WWI War Service Chevrons in use during WWII

[billgaston]

O.K. the Ground Crew boys were out and about last weekend looking for new items and we found a picture in an antique store. The photo is of a group of 21 sgts posing for a shot.

There are some interesting things observed in this photograph.

1. With the use of a magnifying lens we were able to read the date on the propeller. (It is dated 42)

2. They are all wearing AFHQ shoulder patches. (No PINWHEELS)

3. Three of them are still wearing black ties.

4. I can only see one of the men (Sgt. J.D. Harris) wearing a service stripe and he only has one (1). So three (3) years of service.

5. Everyone in this photo who has their sleeves visible is wearing two (2) WWI War Service Chevrons. Sgt. D.C. Gillem is also wearing a Wound Stripe.

Here is the photo for you to look at:
http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll94/billgaston/USAAFGroupPhoto001.png

Now the question is why are they wearing WWI War Service Chevrons. None of them seem to look old enough to have served in WWI. According to my research the WWI Chevrons were authorized for each 6 months of service in a theater of operation from 6 April 1917 to 4 October 1919 or with the AEF in Siberia to include 1 April 1920 or the Army of Occupation in Germany and Austria-Hungary to include 1 August 1920.

The propeller in the photograph is dated 1942, the last date to earn a WWI Chevron was 1 August 1920. This puts this photograph at least 22 years after the war. So, why are these young Sgts. wearing WWI War Service Chevrons?

Anyone got any brilliant ideas on this one or some sort of research that can explain this?

 

[Widebrim]

Hmm, a little mystery here. SGT Gillem certainly is wearing a WWI wound stripe (and looks just old enough to have it). The other NCOs mentioned do appear to have WWI service stripes, although they don't seem old enough to have served.[huh] It's hard to see, but it does look like SGT Harris has one hash mark, but I'm not sure what year the Army went from completed terms of enlistment chevron service stripes to diagonal hash marks (it might have been '42).

As to the black neckties, they were phased out beginning 4 Sept 1942, due to a change in AR 600-35, which might help to even more accurately date this photograph.

 

[cco23i]

The one thing we found is the date on the prop is 42 and like you stated widebrim, the black ties also date the photo. Man, some of those fellows look WAY too young to have been in for 20 years.

Scott

 

[billgaston]

The prop date is definetly '42 the month is hard to make out but appears to be an 8 or a 9 so its August or September of '42 at the earliest.

Like you said widebrim, the Black ties were phased out in April of '42 but like most things that does not mean everyone stopped wearing them. Obviously as we have a photograph of them still wearing them here.

But yeah, these guys are not in the 39 and older age group. Except maybe, Sgt. Gillem.

Sgt Harris does have one service stripe. Its hard to make out in the scan but is very visible in the original photo.

 

[Widebrim]

Like you said widebrim, the Black ties were phased out in April of '42 but like most things that does not mean everyone stopped wearing them. Obviously as we have a photograph of them still wearing them here.

Very true, although I said they were phased out beginning in September. My father told me during an interview I conducted with him, that when he went in the Army in mid-1942, the NCOs he encountered were still wearing breeches and Campaign hats. I also have a few photos of him wearing the old-style olive-drab trouser and shirt with a black tie. (Regarding wear-out dates, think of Gen. Stillwell, wearing a Campaign hat throughout WWII...my kind of Solider.)

 

[billgaston]

Very true, although I said they were phased out beginning in September. My father told me during an interview I conducted with him, that when he went in the Army in mid-1942, the NCOs he encountered were still wearing breeches and Campaign hats. I also have a few photos of him wearing the old-style olive-drab trouser and shirt with a black tie. (Regarding wear-out dates, think of Gen. Stillwell, wearing a Campaign hat throughout WWII...my kind of Solider.)

Absolutely!!