons.

[patches]

Major Alfred Thomsen 134th Infantry 35th Division pre war, the Regimental S-1. wearing his badge with ladder and a shooting award badge. Thomsen stays in the unit, and by thee summer of 44 is a Lieutenant Colonel and the commander of the 3rd Battalion in Normandy, is wounded and returned to duty, but later is critically wounded in Normandy, July 30/31, he Dies of Wounds August 16. Thomsen apparently started out in the Regular Army or a the very least in the Army of the United States in WWI and is assigned to the 10th Division. He apparently leaves the Army after the Great War and in due course re-ups in the Nebraska National Guard.

 

The 10th Division History WWI

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panama_Canal_Division#10th_Division

[triplecanopy]

 

From post 163.

It is very unusual to see an officer wearing a "bolo badge" or less than an expert marksman in light of the goal to set the example for soldiers aspiring for a higher degree in weapons skills. If you look back through all the postings on this subject, you will see that most of the marksmanship awards worn by officers are for the expert badge.

 

"Robert H.Gass WWII and Korea Vet who retired as a Major in 1964, if so, as a Major he will be the Battle Group Operations Officer/Chief of Staff".

 

In some units, skill and qualification with weapons is emphasized more than in others. In those units that placed a premium on marksmanship, you will find the wear of skill badges encouraged.

[seanmc1114]

Lt. H. B. Sheets, faculty member, Department of Law, at the U.S. Military Academy, around 1934

[patches]

A 1st Lieutenant Benjamin McGowan wears his two in 1942, McGowan at this time is in the V for Victory War Show.

[seanmc1114]

Brigadier General Fielder, Assistant Chief of Staff, G-2, US Forces, Pacific Oceans Area, Honolulu, Hawaii during World War II

 

 

[Linedoggie]

On 4/17/2021 at 12:37 AM, patches said:

One Holger Toftoy USMA 1926, Toftoy, first commissioned U.S. Army Air Service then transferred to the Coast Artillery Corps would rise to Major General and figure in missile technology.

 

Toftoy wears the badges as we see on his cadet greys,, he was an ROTC cadet at the University of Wisconsin before being accepted for West Point.

Toftoy hall @ Redstone arsenal named for him

[patches]

A Colonel David W. Griffiths Engineers with Expert Badge with Ladder. Griffiths was I think involved in the New Deal Construction plans etc etc in the 30s.