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Overseas service stripes rules and regulations


marentius
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IHi all,I ma trying to get some informations about the use and regulations for the overseas service stripe,the one that usually is sewn on the left sleeve of the Ike jacket in its lower part.

I would like to know which were the rules and until when was it attributed,I mean until final day of war in the ETo PTO for thoes who were serving when the war got to its end,idoes it cover the service spent abroad after the end of the war (I am thinking about the american troops garrisoned in Italy Austria or Germany for example) or last day of issue was when the G.I. was finally stepping on american soil?

thank you for any information.

 

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These came out probably by early 1945, photos show them being worn on occasion in the field in Germany, or behind the lines at any rate. Credit for Overseas Bars would start the moment the soldier gets overseas, and evidently was given for service in areas other than combat theaters, like Iran, Equatorial Africa, Alaska. Iceland etc etc Those areas of Canada, the Canal Zone, Brazil, Puerto Rico etc etc probably got them as well, if not, then just the soldiers unofficially gave themselves them as these places where in theory outside the ZI.

 

Start periods In example, a member of, the 34th infantry Division in Northern Ireland (January 1942), the 41st Infantry Division in Australia (March 1942), the 5th Infantry Division (May 1942) etc etc. As far as when they stopped being credited? one current souse 670-1 states 2 September 1946, but more than likely soldiers on occupation duty in Japan, Korea Germany, Austria and Northern Italy gave themselves a little extra time, say into 1947.

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Here's one for the Persian Gulf Command to show the O/S bars on a soldier who was in an active combat theater.

 

post-6492-0-82781600-1400389196.jpg

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There's two photos posted somewhere that I posted that show the O/S Bars worn in a field setting, let me see if I can find them.

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As mentioned these probably came out by early 1945, that would be availability in significant numbers really.

 

Just for reference. Here's a issue box of them posted originally by member Manchu Warrior, note the July 6 1945 date.

 

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/209328-i-believe-this-to-be-a-life-time-supply-of-wwii-overseas-bars/?hl=%2Boverseas+%2Bbars

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thank you Patches for the informations,do you know where I could find a copy of the ww2 era regulations concerning the overseas stripes?

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thank you Patches for the informations,do you know where I could find a copy of the ww2 era regulations concerning the overseas stripes?

I don't know, seems only the more current AR's are around, but I would think these current ones don't deviate too far from the WWII/Korean regs

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  • 3 years later...

I was handed a great ARMY Booklet on Army Service dated 10 August 1944, it covers a whole array of all things ARMY, marching, customs of the service, proper behavior, furloughs, travel  etc etc etc, and uniforms and insignia, in one illustration of all the insignia to be worn on the left sleeve of the Class A Uniform for Enlisted Men shows the WWII Overseas Bars, so we know now these OS Bars came out by early mid summer of 1944 at the earliest.

 

One insignia that is NOT depicted on the illustration of the right sleeve in the Meritorious Unit Commendation cuff patch, sources like WIKI give 1944 as the time it was out, so if the 44 date is right, then late 44.

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