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The Combat Infantryman Badge


Steve B.
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These maybe US made.... I have seen Combat Medical Badges made the same way.

 

This is a neat looking badge. Any ideas who made it? Note the sterling clutches.

 

post-78-1232118173.jpg

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Im no expert but Im leaning toward Japan.I would have thought VN period but it does look like old stock clutches.At any rate a nice piece.

 

I may have an armored ike to post for ya later

just bought it last night.

RON

 

Ron,

 

I'd love to see it! What outfit?

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These maybe US made.... I have seen Combat Medical Badges made the same way.

 

101,

 

Might be. Here are a few more detail shots. The seller actually took good pics.

 

Thanks!

 

post-78-1232132659.jpg

post-78-1232132672.jpg

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Training for the EIB test is a big part of the training program for an infantry unit and the yearly tests are difficult. A percentage of those taking the test fail to win their EIB's.

 

Well said!

 

I earned both awards and can tell you from experience that the EIB is a 100 times harder to earn than the CIB. The CIB you pretty much get by default for being shot at and engaging the enemy in a combat zone. For the EIB you have to pass a series of difficult Infantry tasks in order to earn the award. In most of the Infantry units I was in only about 10% of the participants actually earned the EIB during any given testing period.

 

John

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Meyer made a few stamped wings late war and afterwards.

 

101,

 

Might be. Here are a few more detail shots. The seller actually took good pics.

 

Thanks!

 

post-78-1232132659.jpg

post-78-1232132672.jpg

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If I had to answer, I would say Asian-made, probably Japan. The clutches are a tantalizing clue, but of course, they could have come from another badge.

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If I had to answer, I would say Asian-made, probably Japan. The clutches are a tantalizing clue, but of course, they could have come from another badge.

 

Hey Steve,

 

Looking back through your old CIB thread I'm thinking the same thing. I'm anxious to see it. In the photos it looks like it's in good shape. It would be nice if it were Asian. I also picked up a Brit made badge today. I'll have to update the collection soon.

 

Thanks!!

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Ah, the exceptions! They are what can make this hobby and history in general so interesting. As was mentioned earlier by MR-X, some airborne artillery did receive the CIB for Normandy, but I'm not sure they got to keep them. I have the uniforms of the late Maj. Morton Harris who was 101st Division Artillery. He wore the CIB, but years later when I finally got some of his papers from St. Louis there was no mention of it. I'm sure he was blissfully unaware he was wearing something he shouldn't have, but there is no question he felt he had earned it. It was given to him so he wore it with pride.

Another unit that was technically not infantry, but definitely was issued the CIB, was the 1st Special Service Force. I believe that even the Canadian members were issued the badge unofficially during the war.

Jim

 

Canadian veterans of the 1st SSF were in issued then-current US Army CIBs at a special ceremony 13 Aug 2005. The Jan-Mar 2006 issue of The Trading Post published a Letter to the Editor by an ASMIC member and concurrent Canadian military photographer.

 

Canadian members of the 1st SSF were never officially awarded CIBs prior to that date; to my knowledge, no personnel assigned to non-US units have ever been awarded the CIB. I do not believe there is an AR of authorization.

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I think Japanese made is likely here.... I looked over a stamped jump wing that I have. The clutches appear to be US made... the pins are a little longer then US made examples.

 

Hey Steve,

 

Looking back through your old CIB thread I'm thinking the same thing. I'm anxious to see it. In the photos it looks like it's in good shape. It would be nice if it were Asian. I also picked up a Brit made badge today. I'll have to update the collection soon.

 

Thanks!!

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Here it is. I don't know if my photos are any better than the sellers.

 

The enamel looks great. All areas that are normally silver are very dull. As the seller put it, tinny.

 

Is the concensus Asian??

 

 

post-78-1232669677.jpg

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dogfacedsoldier

I would say Japanese. I have one just like it, and I got it from a vet, and he said he picked it up in Japan. Nice CIB I watched that one on ebay. I really wanted to bidon it, but I wasn't around.

 

 

Jon

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I would say Japanese. I have one just like it, and I got it from a vet, and he said he picked it up in Japan. Nice CIB I watched that one on ebay. I really wanted to bidon it, but I wasn't around.

Jon

 

Hi Jon,

 

Thanks. One with provenance is good news.

 

Thanks again!

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My dad is a WWII vet of the 82nd Airborne, 319th Glider Field Artillery. There were times when the action was so close to their gun sections that German tracers were passing through their camo netting covering the 75mm's. He thinks his unit should have been awarded them when the fighting got that close.

 

think.gif

 

Greg

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I have interviewed a veteran who was in an Ordinance Maintence Battalion. He started in North Africa and up Italy's boot then was shipped to England and went in on Normandy after D-Day. After the battle of the bulge 10% of his unit was ordered to the front as infantry replacements due to all the loses. He was assigned to the 397th Infantry Regiment of the 100th Infantry Division. He was a T5 but they took the 5 away and made him a Sergeant squad leader. He then earned a CIB. I have pictures of him and his uniform when he was in the US Army Reserve after the war and he is wearing his Ordinance collar device and a CIB. I do not have the written order. I do not think he volunteered. He was a machinest. He is still alive and well and I see him most every Sunday.

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I've got one a lot like it marked N.I.B. Co Japan.. It's had a cut ribon bar soldered to the back.. Korean war vet gave it to me.. The back has the wreath on it and everything

 

Fins.

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Here is a link to a post under the Uniforms forum with a BDU with the CIB and 2nd Marine Division SSI as a combat patch:

 

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/ind...mp;#entry267091

 

As I asked in reply to that post, does anyone know if the CIB is restricted to service with an Army infantry unit or if someone who served as a combat infantryman in the Marine Corps and later joins the Army can become eligible for the CIB based on the Marine Corps service? I believe a soldier who earns the CIB in the Army and transfers to the Navy or Marine Corps may apply for eligibility to wear the Combat Action Ribbon in lieu of the CIB, but does it work the other way around?

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Here is a link to a post under the Uniforms forum with a BDU with the CIB and 2nd Marine Division SSI as a combat patch:

 

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/ind...mp;#entry267091

 

As I asked in reply to that post, does anyone know if the CIB is restricted to service with an Army infantry unit or if someone who served as a combat infantryman in the Marine Corps and later joins the Army can become eligible for the CIB based on the Marine Corps service? I believe a soldier who earns the CIB in the Army and transfers to the Navy or Marine Corps may apply for eligibility to wear the Combat Action Ribbon in lieu of the CIB, but does it work the other way around?

 

 

When I was in the Army (1964-1972) we had a number of former Marines who had served tours as Infantrymen in RVN with the Corps. None of them were given a CIB for their USMC service. Most of them got the opportunity to earn a CIB during their Army service in Vietnam.

 

They were proud to display their Combat Action Ribbon on their Army uniforms.

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To muddy the waters a bit, my great uncle Richard was a Corporal with the 552nd Field Artillery Battalion in WWII. According to his service record, that was the only unit he served overseas with. However, he was awarded a Combat Infantryman Badge.

 

I seem to recall reading somewhere a while back that during WWII, the CIB was open to all combat ground forces: Infantry, Armored Cav, Combat Engineers, Field Artillery. I'll have to try to find the link to it.

 

I can't access most of the sites as they're blocked on my work computer, but do a Google search for "Public Law 393 - 78th Congress". Here's a bit from a site I could access:

 

"Public Law 393, 78th Congress as reflected in War Department circular no. 271 dated 3 July 1944 provides that "During the present war (WWII) and for 6 months thereafter any enlisted man of the Combat Ground Forces of the Army who is entitled, under regulations prescribed by the Secretary of War to wear the Expert Infantryman Badge or the Combat Infantryman Badge shall be paid additional compensation at the rate of $5.95 per month for the EIB and at the rate of $10.00 per month when entitled to wear the CIB provided that compensation for both may not be paid at the same time." Combat Ground Forces is described as "Infantry, Cavalry, Field Artillery, Coast Artillery, Armored and Tank Destroyer units and Combat Engineers."

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"Public Law 393, 78th Congress as reflected in War Department circular no. 271 dated 3 July 1944 provides that "During the present war (WWII) and for 6 months thereafter any enlisted man of the Combat Ground Forces of the Army who is entitled, under regulations prescribed by the Secretary of War to wear the Expert Infantryman Badge or the Combat Infantryman Badge shall be paid additional compensation at the rate of $5.95 per month for the EIB and at the rate of $10.00 per month when entitled to wear the CIB provided that compensation for both may not be paid at the same time." Combat Ground Forces is described as "Infantry, Cavalry, Field Artillery, Coast Artillery, Armored and Tank Destroyer units and Combat Engineers."

 

I think the magic language in the law you quote is "who is entitled, under regulations prescribed by the Secretary of War to wear the Expert Infantryman Badge or the Combat Infantryman Badge". Other regulations limited the two badges to infantryman. I don't think this law in any way expanded eligibility beyond Infantry even to other combat forces.

 

Even though the CIB is restrictive in who may receive it and some feel that it was unfair to exclude the artillery forward observers, tank crewmembers, combat engineers, etc., the original purpose was to recognize the unique service of the Infantry who did the day to day fighting and dying and suffered under the worst conditions of any combat soldiers, not just to recognize anyone who had been shot at. That was finally recognized by the Combat Action Badge.

 

Attached is an image of a great Bill Mauldin cartoon that highlights the fact that on the front lines there was often not a lot of difference in the hardships experienced among the various branches but at least an engineer was learning a skill he could take with him in the civilian world.

post-1761-1233082289.jpg

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Thanks for your post, Sean. Now I wonder why my great uncle received a CIB at all. The statement of service I got from the NPRC listed only the Field Artillery Battalion he'd been assigned to, and nothing else. I wonder if he might've been temporarily reassigned as a rifleman to an infantry unit during the Bulge or something. think.gif

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I picked up this surprisingly nice Brit made CIB on eBay. The enamel is a lighter blue than usual and in perfect condition. The photos don't do it justice. The bottom of the wreath shows some wear, but still beautiful.

 

post-78-1233441658.jpg

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post-3715-1233885434.jpg

 

I recently acquired a 20th infantry Rgmt uniform (6th Div) that had this badge on it. Because it was so different from the US made sterling badges I have on other uniforms, I assumed it was fake. But on closer inspection, I realized that the blue field is a nice thick enamel, not paint, and that the rifle is both nicely detailed and separately applied. Since this uniform belonged to an occupation force, could this be a Japanese made example? Does anyone else have one? It's clutch back, and unmarked.

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Can you show us the back? It almost looks like a post-war replacement from the photo you posted of the front.

 

Also, measure the length of the "prongs" that the clutches attach to. That can help sometimes.

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post-3715-1233885434.jpg

 

I recently acquired a 20th infantry Rgmt uniform (6th Div) that had this badge on it. Because it was so different from the US made sterling badges I have on other uniforms, I assumed it was fake. But on closer inspection, I realized that the blue field is a nice thick enamel, not paint, and that the rifle is both nicely detailed and separately applied. Since this uniform belonged to an occupation force, could this be a Japanese made example? Does anyone else have one? It's clutch back, and unmarked.

The detail on the wreath looks less defined than on the typical government manufactured CIB's I usually see. Especially notice that the width is not consistent all around. It looks a lot like the beercan CIB my father brought home from Vietnam that appears to have been stamped in thin metal and crudely hand painted. I'm not saying this is Vietnam era, just that the wreath makes me think it was theater made somewhere and based on the ribbons I would assume Japan.

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