medalcollector Posted April 15, 2018 Share #1 Posted April 15, 2018 Hello all, There are contract/QM years stamped on Usmc service blouses. My question is simple, what does that date mean? Is it the year contract was executed, uniform manufactured or uniform issued? The reason for asking is that there is a 1942/43 stamped uniform that supposedly belonged to a marine who was KIA in September 1942. Thank you to all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeremiahcable Posted April 15, 2018 Share #2 Posted April 15, 2018 The QM stamp was for both years listed, 1942 and 43. The handwritten name looks familiar. Was this blouse a reissue after the original marine died? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
medalcollector Posted April 15, 2018 Author Share #3 Posted April 15, 2018 Jeremiah, According to the guy selling it, the family has kept it after the marine was KIA. I'm a little confused, I'm trying to find out if 1942/43 was the year this was issued, manufactured or something else? I have also seen contract dates on uinforms by college hall fashions. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
devildog34 Posted April 16, 2018 Share #4 Posted April 16, 2018 From my knowledge, it's very unlikely that his greens would have been sent to the family as these were almost entirely recycled when individuals became casualties. Even when they were not casualties, if they resurveyed them, or whatever it's very common to have two names in a tunic. The only uniforms that were often not recycled were officer uniforms since officers had to buy their uniforms. I know enough to know that there are exceptions to anything so I could very well be wrong in this case. Semper Fi Kevin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobgee Posted April 16, 2018 Share #5 Posted April 16, 2018 Agree with Kevin. Though with the 1942-43 date and your man being a relatively early casualty in 1942, it 'might' have been sent to the family. Looks like a 1stMarDiv patch is sewn on it so we assume he was a Guadalcanal casualty. Bobgee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kurt Barickman Posted April 16, 2018 Share #6 Posted April 16, 2018 Kevin and Bob are correct on those measures. Kurt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeremiahcable Posted April 16, 2018 Share #7 Posted April 16, 2018 Agree with Kevin. Though with the 1942-43 date and your man being a relatively early casualty in 1942, it 'might' have been sent to the family. Looks like a 1stMarDiv patch is sewn on it so we assume he was a Guadalcanal casualty. Bobgee That's what makes me think it's a reissue. There wouldn't have been a 1st MarDiv patch on that blouse if he was KIA in '42. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uplandmod Posted April 16, 2018 Share #8 Posted April 16, 2018 It was the fiscal year of the contract 42-43, it would have been issued in 1942. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
devildog34 Posted April 16, 2018 Share #9 Posted April 16, 2018 That's what makes me think it's a reissue. There wouldn't have been a 1st MarDiv patch on that blouse if he was KIA in '42. That's for sure, they did not start putting patches on until they reached Australia from Guadalcanal and most had Aussie coats down under and were not reissued uniforms until they got back stateside if memory serves correctly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
medalcollector Posted August 27, 2018 Author Share #10 Posted August 27, 2018 Gentlemen, Thank you very much for Your comments. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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