503 PIR Wings and Oval Question - Unknown Type?

[KingCornChip]

I have this 503 PIR uniform named to William Paul Hilke, 1st Battalion, A company. I have confirmed that he is part of this unit, battalion, company. I have confirmed his CIB. Every bit of his uniform (except a black tie, a khaki one is named) has his laundry mark or name on it. I have no reason to doubt the authenticity of any bit of the uniform. The jacket, two garrison caps and pants are made in Brisbane Australia. One garrison cap and one tie is US made. All came in a footlocker with original key and shelf.

 

Anyways, someone on the individual and unit research bit pointed out that this is the same as a 502nd PIR oval. I'm looking for clarification on that. Obviously early-war ovals are a bit all over. I don't have a reference book myself so I'm looking for help here. Is this likely to be proper? 

[KingCornChip]

https://sparkyasundevil.tripod.com/id18.html

 

Not sure if this is a proper website for sourcing but it appears that the blue and light blue were from when the 503rd was a battalion before it became 1st battalion of the parachute infantry regiment. So being 1st Battalion makes sense for the colors. But I'd feel more comfortable with further confirmation.

[doyler]

link says bag gateway. 

 

[KingCornChip]

1 minute ago, doyler said:

link says bag gateway. 

 

 

The website looks like it was made in 2005 and there's no source, but here is the information.

 

 

 

This page has information that will help you identify Jump Wing Ovals.

Ovals are actually referred to as "Background trimmings" in the army.

 

The first background trimmings were made of a small red felt oval stiched to the center of a slightly larger piece of light blue felt. The wing, which was designed by William P. Yarborough, was issued with a background trimming "to set the badge off" as it was much smaller than that of their air force counterparts. Yarborough's wife did much of the sewing and cutting to get the trimmings ready for the first "wing" ceremony.
 
As the wives were not in any position to mass produce the background trimmings, Yarborough recommended that the AH Dondero Company be approached manufacture these background trimmings.

 The first trimmings were, like the orignal backgrounds, made with a red
center and a light blue border. The 2nd generation of ovals was made with
an embroidered border rather than as a two piece felt construction. This
allowed for symmetry and made the manufacturing process much faster.

As men from other branches became parachute qualified, the need of an
oval with other border colors was determined to exist. Artillerymen and Engineers wanted to wear the red color of their respective branches.

Thus, the proliferation of ovals began.

The 502nd battalion chose a background oval that had a light blue center and a medium blue border. The 503rd Battalion went with a medium blue
center with a light blue border. These colors were to remain with the regiments as the Battalions were expanded.
 

 Anyway, The first ovals were manufactured on felt. Later ovals were produced on ribbed cotton twill and on plain cotton material. Almost all ovals from WWII were much smaller than their modern cousins. Some of these early ovals are barely large enough to be seen outside the border of the wing itself. Most wings were backed with gauze to keep the embroidery from puckering the material. Usually the gauze is white, but there are a few examples of the embroidery being black. There are a few of the earlier ovals on felt, that are much larger than their counterparts. They are about as large as the later pieces, but always have a mild slope to the tops and bottoms.

 

WWII ovals almost always have a shape like a football or like a rugby
ball. They are not shaped like the more modern ovals that look like a
racetrack with parallel edges at the top and bottom of the oval.

 Here is a quick rundown of the color combinations:

 

 501st- red with light blue border.

 

 502nd- three distinctively different ovals- light blue with dark blue
border, dark blue with medium blue border, and tan with a dark blue border.

 

503- red with light blue border- though the blue faded quickly and looks
grey- this is how the colors were officially changed to red and silver.

 

504- WWII examples are fully embroidered medium blue with a golden yellow border. Also a blue felt with gilt tinsel bullion border.

 

505- medium blue with a red border.

 

506- fully embroidered w/ three secitoned center red, white, blue with a  thin white border.

 

507- black with an orange border.

 

508- black with a white border.

 

509- Dark blue with a light blue border.

 

511- Light blue with an narrow white inner border and a green outerborder.

 

513- red with a black border.

 

515- grey with a golden yellow border.

 

517- blue with a grey border- includes a fully embroidered example.

 

541- black with a gold border.

 

542- blue with a white or grey border.

 

550- blue with a white or grey border.

 

555- dark blue with a red inner border and a white outer border- as worn by the Airborne Command.

 

88th GIR- red with a gold border.

 

325- blue with a white or grey border.

 

326- dark blue with dark blue border.

 

327- black with gold border.

 

401st- Light blue with light blue border.

 

307th Engineers- red w/ white border.

 

Most of the artilleries are red on red, but the 467th Arty is black and yellow checkerboard w/ red border- fully embroidered.

 

464th FA - red with yellow border.

[doyler]

One thing to remember as you collect or acquire items is not all things are cookie cutter as we say. Some vets didnt always follow regulation or know what was authorized and we see time and time again this with how ribbon bars were worn or attached. I posted a uniform here once and was told the vets ribbons were "out of order" by a well known author and retired army officer. He also advised I correct it.  Thing is the uniform was obtained just the way I posted it and also had a copy of the vet wearing it that way. I will not change a thing jsut because it doesnt match what a person says to be "correct". I have always left things as found or if the item was cleaned I replace the things to the position they were. Just saying todays "correct" often didn't apply to what was done in WW2 . All I can add is if its how you got it dont over think it. Its the way it was and the way it is. 

 

The uniform 

 

https://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/20521-3rd-ranger-uniform/page/3/

 

[KingCornChip]

13 minutes ago, doyler said:

One thing to remember as you collect or acquire items is not all things are cookie cutter as we say. Some vets didnt always follow regulation or know what was authorized and we see time and time again this with how ribbon bars were worn or attached. I posted a uniform here once and was told the vets ribbons were "out of order" by a well known author and retired army officer. He also advised I correct it.  Thing is the uniform was obtained just the way I posted it and also had a copy of the vet wearing it that way. I will not change a thing jsut because it doesnt match what a person says to be "correct". I have always left things as found or if the item was cleaned I replace the things to the position they were. Just saying todays "correct" often didn't apply to what was done in WW2 . All I can add is if its how you got it dont over think it. Its the way it was and the way it is. 

 

The uniform 

 

https://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/20521-3rd-ranger-uniform/page/3/

 

 

Thanks. I have no intent on changing it out or modifying the uniform in any way. I'm just trying to follow my hunch that the oval is 503rd battalion colors instead of the 503rd regiment colors. If I prove it, cool. If not, also cool. Oval is staying right where it is. :)

[doyler]

makes sense with the pacific ribbons and veterans info for the 503rd.

[Allan H.]

On 4/8/2026 at 8:32 PM, KingCornChip said:

 

The website looks like it was made in 2005 and there's no source, but here is the information.

 

I will be happy to provide the attribution for the information on Sparky's site. He stole that info from me and claimed it as his own. He did the same with information that I had provided to him on WWII wing manufacturers and other subjects. 

 

The owner of the website has been banned from this site as a result of his prolific sales of reproductions as original pieces. You can find his name prominently mentioned in the thread about fake BB&B jump wings.

 

Allan
 

 

 

[KingCornChip]

2 hours ago, Allan H. said:

 

It was hard to find anything on google about early paratrooper ovals so it's good to see the source! This was the only thing that popped up, even when searching this website. What's your take on this oval?