U.S. War Pin/Button Identification

[codywhite3914]

I dug this at an old Civil War Fort in New Bern NC. The fort was also at one time a holding area for German WWII POW's. It is very simple and says U.S. The round background is the size of a quarter and spins freely. There is a screw attached to the back of the pin and a small nut thing screws on it. The letters measure 20mm across by 11mm tall. The screw extends 7 or 8mm from the back, The large washer thing is 25mm and the small nut thing that screw on the back of the pin is 13mm. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks

 

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[Tn Gizmo]

collar insignia

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

Cody, I'm just speaking up to give you secondary confirmation that Tn Gizmo is correct -- it is a 20th-century US Army uniform collar-insignia disc.

 

[codywhite3914]

Any idea what branch? I think it is Army. Too new to be civil war then. Maybe WWII? I found a button two months ago around the age of WWII.

 

[codywhite3914]

Thanks for the help. I found one exactly like it online. Its a ML-380 US Army Enlisted U.S. Collar Insignia. Appears that it could have been from the same time as when this park was a WWII POW camp. Thanks again

 

[High Plains Digger]

Definately enlisted man's collar. May have been used in WWI, but probably not until the change in the buttons somewhat later. From then through WWII, Korea, VN, Guatemala, Grenadines, Nicaragua, Kuwait, Iraq, and Afghanistan, still the same. Fun find, though. That's a lot of warring! Maybe the Army needs to change the buttons after almost 80 years.

By the way, for those not in the know, the same appliance for officers was a US without the round thingy behind it. Those are cool to find, also.

 

[ivan salis]

being you say there were WW2 era german POW'S housed at the spot -- my best guess is it was a collar device lost by one of the United States ( US) Army "enlisted men" soldier / guards at the camp during the war .

 

[Rmeav8r]

Nice find! With the backing it might be as early as WW1.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Todays backs are push on clutchbacks. I think early WWII type was screwback and changed to clutchback around 1942. http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/lofiversion/index.php/t7208.html




Scan from Militaria Magazine 89 - December 1992.

Type I: used between 1907 and 1926, exists also in the brass version.

Type II: 1926 - 1937, background differs from previous type.

Type IIIA: 1937 - 1943

Type IIIB: 1971 till now, clutches.

Type IV: 1942 - 1943, one piece, the insignia is slightly showing in the back of the disc, clutches.

Type V: 1943 -1971, the insignia is clearly visible in the back of the disc, clutches.

Variations exist

 

[codywhite3914]

I've got this one area in my town full of neat war stuff only a few inches in the ground. Lots of bullets too, but I am finding them hard to date. Still haven't found many coins though. Anyways, thanks for all the help and great information.