AEF unit patches

[4thGordons]

Because I accidentally discovered the point at which the garment rack upon which I store my American tunics will collapse today, I took the opportunity to take pics of the various divisional/army insignia - so I thought I would share:

I am confident that all of these are genuine - I do have a First Div patched tunic which I think is a repro/fake so I did not include that.

Apologies for the orientation, most have the top to the right

AEF Headquarters 

40th Division

86th (Black Hawk) Division

?35th Division? (variation)

Motor Transportation Corps

District of Paris (AEF)

83rd Division

26th Division

26th Division

3rd Division

4th Division

86th Division

78th Division

88th Division

89th Division

Third Army (1)

Third Army (2)

3rd Army

7th Infantry Division

Aviation Section (Aviation Mechanic)

Reserve Mallet 

This random pile shows the lack of "uniformity" in colour of the tunics

The red chevrons are "Honorable Discharge" stripes. Men were discharged in uniform - hence the greater number available

And this shows variation in styles of insignia these are all 33rd Div (IL NG)

 

 

 

Edited 8 October , 2023 by 4thGordons
added identifiers

[6RRF]

A very impressive collection, and certainly one to be proud of, but is there any fear of a key, identifying each ?

[4thGordons]

1 hour ago, 6RRF said:

A very impressive collection, and certainly one to be proud of, but is there any fear of a key, identifying each ?

Yes, sorry... I'll try and add IDs

Chris

Added identifiers

Edited 8 October , 2023 by 4thGordons
Added identifiers

[6RRF]

Splendid !

[AOK4]

There is a table in the chapel of the US cemetery in Romagne sous Montfaucon (which I visited a few weeks ago).

 

[4thGordons]

As you can see  I have a lot still to go....  I'll need a stronger rack 

Chris

[GWF1967]

It’s no wonder your rack gave out.
 Very impressive collection. 

[FROGSMILE]

6 hours ago, 4thGordons said:

As you can see  I have a lot still to go....  I'll need a stronger rack 

Chris

I particularly like that one on a whip cord jacket that was probably made bespoke in the UK.

[4thGordons]

On 08/10/2023 at 17:07, FROGSMILE said:

I particularly like that one on a whip cord jacket that was probably made bespoke in the UK.

One thing that is quite apparent in surviving US tunics is the variety of materials.  Not only is there considerable variation in the colour - from a mustard brown to olive green (and every shade in between) but also the cloth. Many are private purchase items (interesting not just for officers) but even within issue items the colour varies a lot between batches. I assume given the speed and size of the expansion of the US Army that precise "uniformity" (sic) was both impossible and not very important.

Just a couple of the Tunics shown are cotton (the equivalent of KD tunics) which were frequently worn in the US South but did not, as far as I can discover, ever make it to Europe with units. Interestingly some have discharge chevrons suggesting they were issued to units demobilized at bases in the Southern US (the one divisional patch I have on a cotton tunic is the 7th Div based at Fort Ord Ca,)

In term of materials as you point out the whip-cord jacket it interesting, there is also a linen uniform (the District of Paris badged uniform) and also some smoother wool fabrics much more like British Officers' jackets.  I believe at least some of these uniforms may have been produced post demobilization for people inside the US.  US Soldiers were demobilized in uniform at the end of the war (with the red felt "Honorable Discharge" chevron attached to the sleeve) which partly explains why so many more US Tunics survive.

The vast majority of divisional insignia were not approved until after the armistice and wartime photographs of patched tunics are VERY uncommon (however rapidly after the armistice they become almost universal) and so I am confident that virtually all the patched uniforms date from the 1918-20 period.

I suspect very few "combat worn" US tunics exist given the significant period of time that passed between cessation of hostilities and most men returning home in spring of 1919, which also explains the good condition of so many tunics.

Chris

[FROGSMILE]

38 minutes ago, 4thGordons said:

One thing that is quite apparent in surviving US tunics is the variety of materials.  Not only is there considerable variation in the colour - from a mustard brown to olive green (and every shade in between) but also the cloth. Many are private purchase items (interesting not just for officers) but even within issue items the colour varies a lot between batches. I assume given the speed and size of the expansion of the US Army that precise "uniformity" (sic) was both impossible and not very important.

Just a couple of the Tunics shown are cotton (the equivalent of KD tunics) which were frequently worn in the US South but did not, as far as I can discover, ever make it to Europe with units. Interestingly some have discharge chevrons suggesting they were issued to units demobilized at bases in the Southern US (the one divisional patch I have on a cotton tunic is the 7th Div based at Fort Ord Ca,)

In term of materials as you point out the whip-cord jacket it interesting, there is also a linen uniform (the District of Paris badged uniform) and also some smoother wool fabrics much more like British Officers' jackets.  I believe at least some of these uniforms may have been produced post demobilization for people inside the US.  US Soldiers were demobilized in uniform at the end of the war (with the red felt "Honorable Discharge" chevron attached to the sleeve) which partly explains why so many more US Tunics survive.

The vast majority of divisional insignia were not approved until after the armistice and wartime photographs of patched tunics are VERY uncommon (however rapidly after the armistice they become almost universal) and so I am confident that virtually all the patched uniforms date from the 1918-20 period.

I suspect very few "combat worn" US tunics exist given the significant period of time that passed between cessation of hostilities and most men returning home in spring of 1919, which also explains the good condition of so many tunics.

Chris

Very interesting Chris, thank you for the explanation.  I had read in a U.S. Militaria website that quite a number of the more wealthy officers had their best uniform made bespoke in London or Paris and I understand that some of the Britain based outfitters were not slow to send out salesmen to the base areas after the Armistice in order to drum up trade.