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WW2 USMC Reserve 1st Samoan Battalion insignia

Featured Replies

#1

Recently acquired a mint example of the insignia that goes on to the lava lava. 

 

img20210130_12251114.jpg.17bcea8af115d49a5f9fbbd87144e4bf.jpg

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You can find articles in ASMIC's TP in issues:

 

J-S 1994 Front Cover, page 2 and 38

A-J 2004 Pages 39-42 (b/w photos of uniform)

A-J 2006 Pages 41-42 (diagram on wear)

O-D 2013 Page 94 (best of the best, cap patch shown)

 

 

 

 

JPStout's unbelievable complete uniform 

 

 

Mort's mint set for cap and lava lava 

 

  • Author
#2

Please feel free to post information and photos from the web on this unit. 

#3

Hi Steve,

 

              I was very fortunate to also get mine in mint state but even luckier that I got both sizes of the patch.when you check in the net all I can find as for images of the patches is basically one other set with some damage and mine and that was it. To me for Marine shoulder patches not squadron the Samoan, 4th China Marine and 1st Mar Anti-tank are the top three and was fortunate at one time to have all. hope my images add to conversation.

 

Mort

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#4

Absolutely amazing patches!  I hope I can pick up examples someday!

  • Author
#5

I reached out to the major USMC museums to see what they have in their archives. The MCRD in San Diego used to have a small display but it was rotated out of view in 2012. I lost all images on my hard drive when I visited and ask them to email me what they have. 

 

It is interesting to note that the cap and lava lava patches are different in size, and that the cap is not a trimmed down version. 

samoan.png

  • Author
#6

Here are the four that I can find on the internet. 

lava lava lava lava.png

#7

I have a friend at the NMMC I can reach out to and see what, if anything, they have in their collection.

  • Author
#8

Special thanks to the:

Curator, Uniforms & Heraldry 

National Museum of the Marine Corps

https://www.usmcmuseum.com/

 

 

for the following photographs and scans:

 

 

  • Author
#9

1997_66.1-3.JPG.e7985cb123fe2db4b4615a91e40c38ff.JPG1997_66.1-1.JPG.ad9dfb7d0ea1b2f85ffba25a630d4505.JPG1993.3.4.JPG.1320585ff841008ced91f8f300a118b0.JPG

  • Author
#10

The cap

1997.66.2-1.JPG

1997.66.2-2.JPG

  • Author
#11

Recently discovered manufacturer sample of the two patches

 

IMG_2843.jpg.c1add5e93976c0bbd5b8599b793ceaa2.jpgIMG_2842.jpg.9400d4c4be820a98ec0622401b8b1380.jpg676237846_2019_112.6(2).jpg.ae4a95f7f58c09cda4c0d3e450f4b899.jpg1627140588_2019_112.6(1).jpg.f0d14aab5a298b5e611d224071815fb7.jpg

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#12

Here are the original orders regarding the creation of the Samoan uniforms.

  • Author
#13

1 of 19

 

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#14

2 of 19

 

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#15

3 of 19

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#16

4 of 19

 

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#17

5 of 19

 

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#18

6 of 19

 

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#19

7 of 19

 

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#20

8 of 19

 

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#21

9 of 19

 

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#22

10 of 19

 

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#23

11 of 19

 

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#24

12 of 19

 

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#25

13 of 19

 

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