AEF Troops Heading Home Photos - Multiple SS I

[world war I nerd]

Yesterday a packet of 25 picture postcards depicting troops that sailed from France to American on the U.S.S. Iowan (not the U.S.S. Iowa) arrived via the U.S. Postal Service. The postcards were once the property of Sergeant 1st Class Harold P. Stellwagon, who reputedly served in the 23rd Engineer Regiment, AEF.

 

The photographs sort of chronicle the entire voyage from boarding the Iowan, which sailed on July 19, 1919, in St. Nazaire, France, through to its arrival in New York.

 

While examining the images, the photos that showed troops boarding the homeward bound ship, I notices a diverse cross section of AEF shoulder patches, two unidentified brassards, a pair of US Marines, as well as an unidentified souvenir painted helmet. All of the insignia related images I thought were worthy of sharing here on the forum.

 

01: This photo with the inked on caption, "No time to lose", shows men hurrying up the gangplank on to the U.S.S. Iowan. In it, there are no less than six AEF shoulder patches and two AEF brassards visible.

 

 

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02: A slightly closer view of the above image and the aforementioned shoulder patches.

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03: II Corps shoulder patch.

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04: II Corps shoulder patch. Examples of this patch design turn up embroidered from white thread & gold bullion thread.

 

Courtesy of Advance Guard Militaria.com

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05: This appears to be a 28th Division shoulder patch with a miniature 3rd Army insignia superimposed over it.

 

What, if any, was the connection between the 28th Infantry Division and the 3rd Army?

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06: 28th Division shoulder patch, minus the 3rd Army inset.

 

Courtesy of Advance Guard Militaria.com

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07: The left hand soldier in this image looks to be wearing a General Intermediate Supply Depot shoulder patch. The officer to the right is wearing, what I presume to be a "Dock Personnel Adjutant" brassard.

 

The brassard itself reads: "DOCK PA". If you go back and look at photo no. 1 or photo no. 02, you'll see a placard on the side of the shack that each man boarding the ship must pass. The sign is what clued me in as to what the brassard might actually represent. For the time being, however, the Dock Personnel Adjutant ID is pure speculation.

 

By the way, although you can't see it in this image, the brassard wearing officer is also wearing a 90th Division shoulder patch.

[world war I nerd]

08: General Intermediate Supply Depot shoulder patch.

 

Courtesy of Advance Guard Militaria.com

[world war I nerd]

09: The insignia worn by these two Doughboys is unclear. My first impression was that the left hand soldier was wearing a Air Service Mechanics' shoulder patch and right hand man had a Balloon Company shoulder patch. To me the two shoulder patches in this image look different, it's also possible that they both might be the insignia of the 34th Engineer Regiment … Any opinions?

[world war I nerd]

10: Air Service Mechanic's shoulder patch.

 

Courtesy of Advance Guard Militaria.com

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11: Balloon Company shoulder patch

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12: 34th Engineer Regiment shoulder patch

 

Courtesy of Advance Guard Militaria.com

Any guesses as to which insignia the men in the above image are wearing?

[world war I nerd]

14: 1st Army shoulder patch with an unidentifiable inset.

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15: Another shot of the same location, but with different men going up the gangplank. Not as many shoulder patches on display, but still, there are a few things worth noting.

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16: Another look at the Dock Personnel Adjutant brassard. This image also shows the 90th Division shoulder patch. He also appears to be wearing a wound chevron on his right sleeve.

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17: 90th Division shoulder patch

 

Courtesy of Griffin Militaria.com

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18: This Doughboy is definitely wearing a 34th Engineer Regiment shoulder patch on a shield shaped background.

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19. 34th Engineer Regiment shoulder patch.

 

Courtesy of Advance Guard Militaria.com

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20: Each of these men are wearing brassards featuring the letter "E". Both, however, appear to be on different colored cloth armbands. The armband on the right hand brassard is made up of one color and the armband on the left hand brassard is composed of two colors.

 

To date, this brassard has not been identified, but it's a good guess that the initial "E" stands for embarkation.

 

Can anybody ID these brassards?

[world war I nerd]

21: This WW I era service coat has a similar "E" brassard on the left sleeve.

 

Courtesy of Rustbucket

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22: Add to the mix, this pair of U.S. Marines, identified as such by the USMC cap badges on their overseas caps.

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23: This third photo of the same location shows an entirely different set of AEF men going up the gangplank.

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24: Cow skull logo of the 34th Division placed upon an inverted 'olla' (Mexican water jug). The skull on the 34th Division shoulder patch appears in a number of different colors. This particular example appears to white. To this day, collectors still are not entirely sure what the various colors signify.

 

Also, directly below the 34th Division man, the 90th Division, Dock Personnel Adjutant brassard wearing officer makes his third appearance.

[world war I nerd]

26: A different view the men boarding the "Iowan". From this angle, the painted souvenir helmet slung from the back of this man's haversack is clearly visible. Is this just a "one-off" painted helmet, or does it represent any organizations within the AEF?

[world war I nerd]

27: A closer view of the above painted helmet.