7th Army/3rd Army Ike Jacket Uniform

**WTolleson1940** · 04-10-2020, 06:54 PM

Hey guys I wanted to share my newest pickup and I have a few questions about it that are confusing. This Ike Jacket is dated December 14, 1944 and came with pants, tie, belt and handkerchief with the laundry tag T-8292. The man served in both the 7th US Army and 3rd US Army. The man I got the uniform said that he was in the coastal artillery does this seem to match? He served a year overseas but has a three year service stripe. It seems to me maybe this one is a put together one? What's your thoughts on this guys? Also does the belt and tie seem to be original from that era or not? Also are the ribbons on right or not?

Thanks again

Calloway

**08SMLE48** · 04-10-2020, 07:53 PM

The horizontal bars are the overseas bars. Each one amounts for 6 month of overseas service. So a year is correct. The diagonal strip bellow is a service strip which is for total active service. Ribbons appear to be new, are mounted individually and not on a bar and are slightly out of order. It is not uncommon to find ribbons to be out of order on US Army uniforms from WWII. Collar disk is coast artillery. There are a few questionable details so I can’t say for sure if it’s original or put together but it appears to be “correct” at least.

**WTolleson1940** · 04-12-2020, 12:44 AM

Thanks so much for the info, 08SMLE48 I have seen some other World War 2 uniforms in photos and in person that have ribbons on them that are not on bars. Can you also share what order they are supposed to be on their then? Thanks so much,

Cal

**08SMLE48** · 04-12-2020, 01:45 AM

The order of precedence is:
the Army Good Conduct Ribbon (red one on the bottom left)
The European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Ribbon (bottom right)
The American Campaign Ribbon (middle bottom)
WWII Victory Ribbon(one on top)
So the good conduct should be on top, bottom row left to right should be EAME ribbon, American campaign, WWII victory.
Again this is how it “should” be according to the order of precedence. You often see the American campaign in front of the other two campaign medals awarded by the US govt because the service member was more often times awarded this medal first chronology in their service but it is actually lower in the hierarchy of American WWII campaign awards.

**sargetom** · 04-12-2020, 02:06 AM

Just to add more info, it appears that the 7th Army was the Unit this soldier was assigned to during his combat tour and the 3rd Army was his Unit of assignment after being in the 7th. If I recall correctly the 7th Army was originally the 1st Armored Corps and was redesignated the 7th Army in 1943. This soldier may have been assigned to the 3rd Army also when they were in the theater of operation, however his European-Africa-Middle East Ribbon has no battle stars so he may not have ever participated in actual combat with this Unit and been only located in the theater with them. This would make sense if the soldier was assigned to a coastal artillery unit.

**WTolleson1940** · 04-12-2020, 02:13 AM

Thanks guys for all the info, I’ll get those ribbons in correct order. Sargetom if the EAME doesn’t have a battle star what is that little bronze star on it?

Calloway