3rd MAW DRESS BLUES....UNNAMED?

[Brian Dentino]

I picked up this uniform along with several others the other day and was wondering if there was any way to research it, and what you all think about it? Thanks!

[Brian Dentino]

another....I really like this but it is SO SMALL that it wont fit on my smallest busts....may have to buy a childs to get it on! :pinch:

[Brian Dentino]

Ribbon bar, Marksman badge, and Aircrew wings with 3 stars......idea even of a unit/time of service?

[Brian Dentino]

close up of the wings....

[Brian Dentino]

EGA left side......

I am a sucker for these WWII Corps dress blues, and these are very nice shape with no mothing and come with the pants w/blood stripe. Anywhere I should look for a name that I may have missed? Any comments on them/questions? I will post a pic of the aviator diamond on the bottom of the left sleeve and will await your help/suggestions....thanks all in advance.

Brian

[Brian Dentino]

Okay, not a closeup but still you can see the wing diamond.....What might he have done? Tail gunner? Navigator? No clue.......?

[louie]

Okay, not a closeup but still you can see the wing diamond.....What might he have done? Tail gunner? Navigator? No clue.......?

 

 

I have noticed unless they were pre war issued blues with the white sleeved lining, most private purchase during the war don't seem to have any names in them. Some will have the label in the pocket, but blank. Some don't have a label, and their seems to be no stamp in them. Even the modern dress blues rarely seemed to be named.

[Stinger Gunner USMC]

My concerns are:

4 good conduct medals but no service stripes???

why no campaign ribbons?

 

In my experience, the Aviation distinguishing mark on the lower left sleeve is most often associated with aviation mechanics, not with air crew/gunners, although i'm sure there are exceptions

[QED4]

OK, now that this can of worms has been opened, the shoulder patch appears to have white threads sticking out around the edges because the gauze backing was not trimmed back. This is one of those little things that raises a Marine First Sergeant's blood pressure to dangerous levels and I don't mean dangerous for him. If this jacket was worn this way the pants will have a large hole chewed in the seat. You can get away with a lot on a field uniform but dress blues not so much.

[jeremiahcable]

I think you've got a nice, legit uniform that someone added awards to. I'd strip it and display it as such and use the awards and ribbons elsewhere.

 

As to the remark on the white behind the MAW patch....WW2 blues were usually private purchase and worn at home. It makes sense that most of the tailoring was done by civilian shops that may or may not have "policed" up the patches before sewing them on.

 

As I said, nice blouse!

[Brian Dentino]

Thanks guys. Puzzling though as everything else that I picked up was pretty much straight up legit? Anyway, I am sure that this is indeed a private taylored WWII jacket and the diamond rate patch matches perfectly. The EGA's are good, and the ribbon bar is WWII for sure, but apparently doesnt belong to this uniform you guys dont think? A couple issues that I would like those of you more knowledgable to address then:

 

1. Would this set of blues have service stripes on them? I do not recall seeing these WWII blues with service stripes.

2. Possible the ribbon bar does go with this uniform and belongs to a long serving Marine who didnt add the campaign ribbons to his rack? I have seen these blues with different variations compared to their issue A greens? Not saying that this ribbon bar could have been added, but nothing else that I bought from this collection was "dressed up" including the Farmwald grouping. Just trying to learn as I am not a Marine collector per se, but do have a few.

3. Possible this was a non-pilot avaiator? Gunner or something like this?

 

Anyway, just trying to learn. A little more on the uniform, BTW:

 

Jacket is a private purchase with black silk lining....very nice! Tag says it was made by BestBilt Uniforms-Subway Tailors-177 Sands St. Brooklyn, NY 148 W.B Way San Diego Calif.

 

The Aircrew wings are marked Gemsco Sterling.

 

So more comments and help educating me on this one please to explain why this could not be a legit uniform. I have noticed that the blues seem to be less "decorated" as far as racks and things go from this WWII period......possible he chose just his top 3 on his authorized "salad" bar to wear on this....also, when were the campaign ribbon bars issues, and were ruptured ducks ever put on blues? Could this have been a pre-end of war uniform that was not altered post war by a long serving Marine? I have no clue???????? Help?

Thanks all!

[Brian Dentino]

OK, now that this can of worms has been opened, the shoulder patch appears to have white threads sticking out around the edges because the gauze backing was not trimmed back. This is one of those little things that raises a Marine First Sergeant's blood pressure to dangerous levels and I don't mean dangerous for him. If this jacket was worn this way the pants will have a large hole chewed in the seat. You can get away with a lot on a field uniform but dress blues not so much.

 

QED4,

The gauze is much more noticiable in the photos than in person. Because these were private purchase and a non regulated but authorized uniform, I just wonder how much liberty was taken on some of these blues during WWII?

[Brian Dentino]

Nevermind....thanks guys. I have a nice private taylored, added to, WWII era unnamed set of blues to what amounts to a mechanic.....oh well.

Thanks again all! :thumbsup:

[Stinger Gunner USMC]

Brian,

Im sorry that I didn't have more time to go indepth in my analysis. Re-reading my post, I sound like a "know-it-all" just bashing your uniform. I didn't intent to raise so many questions. Your very correct that there could have been campaign ribbons that were taken off for use on his greens or something. and the Avn. striker is a toss up. I have seen them on Aircrew before, but more offten on ground crew.

 

I guess the only real alarming thing is the number of Good Conduct medals with no service stripes.

There could be reasons for this... I have two groupings with bules and greens and both only have stripes on one jacket. One grouping they are on the blues, and one they are on the greens.

 

With that said, I would expect that this would be more likely with a one-service stripe Marine rather than a career guy, but you never know!

 

It is a pretty uniform and if it had been offered to me I probably would have bought it too!

 

Try turning the uniform inside out, I've had luck finding names mid-sleeve or down by the cuff on uniforms that I thought were unnamed for years. Other locations I've seen names are inside linings, between the lining and the wool material. And of course in the collar, arm pit, shoulder or pocket label is most common.

 

You may start by trying to find out what III MAW aviation units received 2 PUC's and start narrowing things down from there.

 

Good luck, my friend

 

Semper Fi,

[Brian Dentino]

Brian,

Im sorry that I didn't have more time to go indepth in my analysis. Re-reading my post, I sound like a "know-it-all" just bashing your uniform. I didn't intent to raise so many questions. Your very correct that there could have been campaign ribbons that were taken off for use on his greens or something. and the Avn. striker is a toss up. I have seen them on Aircrew before, but more offten on ground crew.

 

I guess the only real alarming thing is the number of Good Conduct medals with no service stripes.

There could be reasons for this... I have two groupings with bules and greens and both only have stripes on one jacket. One grouping they are on the blues, and one they are on the greens.

 

With that said, I would expect that this would be more likely with a one-service stripe Marine rather than a career guy, but you never know!

 

It is a pretty uniform and if it had been offered to me I probably would have bought it too!

 

Try turning the uniform inside out, I've had luck finding names mid-sleeve or down by the cuff on uniforms that I thought were unnamed for years. Other locations I've seen names are inside linings, between the lining and the wool material. And of course in the collar, arm pit, shoulder or pocket label is most common.

 

You may start by trying to find out what III MAW aviation units received 2 PUC's and start narrowing things down from there.

 

Good luck, my friend

 

Semper Fi,

 

Aw, no worries gunner. I have turned this baby inside and out trying to find something, and still got nothing! No worries. I am sure that these items may have been added on by someone before I got it, but just found it odd that all the other items that this dude had were all pretty legit....not "dressed" up at all. Several other uni's that I didnt pick up that were impressive to a collector, but pretty plain jane to a non-collector and sure could have been dressed to make them look better anyway. That is the only reason that I questioned this, but have been told by many that with 4 GC on the bar that this Marine surely would have added his re-ups to this uni. No worries, still a nice looking and original private purchase WWII set of blues so I really like them. Besides, with the AC wings at $25-35 and the ribbon bar good at $20 not counting the jacket and the pants I didnt get hurt on this one anyway. Live and learn...I just thought that it was cool because of the Avi. cuff striker anyway.

 

Thanks.....this one MAY go up for sale, either all together as a parts uniform, or stripped down as a decent stand alone set of blues from WWII?