U.S. Maritime Service Chief Petty Office cap badge (Type 2a – Variant 1)
One-piece construction. Seal, 25mm diameter; Anchor, 50mm length.
A. E. Co. (American Emblem Company, Utica, New York) hallmark.
Anchor and device stamped nickel; red enamel band and shield.
Circa 1942.
This is the first example of the second design of the USMS CPO hat badge; the first design was worn briefly from 1941, up until WSA control of the USMS in July 1942 with the illustrated badge appearing in August 1942. The former badge may be found in plain brass as well as in nickel – as is the case of this badge. This badge, appearing in nickel is a bridge between the more common second design manufactured by Coro in silver plate.
It is unknown at this time whether or not American Emblem Company manufactured a miniature of this device. It is also unknown if there are collar dogs made by American Emblem Company; thus far, only Coro hallmarked examples are known.
USMS CPO Hat badge, obverse.
USMS CPO Hat badge, reverse.
A close-up of the reverse details the A. E. Co (American Emblem Company) hallmark as well as the relative thinness of the badge. This variant, most likely due to the preponderance of Coro badges may be of a short, limited run. Coro, it is noted, did not produce the first variant of the CPO badge. Either A. E. Co. nor Coro produced the USMS commissioned officer cap badge patterns from 1942 onward.
