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Army Officer Cap Badges with Stars cut off


Eric Queen
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Eric Queen

These were in with a little lot of metal insignia my dad found at a junk shop last week. Looks like the stars above the eagle's heads have been neatly cut off.

 

Anyone know the reason for this of is it just a one off?

 

Thanks a lot.

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Jumpin Jack

Eric, Let me hit you with a SWAG. Among other things, I've gathered cap insignia since shifting over to WWII U.S. Among the officer cap devices are a few state pieces. One has the stars buffed off, and another has the stars buffed off, and a single silver star added. So my guess is that this might be a state piece--not one that I have encountered. Jack

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Eric Queen

Thanks Jack. You could very well be right. I guess we will never know for sure. Just thought it was strange.

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I recall a us volentear group that went to England in ww2 used that cap badge ,color plates and storie were done

years again in the Company of Military Historians journal.

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the unit with a cap badge like the above 1st American Squadron home Guard ww2 google 1st American Squadron home Guard,

see what you come up with...LOL

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Garth Thompson

The 1st American Squadron Home Guard was comprised mostly of American ex-pats already in England not a volunteer group that went there.

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Garth Thompson

Reference the badges in the OP, federal officers were the only ones entitled to use the Great Seal which is what the stars are called on their badges. Military academies, state guard, the CCC, ROTC, etc all replaced it with differing devices.

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Eric Queen

Warroom 1. Thanks for the info. I had no idea that unit or these devices existed. Although on the surface very close I do not think these are the same. The ones you are referring to (from what I have been able to find out) should be English made and made in this configuration from the onset. These are US made and the stars have clearly been cut off upon close examination. I think Garth and Jack have it right. I think the stars were cut off of these with the intention of adding something else (state name, school name, etc.) but it just never happened.

 

Thanks again for the information. I learned something and will be able to recognize a real one now if I ever come across one. I found an English made one for sale on an English web site for 355 pounds.

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Garth Thompson

Warroom 1. Thanks for the info. I had no idea that unit or these devices existed. Although on the surface very close I do not think these are the same. The ones you are referring to (from what I have been able to find out) should be English made and made in this configuration from the onset. These are US made and the stars have clearly been cut off upon close examination. I think Garth and Jack have it right. I think the stars were cut off of these with the intention of adding something else (state name, school name, etc.) but it just never happened.

 

Thanks again for the information. I learned something and will be able to recognize a real one now if I ever come across one. I found an English made one for sale on an English web site for 355 pounds.

 

Eric,

A proper example of the 1st American Squadron would be about 1/2 the size of a regular US Officer badge and have the traditional english pin and loop attachment.

Garth

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Eric Queen

Thanks Garth. Good to know. Doubt I will ever stumble across one but stranger things have happened.

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The stars in the cloud above the eagle's head is called the "glory."

 

A reply in a recent thread on the WAF stated that the officer's eagle with the glory removed was used by technical representatives, etc.

 

I have also seen them attributed to ROTC, state guards, etc. but those usually have the name of the school in an arc above the eagle, or other devices as mentioned above.

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