When was this taken?

[Silver Creek Slim]

Below is a picture of a distant relative. The family thinks it was taken in 1940 but is uncertain. Can anyone help them?



Slim

[St. George]

Probably a little earlier than 1940 - 1936-1938 or so would seem more correct.

We did away with the Sam Browne belts and riding breeches by the time we entered into WWII, and this looks to be pre-war, with the use of the late-issue buckle that came about in the late '20's.

Vaya,

Scouts Out!

[Silver Creek Slim]

Thanks, St. George.

Slim

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[US Scout]

I agree with St George.  George Patton aside, the Sam Browne belt and breeches went out of fashion in the Army during WWII.  This definitely looks like a late between the wars photo.

US Scout
Bvt Brig Gen, GAF

[Grapeshot]

Yes, I'd have to agree on the mid to late 1930's due to the Officer wearing the Leather Wrap Around Puttees.  Considering that he also seems to have the Saber Hanger may put the photo closer to 1930.

[ColonelFlashman]

Look to the exagerate saucer shape of the crown of the Peak Cap, which was reduced in size in the '40s & you'll probaly also find that there's the Double Leather Chin Strap, Fore & Aft on it as well.

[Captain Lee Bishop]

I took a good close look at this photo (as close as I could considering the poor resolution). The white shirts were out before Pearl Harbor with the Class As for officers, and the Sam Brown belt was out by 1942. The hat is a 1930s design, and it sure looks to me like the branch insignia is sewn on after being embroidered onto a patch on the collars. The cut of the jacket is more like the post-WW1 redesign of the Class A jacket when the collar was opened up and a tie added. That, and the tent behind him, would strongly indicate to me that this photo could easily have been taken in the early 1930s to sometime around 1940. Certainly pre-WW2, no doubt in my mind, as I've been collecting US WW2 stuff for almost 20 years now and is my primary hobby.

[Silver Creek Slim]

Thanks for the insight, pards.

Slim

[Rancid Roy]

Is the officer in the picture possibly National Guard and therefore later than mid-30's? But still prior to 1941?

I think I may have seen photos of National Guardsmen in what appears to be earlier uniforms than what the Army was wearing at the same time.

[Dr. Bob]

I sent the picture to my uniform collecting mentor and he says 1930 - 1940 as well.  The WWI visor cap that I have came with gold chin strap buttons.  It was converted for post war use when the bronze insignia was replaced by bright brass/gold.  The hat in the picture is quite a bit different in shape.  Cool picture!

[Silver Creek Slim]

Is the officer in the picture possibly National Guard and therefore later than mid-30's? But still prior to 1941?

I think I may have seen photos of National Guardsmen in what appears to be earlier uniforms than what the Army was wearing at the same time.

As far as I know he was in the regular Army.

Slim

[ColonelFlashman]

Having taken another look @ the uniform displays @ the "Hall of Liberty' in Down Towne Los Anegels, I'd pretty much peg this as early to Mid-'30s, as one of the uniforms there that is almost an exact duplicat is dated as such.

[Old Top]

Looking at the backgroun with the tent I beleive it is mid 30's as that style was not used for military (with the wood bottom pieces) but was used for WPA projects to house the workers, the Army was put in charge of many of these projects as they had experience of handleing groups of people and getting them fed and housed in outdoor conditions.
Just my thought on the picture.

Old Top

[CrazyMe38]

  I have found out that My Dad, Harry O. Brooks, was in the CCC in about 1930, and also was in the reserves! Does this help on the date of the uniform?  I have several differient pictures of him in uniform, but this one is the question of when and where! Thanks for all the input on this!

[Mustang Gregg]

Those guesstimate dates sound very feasible. The Army Nat'l Guard still does not have as up-to-date uniforms & gear as the regular Army (well, at least until deployments).

Off topic a might: I just found out today that the wear-out date for BDU's (woodland camo) and black combat boots has been moved up to 30 APR 2008 from 30 OCT 2008.  And I still got a couple of brandly new unworn, unwashed sets in the closet. 

Well, maybe I can donate them to some reenactors in the future.

MG

[Silver Creek Slim]

Welcome to CAS City, cousin CrazyMe38. 

Slim

[CrazyMe38]

Thanks cousin Silver Creek Slim!! I am glad to be here!! 

[Captain Lee Bishop]

Those guesstimate dates sound very feasible. The Army Nat'l Guard still does not have as up-to-date uniforms & gear as the regular Army (well, at least until deployments).

Off topic a might: I just found out today that the wear-out date for BDU's (woodland camo) and black combat boots has been moved up to 30 APR 2008 from 30 OCT 2008.  And I still got a couple of brandly new unworn, unwashed sets in the closet. 

Well, maybe I can donate them to some reenactors in the future.

MG

I'll never forget myself and one of my Warrant Officers (who was also into history) standing behind one of the other companies getting ready for a change of command ceremony, circa 2000. He noticed that he could point out at least three different types of load bearing vests. I'd never noticed, and said, "Just think, 50 years from now, someone will be asking us if we had the 'type one' or 'type three' variant and we won't have a clue."

[Whiskey Johnson]

I hate to HiJack this thread, but I have to personally vouch for the National Guard being about 10 yrs. behind "big army" as we like to call them.

Things are getting better when we get "in theater", but one funny short story I have is ....

When the National Guard made up 48% (or around that #) of the troops in Iraq in OIF 3 there was a problem with our 2 1/2 (duece and a half) trucks. Most Active Duty troops had never seen them and had a tough time maintaining them. We then started giving all of our 2 1/2 T trucks to the Iraqi Army. We all joked that "we better get this job done, because if we have to come back in 10 yrs., we will be broke down on the side of the road with electrical problems as the Iraqi's drive by in OUR duece and a halves and shoot the hell out of us!