Army chrome collar discs

[SADolch]

Any idea when the army used the chrome insignia,i noticed that some are flat and others dome shaped???????Dave H

[SADolch]

Hi,
Posted this a few years ago,,,any idea what era they were used???
Dave

[Rakkasan187]

Dave,

The domed insignia design started to come out at the very end of WW2 and I am not sure if the insignia was worn by Soldiers in 1945.. There may have been some on Occupation duty in Germany that had some made, but this type of domed insignia started to appear in 1946. These were purchased by enlisted Soldier's as optional insignia. These were 2 piece domed insignia with clutch back style fasteners. These disks were very popular with enlisted man because they could be highly shined and made the soldier "look sharp". There were many "additions" to the domed collar brass to make them more unit specific such as the addition of miniature jump wings under the US collar disc to identify the special function of their units. During the 1950's units sometimes added colored borders to the disks in either plastic or enamel as a background to identify their specific branch. This practice was strictly unauthorized and was later an infringement upon the Infantry Branch who was the only authorized branch to wear the colored disks of light blue behind the collar brass to indent the wearer as an infantryman.

The collar brass appeared in both gold and silver finishes. It was not uncommon to see a Soldier change the gold colored buttons on his dress green uniform to the all silver to match the collar brass.

In 1953 a different style stamped disk with hollow back became the standard issue. The disk had a slight domed shape to it and a rectangular piece of brass holding the clutch pins on the reverse side. The center US in your picture may be one of these later variations..

I have this type of domed collar brass on many of my Ike jackets from the 1950's, especially my 11th Airborne and 187th uniforms as well as many dress green uniforms from the 60s and 70s.. The domed collar brass was short lived and by the 60's was replaced by the current collar brass (2 piece) (collar brass disc and separate branch insignia with screw to attach to the backing device). The Silver buttons however remained and many soldiers changed their brass colored buttons to the Silver buttons when "Stay Brite" insignia made its way into the market. Many Soldier's preferred to go to the stay brite type of insignia due to the high shine and also less work for the Soldier polishing the collar brass with Brasso or other chemicals. I have also seen many of the old school Dress Blue uniforms with the silver colored buttons and collar brass. When the dress green uniform went away and the Army went to the Army service uniform ( the new Dress Blues) I believe they still retained the option of silver buttons. This uniform came out after I retired so I am not sure what the policies are now, but it is my understanding that in a few months the Army will announce the plan to adopt the WW2 "Pinks and Greens' uniform for all Soldiers...

Hope this information helped answer your question..

2 of my sources are:

Leon Laframboise book "History of the Technical and Administrative Branch of Service Insignia" and the "Encyclopedia of United States Army Insignia and Uniforms" by William K. Emerson..

Smitty

[SADolch]

Smitty,
Thanks for taking the time to go full length into this topic,I appreciate it very much.
Dave

[Rakkasan187]

Dave,

Your welcome Sir...

I just remembered that I do have a post war German made domed collar disc made by the famed Assmann and Sohn manufacturers who were in business after WW2... It is brass colored and is definitely an occupation piece..

Smitty