Hello all! I am happy to share with you my newest acquisition. I don't know what era it is from exactly. Maybe the 70s?
Thanks for looking!
Post-war U.S. 3rd Armored Division uniform.
Hello all! I am happy to share with you my newest acquisition. I don't know what era it is from exactly. Maybe the 70s?
Thanks for looking!
She's a looker!!!
In doing some research to try to come up with a date for this tunic, I have learned that the unit crest on the shoulder strap is for the 73rd Field Artillery Regiment which was attached to the 3rd Armored Division in Germany and headquartered in Hanau, if I read right, from around '60 to '75.
You narrowed it down a bit. The uni definitely looks 70s vintage with the style of spec 4 sleeve rank
That is actually a specialist 5 rank. They went up to nine I think, and looked rather odd. The army phased out most of them quickly, but spec. 5 hung on up into the 80sby humble collector
[ATTACH=CONFIG]1093210[/ATTAC
The old specialist rank system.
Great looking Cold War era uniform. (Cold War era being a bit vague since the dates were from 1945 to 1994, but this one can definitely date from late 60s to 70's. Great to see the Germany Tab on the uniform, not an officially recognized shoulder patch, but there was much leniency at the unit level for morale and esprit de corps and commanders authorized these patches and other insignia for wear.
Another great example of an unauthorized badge was the Pershing Professional Badge, also known as the Pershing Pickle...
The last Specialist 7 retired in 1992 at Ft. Rucker, Alabama. He had been in Army aviation for many years, was a crew chief on various Army fixed wing aircraft and then helicopters..
A Sergeant Major who is an instructor at the Sergeant's Major Academy at Fort Bliss, Texas knew this Soldier and worked with him when the Sergeant Major first came in the Army.
At The US Army Non Commissioned Officer's Museum where I am the curator, we discuss the transition of the "Super Specialists" to Hard Stripe Non Commissioned Officers and the animosity and pay reductions many of these Soldiers encountered..
Smitty
Thanks for the input guys! I was down about missing out on the Korean vet uniform, but the price I paid for this one, and it being from an armored division, made up for it.
Smitty,
How common were the spec. 5 and up ranks? They didn't last long so I would be surprised to see any nines at all. I haven't even seen many fives. Thanks again for your comments guys!
Carpediem,
Good question about the ranks being common.. These are an often forgotten area of collecting and on occasion you can find some decent uniforms with the various Specialist insignia on them for decent prices. I have a few SPC uniforms from the Vietnam era, dress khaki's. One being a SP5 who was an infantryman. Not uncommon to see SP5 squad leaders in the field when there was a shortage of NCOs. The majority of the Specialist uniforms will be for medical personnel, logistics, finance and some of the other support branches.
Your SPC5 uniform with the Air Defense Artillery branch of service collar brass and the 73rd Field artillery is quite interesting. The 73rd Field Artillery was assigned to the 3rd Armored Division and normally you would see branch of service insignia for just Field Artillery (Crossed Cannons) With the uniform you have it has the Air Defense Artillery collar brass which would indicate that the Soldier assigned to the 73rd Field Artillery was in one of the battery's that had rockets such as the Sergeant Missile or the Honest John. This would date the uniform from around the 60's, possibly as late as the early 70s as you mentioned. Would like to know what the makers tag says for a date of MFG. I would guess 1964...
Smitty
Hi there
73rd Artillery was located thruought Germany under various commands ie 5th Bn 73rd ,35th Artillery Gp Erlangen German under Seventh US Army (they wore Seventh SSI) since 1959.
Units of the 73rd have been stationed in Germany under various designations since the 1950's. But the Insignia/SSI patches would of been different ie OD border 3AD and Spearhead tab.
I believe the uniform COULD be 2nd MSL Bn, 73rd (3 AD) which was located in Hanau August 1964.
The SSI is cut edge Army Green which came into use from late 50's onwards, I believe this is from mid 60's to late 60's when the merrowed edge came into use-thicker outer border.
I can't be to sure but the SSI with tab was introduced 1969-70 period-made easier to sew on.
Phill
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