Beginning in 2009 and up until 2016, Clayton C. “Bud” Shortridge of New Haven, Indiana, churned out a number of informational texts regarding Liberty and Victory ships that were attacked by Axis forces. He passed away in July 2017, with his comcast site soon going offline; this left archive.org, blogspot, and several Google Docs links […]
“abercrombie”
The summer before I went to college, I was not so worried about leaving home for the first time, I was concerned I did not have what it took to be a good Naval Officer. My doubts came when I received a letter about O-week. This was an orientation, I learned, about life as a […]
NOMMP not USSB
Sadly, it seems whenever a collector of maritime uniform insignia comes across a Federal-style shield with three white stars, automatically the assumption is the insignia comes from the United States Shiping Board (USSB). Not so. These cap badges are the official insignia of the National Organization of Masters, Mates, and Pilots (NOMMP). This group was […]
References for the Collector
U.S. Maritime Service Commissioned and Warrant Officer hat Winter hat; navy blue wool with wicker frame, ½-in. wide. gold bullion chinstrap and two 22½-ligne gilt cap screws. (note: if strap is ¼-in., hat would be that of a warrant officer). Circa Second World War. It is one thing to collect, and another to actually know […]
U.S. Maritime Service Chief Petty Officer
U.S. Maritime Commission Cadre /U.S. Maritime Service Chief Petty Office cap badge (Type 1)One piece construction. Seal, 25mm diameter; Anchor, 50mm length.Obscured AE CO N.Y. hallmark (American Emblem Company)Anchor and device stamped brass; blue enamel band and red, white & blue shield.Early Second World War era; 1942. This is the first design of the […]
U.S. Navy Technician
USN Technician hat badge & miniature device. Cast brass; motto: U.S. TECHNICIAN. 1 screw, 1 non-rotating point. 37mm x 48mm (LxH). manu: Officer’s Equipment Co. Madison, NJ. mini device: 15mm x 19mm. Circa 1950. Joseph Tonelli’s book, Visor hats of the United States Armed Forces: 1930-1950 illustrates one of the most exquisite pieces of headgear worn by […]
U.S. Navy commissioned officer
U.S. Navy commissioned officer hat badge, pre-1941, U.S. Navy commissioned officer cap badge, pre-May 1941 Two piece construction; 65mm (l) x 55mm (h). H & H (Hilborn & Hamburg) hallmark on eagle wing. Viking hallmark on the anchor. Eagle and shield sterling (marked); anchor gold-filled (1/10 14K GF). Circa pre-Second World War era; late 1930s. […]
American-Hawaiian Steamship Company
Faint H & H (Hilborn & Hamburg) hallmark on eagle wing.Gemsco hallmark on flag.Eagle and shield sterling plate over copper; wreath brass/gold-plate.Second World War era. badge: 60mm x 65mm flag: 25mm x 22mm As follows is an essay on the history of the American-Hawaiian Steamship Company. Collecting the data on this specific company is somewhat […]
Insignia Houses
Where have all the insignia manufacturers of the American Merchant Marine managing operators gone? Long passed are the days of enamel flags on high-pressure caps, and so too is true for their makers. Through complex mergers and acquisitions, tools that once struck these diminutive flags found their way to the scrap heap or in the […]
Uniforming United States Lines unlicensed crew
The United States Lines Archive at the American Merchant Marine Museum on the campus of the United States Merchant Marine Academy holds a trove of United States Lines official photographs from the 1930s and 1940s. Among them is a small collection illustrating the uniforms worn by the company’s unlicensed crew. This essay will describe the […]