US 9th Infantry Regt Manchu Mile buckle

**Newbie** · 03-15-2012, 12:55 AM

What little I have found, indicates the round buckle was used until the Korea war, then thery became rectangular.......... I put a link in and earlier comment........ at the bottom/of the link page,there are 4 buckles in a pic. Going from oldest version to newest.

**dustyr55** · 03-15-2012, 01:10 AM

Regiment members can wear the belt buckle while they are assigned to the regiment if they earn it. I vaguely remember reading about the qualifications while I was stationed in Korea.

**helmet2id** · 03-15-2012, 01:29 AM

by Adrian Stevenson

Hi Steve, it is the 9th Inf Regt.

Just noticed the thread title is wrong.

The design is the same as their DUI.

Still never heard of it worn as a buckle.

Cheers, Ade.

Ade is correct, the 9th Infantry Regiment (Manchu) was constituted on March 26, 1855, and participated in the Indian Wars, the American Civil War, the Spanish American War, the China Relief Expedition, and the Philippine Insurrection. After it was assigned to the 2nd Infantry Division on September 22, 1917, the Regiment saw action in Europe in both WWI and WWII and thereafter fought in the Korean War as well. Regarding the originality of the belt buckle, I have no idea - sorry - I am a "helmet guy". The design of the belt buckle is, however, the distinctive 5 toed Chinese dragon insignia, meant to commemorate the Regiment's participation in the campaigns in China. Jim G.

**Newbie** · 03-15-2012, 01:46 AM

The buckle was instituted for the help with Boxer rebellion? A china thing?

**Adrian Stevenson** · 03-15-2012, 08:13 AM

Correct.

Cheers, Ade.

**Newbie** · 03-15-2012, 02:18 PM

So we have had a debate on this buckle for some time now, and if you google the Manchu mile buckle, you get some pages..... i posted a link.........showing the different variations from oldest to newest.....is the buckle i am getting in this lot an original WW1/WW2 era buckle? Since it is coming from a friend who is cleaning out their great uncles house, i would like to think yes. I am getting other things as well, ---- a 1918 dated U.S. mess kit, 1942 Curtiss Wright production award, ww2 Marine Corp Master Sgt. chevron patch, Camp Edwards post cards, U.S. Army hat device, German War Merit Cross with out swords, some 3rd Reich stamps..... and who knows what else. I am not sure if he was was a vet, i will find more out today. I do know that he was a pack-rat, lol !!!!!

**Adrian Stevenson** · 03-15-2012, 02:38 PM

Hi Josh, cannot speak with any authority on this one, but given where it is coming from the odds are it will have some age to it.

Cheers, Ade.

**colt45** · 03-15-2012, 02:56 PM

looks like a recent made buckle

**Newbie** · 03-15-2012, 11:37 PM

I went to Manchu.org, and according to that site, this buckle is very similar to the "civilian" model of the buckle. However the buckle i have appears older and is slightly different, ie.... letter size and spacing, detail of the dragon, etc. It is the same shape as the WW1/2 versions. So was it made then, or newer ???????? Anyway, i have some more pics to post.