USMC Collar Emblems

[aefstraggler]

Have to admit that this is earlier than I thought collar insignia were authorized (and of course this doesn't say when they were actually available).

From Records of the Second Division, Volume 6 - Record of Events of the Fourth Brigade, Marine Corps, AM.E.F. August 1st - September 15th,
1918 inclusive.

August 5th [1918]... The remaining battalions of the Brigade and 6th Machine Gun Battalion were inspected this afternoon by the Assistant Secretary of the Navy, Franklin D. Roosevelt. During the Inspection Mr. Roosevelt authorized the men of the Brigade to wear the Marine Corps emblem on the right and left side of their collars in the same manner as now worn by officers. In accordance with this authorization General Neville instructed the Paymaster at Paris to order sufficient quantities of ornaments.

[Marcus]

Aug 20, 2009 13:17:41 GMT -8 aefstraggler said:

Have to admit that this is earlier than I thought collar insignia were authorized (and of course this doesn't say when they were actually available).

Exactly...authorized and worn in any real numbers are two different things. Most of the photos you see with the disks are mustering out uniforms circa 1919.

[Kruger]

I posted this in a similiar thread that explains the story.

"Another interesting point of contention was the removal of the Marine emblem from their uniforms. The story goes that after an inspection, assistant secretary of the navy, FDR, asked what he could for "his Marines." Neville is quoted as replying that wearing of emblems was the most important thing that could happen to the men. He requested Roosevelt to have them returned, and he gave the order to the paymaster in Paris to have them re-instated. The only emblem allowed was the flat-disc worn by the rest of the AEF, but with the EGA engraved. Thousands were made, but delivery was not till the period of occupaton in Germany. Shoulder patches, with color variations, were also not avaliable till the same period."