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Reduced size blue rates with white chevrons


David Minton
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Picked these up the other day and not sure what they are. They are reduced size (i.e. WAVES size), with ratings introduced in 1948.

 

I looked in John Stacey’s book, but didn’t see an example of them. I do admit, that while his book is great for looking up ratings and marks, his organization of the evolution of rates doesn’t make for a great reference, since if you don’t know what period a patch is from, you don’t know where to look in the book.

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From the style of eagle and chevron embroidery I assume these are late 1949s to mid 1950s? Were these a short-lived post WWII USN or USCG experiment, or not USN/USCG at all? I don’t recall ever encountering full size rates with white chevrons.

 

 

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2 hours ago, Justin B. said:

They look like factory rejects, the embroidery machine wasn't loaded with the right thread.

 

That is a plausible theory. My only hesitation is they are gabardine, with finished edges. My understanding is they are embroidered in bulk, cut out, and the edges finished after embroidery. With such an obvious error, why would they bother completing the individual patches?

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1 hour ago, David Minton said:

That is a plausible theory. My only hesitation is they are gabardine, with finished edges. My understanding is they are embroidered in bulk, cut out, and the edges finished after embroidery. With such an obvious error, why would they bother completing the individual patches?

 

Maybe someone decided the finished pieces would sell better as a lot of seconds? Anyway, I'm pretty sure that color scheme was never used officially by the USN or USCG.

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Someone posted these in response to my post on the ASMIC Facebook group. There is a Teleman, which would date that patch to 1948-56.
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The full sized apprentice PO figure eight mark adds even more to this mystery.

The nine I just reposted are reduced size (just checked with the owner), so no mystery associated with this Apprentice Petty Officer rate.


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