01-02-2023 10:28 PM
Please help me identify the uniform my grandfather is wearing in this photo. Family lore is that it has no insignias because he wore it for a portrait when he received word of his long awaited commission. The photo was taken shortly before he departed from the east coast to the west coast. Either shortly before or shortly after arriving, Hiroshima was bombed. As a result all commissions and enlistments were halted. My guess is that his preference would have been for the US Army Air Corp or US Navy. Any information or direction for id greatly appreciated.
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01-02-2023 11:33 PM
Just the slightest bit of patch viewable on the shoulder in your pictures looks like it may be a Army Air Corps uniform without any rank. But as you said he may have wore it for a portrait when he received word of his long awaited commission. Maybe he was not allowed to pin on Officer rank until his official promotion so this is why he did not have his rank on it yet.
01-02-2023 10:45 PM
I'm not a military person, so I can't help you. But, if you don't get the information you need, keep in mind that: If the Veteran was discharged more than 62 years ago, you can order a copy of their military records. The National Archives opens all records to the public 62 years after discharge. If the Veteran was discharged less than 62 years ago, you may be able to request limited information from their Military Personnel File. (copied from Google)
Good luck.
01-02-2023 10:53 PM
Thank you for your response however, as much as he had been determined to serve, the war ended before he was able to accept his commission. Hence his portrait photo with no insignias. Travelled across the country and then back home. Very happy that the war had ended but a bit disappointed that he did not have the honor to serve his country. Again, thank you for your advice and perhaps others will be able to use it. All the best.
01-02-2023 11:33 PM
Just the slightest bit of patch viewable on the shoulder in your pictures looks like it may be a Army Air Corps uniform without any rank. But as you said he may have wore it for a portrait when he received word of his long awaited commission. Maybe he was not allowed to pin on Officer rank until his official promotion so this is why he did not have his rank on it yet.
01-03-2023 02:38 PM
A hundred thanks! Did not notice the patch in the shadow of the photo. Makes perfect sense for him to pursue an air corp commission. His son, my uncle, became a career officer in the US Air Force. Feel free to Google my grandfather's name if interested in learning more about him. Planning to gift the framed photo with the story to my nephew - the only one in his generation to service in active military. Very proud of him and his great grandfather would have been as well. Again, my appreciation for your eagle eye! May 2023 bring you and yours all good things.
01-03-2023 04:07 PM - edited 01-03-2023 04:09 PM
Here are some other observations.
Your grand dad is wearing the US Emblems of an Officer and His Flight Cap is of an Officer.
Not sure why the US Emblem is on his Flight Cap as this is where his officer Rank would go. It could be he put the Emblem just for the photograph since he did not have the Rank Insignia yet. Technically he would not be allowed to dress with the Office Rank until it was officially awarded to him.
Officer Uniform the rank is on the Shoulder Epaulettes and the U.S. stand alone.
Enlisted Uniform the rank is a big patch on sleeve and the US Emblem is inside a circle.
Officer U.S. Lapel Emblem
Enlisted U.S. Lapel Emblem is inside a Circle
Officer Flight Cap, the bead around the cap is of a different color that the Cap itself and the Rank is on the Left side of the Cap.
Enlisted Flight Cap, the bead around the cap is a darker shade of the same color of the Cap itself and no rank on the Cap.
01-03-2023 04:26 PM
@pebbledash wrote:Feel free to Google my grandfather's name if interested in learning more about him. Planning to gift the framed photo with the story to my nephew - the only one in his generation to service in active military.
Wow, that is pretty neat. Congratulations on your Grand Father!!!....
How long has you Uncle Been out of the Airforce? I retired in 1976. What branch was you nephew?
The descriptions I gave of the uniforms are the same for most of the different branches although they have different colors to represent the particular branch. Of course uniforms change over the years but the basic Officer and Enlisted variations are the same, even today.
01-03-2023 04:29 PM
A typo, I joined in 1976 and retired in 1996.
01-03-2023 05:01 PM
A little more accurate, during his time in service it would have been called the Army Air Forces.
The Army Air Corps was Balloons and Bi-Planes.
01-04-2023 02:40 PM
Thank you for your service. My late uncle retired in the early '80s. I was able to show him the photo shortly before he passed and he told me the story about the cross country trip. My nephew served in the Marines. Thank you again for sharing so much information.
01-04-2023 02:58 PM
My grandfather accomplished many things during his lifetime. Our family is especially proud of his legacy in civil rights and desegregation. In 1947, he managed to get a new NJ State Constitution adopted after decades of unsuccessful attempts by others. He used the new constitution to address segregation and as a result contributed to the desegregation of the US Military. eBay won't let me post links but you can look up the following if interested:
01-04-2023 03:53 PM
I found his story of desegregation published on an Official Air Force web site.
The military has always been slow to act on social reforms but when directed to do so they are very good at implementing policy. It seems like every 20 years or so there is a major change in policy's on social reforms.
01-05-2023 01:35 PM
"he did not have the honor to serve his country."
"My late uncle retired in the early '80s"
I'm a little confused, did he retire from the military? If so there would be records. If he did not get his commission, seems to me he was IN the military (without a commisson). If so then the military would have a record, although it might be very brief.
01-05-2023 02:39 PM
@tryno2 wrote:"he did not have the honor to serve his country."
"My late uncle retired in the early '80s"
I'm a little confused, did he retire from the military? If so there would be records. If he did not get his commission, seems to me he was IN the military (without a commisson). If so then the military would have a record, although it might be very brief.
The War ended before Pebbledash's Grandfather had actually entered into service and since the War ended he was not needed to become a member of the service. Sort of like you agree to accept a job a 1000 miles away and on your way to this job before you arrive you are notified the job no longer exists.
Pebbledash's Uncle is the son of their Grandfather.
I think I got this correct.
01-05-2023 04:16 PM
@stephenmorgan - Yes, perfect analogy - thank you for the explanation.
@tryno2 - I can understand the confusion. Three different family members from three different generations mentioned. Started the thread to just solve a mystery about my grandfather's photo portrait.
1) My grandfather - He travelled across the country in 1945 to receive his commission. When he arrived all commissions and enlistments were halted. As a result there is no government record of his service since he was not formally commissioned into the service.
2) My uncle - He was a career US Air Force officer from college until his retirement in the late 1970s.
3) My nephew - enlisted in the US Marines and served with the great appreciation and pride of his service by our family.
Hope that helps. I came here because of my grandfather's mystery uniform and there not being any record of his service. Family members who could answer my questions are now gone. Greatly appreciate the help of @stephenmorgan in solving the mystery of the photo and family lore with factual information.
Thank you to all that serve or have served. And for the kindness of strangers in investing time and effort to provide information. Wishing you all good things in 2023.