David Minton Posted October 24, 2013 Share #351 Posted October 24, 2013 My latest bullion acquisition: gold Chief Aviation Electricians Mate. Some things I liked about this particular piece: 1. The bullion construction was different from all of my others, with nice detail, especially in the specialty mark 2. Rocker sewn on top of the top chevron, rather than underneath 3. Gold thread border Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subsystem4 Posted October 24, 2013 Share #352 Posted October 24, 2013 On a recent uniform purchase. -Jay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
holdaas Posted October 24, 2013 Share #353 Posted October 24, 2013 Recently scanned my collection so I'll post a few of my personal favorites. Aviation Electronics Technician with red felt chevrons, just picked this one up. Aviation Electricians Mate, I've never seen this type of crow before...guessing 40's era. Printer rate. It took me a while to find one of these, Master Chief Avionics Technician. Engineman Rate. Aviation Ordnanceman. Aviation Metalsmith or Aviation Structural Mechanic rate...could be either. Aviation Machinist Mate. Aviation Radio Technician....there's actually quite a few rates that this one could be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
67Rally Posted October 25, 2013 Share #354 Posted October 25, 2013 Holdass, You've turned the volume up a few notches. Though they aren't the rarest of rare ratings, they are, however fitting with the title of this thread...spectacular. For some reason, I am very partial to the Aviation Radioman (at least that is what I call it) bullion in your round of ratings! Aviation Radio Technician....there's actually quite a few rates that this one could be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
67Rally Posted November 9, 2013 Share #355 Posted November 9, 2013 This silver bird just landed at my roost: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sigsaye Posted December 18, 2013 Share #356 Posted December 18, 2013 Nothing fantastic, I think I figuered out how to post pics. This AEC crow was given to me by a buddy when he made AECS. It is a standard "Vanguard" pre '84 crow. Eventually, He made AECM and passed this crow to me. Again, a pre "Fat Parrot" crow. AMSC Crow, again, pre '84 "Vanguard AMCS mint still with $45 price tag and Double Knit! ENC from late '70s Back of ENC Back of AMCS ETCM. This crow belonged to my last CMC at RTC Great Lakes in 1990. He was also a Submariner and had been on Vice Presidential Staff. He replaced this with a CMC crow. Back of ETCM crow YNC from the late '60s, early '70s. Not sure where I got it. But a nice crow none the less Back of YNC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
67Rally Posted December 18, 2013 Share #357 Posted December 18, 2013 Nice additions, Sigs! The heavy bullion is nice and bright on that YNC! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sigsaye Posted December 22, 2013 Share #358 Posted December 22, 2013 This is an older SMC crow. The chevrons are seperately applied in the WW 2 style, but as you can see, it is for a left sleeve. I'm guessing this was from shortly after the return of the SM rate in 1958. Love this crow. I would have worn it when I made Chief, but was already in gold and could not find matching hashmarks Back of red applied chevron SMC This was posted several years ago. this was my crow from when I first went gold as an SM!. They did not have any in the Exchange in Sasebo Japan where my ship was homeported, so I had this and a set of matching hashmarks made at a local tailor shop. Loved this crow. Would have had my CPO crows made there too, but went to the East Coast and never found any place that did this sort of work. Back of Tailor made SM1 crow This was my first SMC crow. I made SMC in '84, before the "Great Change" had time to really get started. Guess there were still old style crows available in the exchanges. Back of first SMC crow. Note the yellow thread on the flags I bought this crow in '88 or '89 for my new set of Dinner Dress Blues. Didn't really notice at the time the style of the eagle had changed, These things came in plastic bags with "Vanguard" printing all over them, I really just checked to make sure they had crossed flags on them. Not really all that bad I guess. Not great, but ok Back of SMC "Parrot" crow This crow is on my Dress Blue coat. I made SMCS in 1990, so old styles were still available This one was on another set of blues I had, also purchased in 1990 and is also an older version This is the crow that is on my Dinner Dress Blue jacket, purchased around '93. It is a "Parrot" style, sad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zljones Posted December 22, 2013 Share #359 Posted December 22, 2013 Nice Signalman bullion! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sigsaye Posted December 22, 2013 Share #360 Posted December 22, 2013 Thanks, I never really noticed before, but if you look at them, even though they are all from the same era and all "Vanguard", they all have slight differances in them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zljones Posted December 27, 2013 Share #361 Posted December 27, 2013 I love that chevron style on that red on blue one. Signalman definitely makes a fine bullion Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subsystem4 Posted January 8, 2014 Share #362 Posted January 8, 2014 Signalman is one of those ratings, like gunners mate, quartermaster, or the old electrician's mate globe, that has a great aesthetic IMHO. Pharmacist mate isn't too bad looking either, a recent purchase: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zljones Posted January 8, 2014 Share #363 Posted January 8, 2014 Very nice pickup, and I am in agreement about Gunner's Mate and Electricians Mate. Aviation Electricians Mate I have found to make a good bullion as well, along with Commissaryman. I have some of these in bullion I do not have pics yet, but I will be posting eventually Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dpcsdan Posted January 21, 2014 Author Share #364 Posted January 21, 2014 In searching and buying USN/USCG bullion CPO rating badges I've run across one specialty mark that shows up much more frequently than other specialty marks. Perhaps three times as often as other specialty marks. You might think that the most often found specialty mark on CPO bullion versions would be Boatswain's Mate, but what I've personally found most often is Aviation Machinist's Mate bullion CPO rating badges. What have you seen most often? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0bx Posted January 21, 2014 Share #365 Posted January 21, 2014 Dan, I totally agree that Aviation Machinist's Mate CPO rates are very plentiful compared to other rates. I am trying to collect all WW2 era bullion CPO rates in all color variations. Some rates can be found in seven(7) different colors including red/blue, gold/blue, khaki, gray, red/green, gold/green, and blue/green. The first rate I was able to find in all seven color variations was Aviation Machinist's Mate. -Fritz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dpcsdan Posted January 25, 2014 Author Share #366 Posted January 25, 2014 BTW, I've got a new line of collecting interest (Navy Police, Master-At-Arms, Brig Guard and Shore Patrol badges) over in the Badges section: http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/199619-navy-policemaster-at-arms-badges/?p=1555961 Please keep a lookout for vintage badges for me. Thanks, -dan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
svt40 Posted January 31, 2014 Share #367 Posted January 31, 2014 Here is a bullion AT1 that I picked up for my dress blues. Yup they still make them and they are pricey, the quality is good too. EDIT: Pictures are lost Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sigsaye Posted February 1, 2014 Share #368 Posted February 1, 2014 That's what it should look like!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carnut63 Posted March 3, 2014 Share #369 Posted March 3, 2014 Funny you posted that. I talked to the ladies that work at the NEX here and told them I wanted a special order Vanguard patch, I even showed them the ones they had on the wall for examples and they were thouroughly confused. The ones on the wall were for CPO and seeing how I am a PO1 they couldnt understand why I was ordering one. I spend about 30 seconds explaining it then just said nevermind. I have been in for 14 years and for the last 4 or so I have been on the lookout for a CPO wearing these new bullion patches and have yet to find one. I ask them and I always get the same answers, either nobody knows what I am talking about....or nobody understands why someone would spend $75 on a patch when they can just buy them off the hook for $15. Most are unsure if I would even be allowed to wear them...to hell with it. Haha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sigsaye Posted March 3, 2014 Share #370 Posted March 3, 2014 I mentioned to my sister once that I wanted to find her an older Female CTCM crow for when she makes Master Chief, and finding one for my brother-in=law when he did make CTCM. at first, neither knew what I was talking about and did not there was any difference. Then said they couldn't wear them any way. I also have to admit that I never noticed the change to the fat parrot when it happened. I didn't know I even had one on my Dinner Dress Blues until I joined this forum and went and looked! Sort of sad hearing Chiefs saying that it wasn't all that important, or worrying about "Getting in trouble" for wearing "Unauthorized" crows! How things have changed. But then again, since the uniforms are not worn all that much any more, I guess it just isn't all that important. Any way, I wear my dinner Dress Blues every now and then, and am looking for a "Real" SMCS crow to replace the Fat Parrot on there now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
svt40 Posted March 4, 2014 Share #371 Posted March 4, 2014 Funny you posted that. I talked to the ladies that work at the NEX here and told them I wanted a special order Vanguard patch, I even showed them the ones they had on the wall for examples and they were thouroughly confused. The ones on the wall were for CPO and seeing how I am a PO1 they couldnt understand why I was ordering one. I spend about 30 seconds explaining it then just said nevermind. I have been in for 14 years and for the last 4 or so I have been on the lookout for a CPO wearing these new bullion patches and have yet to find one. I ask them and I always get the same answers, either nobody knows what I am talking about....or nobody understands why someone would spend $75 on a patch when they can just buy them off the hook for $15. Most are unsure if I would even be allowed to wear them...to hell with it. Haha If I was still in (retired in 2009) I would still be sporting the NEX bought AT1 crow in gold that my dress blues currently still have on them. No way i would pony up the cash for the bullion if there was a chance of making Chief (albeit a slim one (I did not play well with idiots)). I still need to update and order my ribbon rack with an embroidered rack and have it all put on my dress blues. As for updateing the medals...not gonna happen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
navyman Posted March 13, 2014 Share #372 Posted March 13, 2014 This cpo Machinist Mate is on a uniform. The uniform is named and dated 1924,but I wonder if this rate could be earlier. I will show the rest of the uniform later in the proper thread. It's a nice looking eagle. Jason Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dpcsdan Posted March 16, 2014 Author Share #373 Posted March 16, 2014 Very nice eagle. Bit larger specialty mark, also. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
67Rally Posted April 7, 2014 Share #374 Posted April 7, 2014 I was outbid on this gorgeous Chief Radarman (on gray) yesterday. She sure is a looker! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
navyman Posted April 22, 2014 Share #375 Posted April 22, 2014 I have this one coming. This is the ebay pic. I have been looking for one of these for a while. I think this is the first real one I have seen. Will get a better pic up when it comes. Jason Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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