Band Sergeant

[316th FS 324th FG]

Just picked this up today (sorry for the crummy pics). Is this a WWI or between the wars chevron? It is Army right? The stripes are felt and more of an olive green then olive drab.

 

The black behind it is a WWII set of chevrons.

[316th FS 324th FG]

Here is the back

[Lee Ragan]

Looks like a WWI era chevron to me. Those things have differences in color shades and I've seen them with these green stripes when the majority had OD stripes. The center insignias on some of these chevrons from that period also will have differences in thread color. The cloth and thread might have originally been up to spec when made, but could have changed over time to a different shade, or they just could have originally been made that way by a contractor. Keep in mind also that these chevrons continued to be used into the 1920's and possibly longer and that states contracted to have chevrons made for their guard units which thickens the plot!

That is a nice band Sergeant chevron you have and it would be a welcome addition to my collection.

[Wailuna]

See Emerson's Chevrons (catalog #212): Band Sergeant, December 1917 to ca. June 1920. As Emerson and Lee Ragan both point out, the WWI chevrons soldiered on long after they were made obsolete the simplified chevron scheme of 1920. Here is an example of the obsolete band sergeant chevron being worn by a member of 55th Coast Artillery band, at Ft. Kamehameha, Hawaii, ca. 1922.

 

(photo from Kiaiokalewa collection; used by permission)

[316th FS 324th FG]

Thank you very much gentlemen, that is very helpful.