Named ESB Officer's Uniform

[aurelius180]

Here is an ESB Officer's Uniform that I picked up earlier this year.  The jacket and pants match and are both tailored by Haas Tailoring.  It is named on the tailor's tag to James R. Main and has his initials embroidered inside the jacket.  It appears from NARA that he enlisted in February 1941 and based on the tailor's tag became an officer in August of 1942.  The right shoulder has an ESB SSI, the left shoulder has a HQ ETO and Communication Zone SSI and the left breast pocket has an Amphibious Training Command patch.  The collar brass are for ordnance and the rank is Major.  The ribbon bar includes and ETO ribbon with Arrowhead and a French Croix de Guerre with palm.

 

Hopefully at some point I'll be able to search for his service records.

 

[aurelius180]

Mr. Main's headstone.

 

 

[Brian Keith]

Looks like a great unifrom! This is one of those unusual cases where an Officer has an Honorable DIscharge insignia.

Thanks for posting it.

Be great to find out his "story".

BKW

[aurelius180]

Thanks!  Yes it’s a bit unusual having the ruptured duck and I’d love to find out more about his history.  I haven’t checked in recently but I’m hoping the archives open soon, if they aren’t already.  I haven’t had much luck finding any concrete wartime information.  Just his NARA enlistment, headstone and WWII Memorial Registry entry (which while anecdotal is not concrete).

[louie]

Years of searching through bundles of uniforms in the rag mills of Los Angeles every now and then an officer's blouse would come out w/ a ruptured duck.   Not common, but did happen.

Seen those discharge ducks on m41's, m43's, Mackinows, Pea Coats, Officer's tan uniforms, etc.   At the end of the war it seems there were very loose regs. on the wearing of the discharge patch.

[aurelius180]

I've been able to find a newspaper article from 1969 that has a picture of Mr. Main and confirms his service and ribbon bar.