vforvictory1945 Posted December 17, 2019 Share #251 Posted December 17, 2019 Does anyone know the origins of these USS belt buckles? All pictures come from the Worthpoint archives. I'm not sure if they are Navajo artisan made and what era but they are really cool. I'd love to find one to wear. Thanks, Ryan Link to post Share on other sites
vforvictory1945 Posted December 18, 2019 Share #252 Posted December 18, 2019 My mistake as I didn't read the Ebay listing info on Worthpoint very well. The buckles above are Navajo Silversmith made using Indian War USS hat insignia. Scout Buckle Here are two great collectibles in one... An Indian War-era U.S.S. hat insignia from the U.S. Indian Scouts is mounted to a sterling-front belt buckle made be the well-known B-K Silversmiths of Phoenix, Arizona. The buckle is sterling silver in front and nickel silver on the back Pretty cool buckles. I was thinking these were theater made but this info puts that idea to rest. Link to post Share on other sites
PhilippineBuckles Posted January 2, 2020 Author Share #253 Posted January 2, 2020 Happy New Year 2020! Here is a great looking Fort Mills PI buckle for Ralph H. Keller from 1941. Link to post Share on other sites
vforvictory1945 Posted January 7, 2020 Share #254 Posted January 7, 2020 Nice Ebay score! Link to post Share on other sites
PhilippineBuckles Posted January 9, 2020 Author Share #255 Posted January 9, 2020 Post 1 of 4: The following four posts are to show an engraved WWI Meat Can Mess Kit being used at Fort Mills in 1942. I don't collect engraved mess kits but this one is neat in that it is dated after Pearl Harbor and all four panels are engraved This recently sold on ebay. In retrospect, I wish I would have bid more for it although my wife was happy it found a home somewhere else Congrats to whoever acquired it! . Bottom of Pan: 1942 59th CAC BTRY C Fort Mills PI Ralph D. Swiger, Clarksburg W. Va. Station C Link to post Share on other sites
PhilippineBuckles Posted January 9, 2020 Author Share #256 Posted January 9, 2020 Post 2 of 4: Inside of Pan -- In Memory of Mother (The engraving looks like similar to what one might get as a tattoo.) Link to post Share on other sites
PhilippineBuckles Posted January 9, 2020 Author Share #257 Posted January 9, 2020 Post 3 of 4: Top of Lid -- Ralph D. Swiger, Clarksburg, West Virginia, 59th CAC Btry C (engraved over initials R.D.S.) Link to post Share on other sites
PhilippineBuckles Posted January 9, 2020 Author Share #258 Posted January 9, 2020 Post 4 of 4: Female Warrior "Philippines" Link to post Share on other sites
vforvictory1945 Posted January 18, 2020 Share #259 Posted January 18, 2020 One I picked up on Ebay a week or so ago. I really like Seabees buckles and the top slider is pretty unique. It reminds me of that Cubi Point dozer Seabees buckle another forum member posted last year. Link to post Share on other sites
vforvictory1945 Posted January 18, 2020 Share #260 Posted January 18, 2020 Here are a few more DC Swofford pics. I was only able to find a late Vietnam era Cruise Book online. My best guess is he served from the early 50's - early 70's in the USN as a Seabee. I'm thinking the buckle dates back to the mid 50's. Link to post Share on other sites
Salvage Sailor Posted January 18, 2020 Share #261 Posted January 18, 2020 One I picked up on Ebay a week or so ago. I really like Seabees buckles and the top slider is pretty unique. It reminds me of that Cubi Point dozer Seabees buckle another forum member posted last year. Beautiful PI SEABEE buckle, you can be certain that he wore this proudly with his greens. Anchor's Aweigh Member National Association of Fleet Tug Sailors - The Salvage Navy! Link to post Share on other sites
easterneagle87 Posted January 20, 2020 Share #262 Posted January 20, 2020 I know y'all were watching this one on ebay. Pretty sweet who ever got it. I "primarily" collect Gulf War 1 patches. All branches (USA, USAF,USN, USMC & USCG) and ALL Countries..US - Op.'s Desert Shield / Storm / Provide Comfort /Some Southern Watch - F-4G's Wild WeaselsUK - Op.'s Granby / Sabre / WardenCanadian - Op. Desert Storm / Op. FrictionFrench - Daguet / AconitNetherlands, Belgium, Poland, South Korea, etc.Looking for the oddities, including unfinished & flawsI HAVE EXTRA's!! Will trade as well. Link to post Share on other sites
PhilippineBuckles Posted January 21, 2020 Author Share #263 Posted January 21, 2020 @vforvictory1945 -- It's cool that you found info and pictures on Dwight Swofford. Thanks for sharing. @easterneagle87 -- I was the winner of the U.S. Army 5th Special Forces Airborne 1965-1970 buckle. Apologies if you were runner up. I don't like spending as much as I did but that's how it goes. Note the the engraver forgot to engrave the period after the S in U.S. This is the first dated 1970 buckle in my collection. BTW - I just finished reading "From Here To Eternity" by James Jones. Great book!!! I wish I h ad read it years ago. Although the story takes place in Hawaii in 1941, there are a number of mentions of the PI, but no mention of engraved belt buckles. Link to post Share on other sites
PhilippineBuckles Posted January 25, 2020 Author Share #264 Posted January 25, 2020 Someone had a TDE .44 Auto Mag engraved... This is the gun that Clint Eastwood used in the 1983 Movie Dirty Harry: Sudden Impact Link to post Share on other sites
vforvictory1945 Posted February 3, 2020 Share #265 Posted February 3, 2020 Here's one I recently picked up on Ebay. My guess is the guy may have been a Longhorn Cattle Rancher back in Oregon and was and Anti-Aircraft Army guy post WWII. Any help identifying the insignia on the left or the cattle brands would be cool. For me, this is the first Philippines made belt buckle I've seen with western motif on it. Link to post Share on other sites
Salvage Sailor Posted February 3, 2020 Share #266 Posted February 3, 2020 Here's one I recently picked up on Ebay. My guess is the guy may have been a Longhorn Cattle Rancher back in Oregon and was and Anti-Aircraft Army guy post WWII. Any help identifying the insignia on the left or the cattle brands would be cool. For me, this is the first Philippines made belt buckle I've seen with western motif on it. The short lived US Army Forces Western Pacific was established June 7, 1945, with HQ at Manila. The United States Army Forces, Western Pacific was established on 7 June 1945, with Headquarters at Manila, Philippine Islands, with the mission of providing a unified command and administration, training and support of American forces in the Western Pacific area, units originaly placed under the control of the Western Pacific Headquarters included Army Service Commands I,C, and O (Formerly South Pacific Base Command), 14th Anti Aircraft Command, Military Police Command, Replacement Command, Engineer Construction Command, and the Contruction Corps of the Philipines. On 15 October 1945, the area controlled by the Headquarters was extended to include the territory under the control of 10th Army, (mostly in the Ryukyus), and 20 days later all elements of the Philippine Army assigned to U.S. Army Forces Pacific were assigned to the Western Pacific Headquarters. On 1 January 1947, the Headquarters was redesignated as the Philippine-Ryukyus Command and moved it's Headquarters the following year to Fort McKinley in Luzon. The shoulder Patch worn by U.S. Army Forces, Western Pacific was approved on 25 August 1945 and the basic design is taken from the shoulder patch worn by the Army Service Forces, The five stars represent the Southern Cross suggestive of the area where the Command was first operational, and the Yellow flash signifies the prompt accomplishment of all missions. The patch ceased to be worn when the unit was redesignated as the Phililppine-Ryukyus Command in 1947. Anchor's Aweigh Member National Association of Fleet Tug Sailors - The Salvage Navy! Link to post Share on other sites
vforvictory1945 Posted February 3, 2020 Share #267 Posted February 3, 2020 @salvage sailor - Thanks for the insignia id and history on the US Army Forces Western Pacific. It's much appreciated! Link to post Share on other sites
vforvictory1945 Posted February 9, 2020 Share #268 Posted February 9, 2020 Here's a cool M43 jacket with some nice WWII or late 1940's Philippines art. The United States Army Forces Western Pacific patch is shown here like on the last belt buckle posted. This jacket is owned by a European collector (nice piece!). Link to post Share on other sites
easterneagle87 Posted February 10, 2020 Share #269 Posted February 10, 2020 Met up with a picker friend and fellow collector at the Sacramento Antique St Fair yesterday. He had picked up this buckle and I finally was able to bring it home. Aviation Boatswain's Mate A nice addition to the "pile". Although I'm gathering a few of these, I always forget how small they are. I "primarily" collect Gulf War 1 patches. All branches (USA, USAF,USN, USMC & USCG) and ALL Countries..US - Op.'s Desert Shield / Storm / Provide Comfort /Some Southern Watch - F-4G's Wild WeaselsUK - Op.'s Granby / Sabre / WardenCanadian - Op. Desert Storm / Op. FrictionFrench - Daguet / AconitNetherlands, Belgium, Poland, South Korea, etc.Looking for the oddities, including unfinished & flawsI HAVE EXTRA's!! Will trade as well. Link to post Share on other sites
vforvictory1945 Posted February 13, 2020 Share #270 Posted February 13, 2020 If anyone on the USMF owns this buckle I'd really like to see a better picture(s). These pics came from Worthpoint. The Anti-Aircraft Gun design is really unique. Thanks, Ryan Link to post Share on other sites
vforvictory1945 Posted February 19, 2020 Share #271 Posted February 19, 2020 This buckle is pretty interesting. It came up on a random search using Sangley Point keywords. Link to post Share on other sites
Wharfmaster Posted February 19, 2020 Share #272 Posted February 19, 2020 Two more. In Peace and War, US Merchant Marine. WARNING: Dangerous Cargo. No Visitors, No Smoking, No Open Lights. Link to post Share on other sites
vforvictory1945 Posted February 19, 2020 Share #273 Posted February 19, 2020 Whafmaster - You have a really nice collection with really clean buckles. These two are great! Link to post Share on other sites
easterneagle87 Posted February 19, 2020 Share #274 Posted February 19, 2020 Here's another two I added today, (1) Engineman, unfinished as ther is a block at the bottom to carve a name into. (2) Gas Turbine Service Techincian, for: GSM1 A.B. POWELL, USS HARRY W. HILL DD-986 Probably 1980's manufacture. I "primarily" collect Gulf War 1 patches. All branches (USA, USAF,USN, USMC & USCG) and ALL Countries..US - Op.'s Desert Shield / Storm / Provide Comfort /Some Southern Watch - F-4G's Wild WeaselsUK - Op.'s Granby / Sabre / WardenCanadian - Op. Desert Storm / Op. FrictionFrench - Daguet / AconitNetherlands, Belgium, Poland, South Korea, etc.Looking for the oddities, including unfinished & flawsI HAVE EXTRA's!! Will trade as well. Link to post Share on other sites
vforvictory1945 Posted February 21, 2020 Share #275 Posted February 21, 2020 US Naval Station at Sangley Point, PI circa 1960 with earliest shot I've been able to find to date with someone wearing a Philippines Made GI buckle (LIFE Magazine Photo Archives) Link to post Share on other sites
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