59th Coast Artillery. Probably from their time oin the Philippines. There is evidence of Sergeant's chevrons once being attached.

Picked these up today on a cheap gamble that one or 2 might be originals. If not, Im still happy to have them as fillers or for use in a video. Any ideas?

Hello everyone,   I am researching my great-grandfather, William Harvey Robertson, and I am hoping someone may be able to help identify his World War II unit(s), deployment history, or point me towards any records, photographs, or unit histories that might be associated with him. Unfortunately, his Official Military Personnel File was reportedly destroyed in the 1973 NPRC fire, so I have been reconstructing his service through surviving documents, newspaper articles, census records, morning reports, and family records.   Information I Know:   Name: William Harvey Robertson Service Number: 17035607   Missouri National Guard member prior to WWII (140th Infantry, Company F, Missouri National Guard; Enlisted in Poplar Bluff, MO on October 4th, 1938)   WWII enlistment record lists: Enlisted into the Army Air Corps on January 15, 1942 at Jefferson Barracks, MO as a "PVT" (Air Corps)   Served overseas in North Africa, Sicily, and Europe according to contemporary newspaper accounts between 1942-1945 He returned from his overseas service on October 2nd, 1945 to Camp Atterbury at Johnson, Indiana according to his final Pay sheet obtained from the NPRC and a filing for seperation/divorce at Camp Atterbury I was able to find. His final pay sheet also revealed that he was processed through the "7th Regional Depot APO 375" in Livorno Italy before arriving back to the CONUS   Later Army Air Forces / Air Force career extended into the 1950s with two newspaper articles stating that he was a M/Sgt.  who arrived at Sedalia Air Field on June 1st, 1954, and had returned the previous April from North Africa and was stationed at Sedalia Air Field upon his return as the First Sergeant of the Operations Squadron. He was still stationed there at the time of his death, dying while on leave to visit family for Christmas.   Died in December 1954 while serving at Sedalia Air Force Base, Missouri at the Kater Motor Inn in Poplar Bluff, MO    Documents/Clues I've Managed to Locate So Far: A surviving morning report placing a William Robertson with the 849th Signal Intelligence Service Company after the war (unsure if it is my Great-Grandfather or another servicemember)   A September 1945 record places him with the 7th Regional Depot, APO 375 (Livorno/Leghorn, Italy). Other records contain references that may read: Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 313th 849th Signal Intelligence Service Company Newspaper accounts state he served in: North Africa Sicily Europe and that he later returned overseas twice after WWII, with his final destination being North Africa before returning to the US once again.   He was living in: Poplar Bluff, Missouri; he was born here and he lived here pre-war Unsure of whether he was living there or if his wife was there/visiting, but his son was born in Buffalo, Nebraska on February 25th, 1949 Bastrop, TX sometime in 1949 Savannah, Georgia (theres also mentions of Garden City, Chatham, GA) by 1950 Sedalia AFB, Missouri by the early 1950s   Research Questions: Can anyone identify which WWII combat unit would best fit this service history? Is there a way to determine whether he served in a signal intelligence, air intelligence, communications, or air operations role during WWII? Does anyone have access to unit rosters, unit histories, after-action reports, photographs, yearbooks, or troopship records that might include William Robertson? Has anyone researched the 849th Signal Intelligence Service Company or personnel assigned to APO 375 in Italy during 1945?   I would be extremely grateful for any suggestions, records, or leads. I am happy to share copies of the documents I have collected if they would help! I have uncovered alot, but nothing that concretly connects my great grandfather to a specific overseas unit.  I have attached the Microsoft Word Reasearch Document I have created to help keep a chronological timeline/research inventory of what I have found regarding his life, as well as the significant documents I have found.    Thank you for your time and assistance, this means alot to me!

National Archives 55196844   "America's "First Shot" in the War This map purports to illustrate America's first artillery salvo of the war, fired on October 23, 1917, by guns in the American 1st Division. Sergeant Alexander Arch barked the order "fire" to the crew manning the 75mm field gun. The rapid-firing artillery piece was provided by the French to American troops, who lacked a sufficient supply of weapons and ordnance. Artillery was the most devastating weapon of the land war, responsible for inflicting some 60 percent of all causalities. Detailed maps and wired communications lines were among the innovations that made World War I artillery fire more accurate and deadly than in earlier conflicts. Therefore, trenches, so strongly associated with the war, were essential to protect troops from barrages that could turn fields into virtual wastelands." Link to map - https://www.loc.gov/exhibitions/world-war-i-american-experiences/about-this-exhibition/over-there/industrialized-warfare/americas-first-shot-in-the-war/

Agreed!   -Ski

Nice score!

That is an awfully nice group there!  Thanks for sharing!   -Ski

This is a group that I have owned for a couple years and one of my most prized groups. I have decided I will write a general introduction but I will also write a very detailed chronology with photos, documents and artifacts since I have so much information to tell this veteran's story.   Emer Drake Yeager was born on August 11th, 1886 in Prairie Creek, Vigo County, Indiana. He attended Terre Haute High School but left his junior year to enlist in the Indiana National Guard. He rose through the ranks from private to 1st sergeant by 1908. He discharged from the National Guard and enlisted in the US Army. Initially enlisting as a Private Artificer on April 3rd, 1908 and served with Company B of the 11th Infantry Regiment. After four years with the 11th Infantry he had attained the rank of first sergeant and discharged on February 24, 1914. A couple months later he accepted a provisional commission with the Philippine Scouts on February 10th, 1914. Eventually he secured himself a permanent commission in the Field Artillery. Prior to United States involvement in WW1 he had commanded batteries and battalions. Yeager was also promoted to Captain. During WW1 he served in many different duties under the 5th Field Artillery Brigade in France. He participated in the Battle of Saint-Mihiel in September of 1918. Post-war he was involved in the US Army Occupation of Germany. He was a student at the FA School at Fort Sill, an Instructor at the Infantry School at Fort Benning and a student of Command and General Staff School. For a number of years he was involved in Organized Reserve Duty in New York where he was G-2 (Intelligence) of Headquarters, 2nd Corps Area, in New York aside from intelligence he was also in charge of press and public relations. From 1929 to 1933, he served as the United States Military Attache to Poland, Romania, and Czechoslovakia. During this assignment, General Douglas MacArthur visited Poland for diplomatic and military consultations where MacArthur asked Yeager to be his aid for the remainder of his visit. The two maintained correspondence for many years. After his attache post he commanded a FA battalion and trained ROTC, Citizens' Military Training Camp units during summer training seasons. During WW2 Yeager served for two years as District Commander of the Binghamton, New York, District of the Civilian Conservation Corps. He was subsequently appointed Chief of Staff for CCC Headquarters, Second Corps Area on Governors island, New York where he served for four years. Yeager was stationed overseas in the Pacific theatre as a base commander in Australia and New Guinea in 1945. Yeager was promoted Brigadier General during the war and retired on September 30th, 1945.   

Good job. Thanks

Looks like a nice, privately engraved example. The jeweler tried to match official engraving as close as possible.