US- Pinback to Clutchback changeover?

[Garynh2]

My father in law picked me up a very nice set of Meyer Major's oak leaves for Xmas. Still in the box. Question is: they have pinbacks. I'm trying to get a feel for age. Does anyone know when the US military started transitioning from pinback collar insigina to clutchback?

Thanks,

Gary
Semper Fi

[JBFloyd]

Pinback-clutchback

From the Air Force perspective, the uniform stores sold only clutch-back rank when I came in in late 1969. Most of us who wore the old horseblanket overcoats found that pin-back rank was the only thing that would penetrate the epaulettes. On everything else, we wore clutch-backs.

The older pin-backs were around because whenever you got promoted, you gave all of your old rank insignia to the junior man in your old grade, so there were several generations of insignia left in desk drawers, etc.

Doesn't answer the precise question, but I think the real answer is that around 1963, when numerous uniform changes were made in the Air Force, the clutch-back stuff came to be the "latest" thing.

[Terry K.]

Hi Garynh2,
Actually, clutchbacks were patented in the 1920's, if I remember correctly. The first were like the kind used on 1960 tie tacks, if you know what I mean. However, they did not take off how we know them until the big demand of WW2. The first WW2 ones had a flat face to them, that is if you take them off and look at the face no dimpels or what ever you would call them. They were smooth with a patent number on them. Hope this helps,Terry

[Terry K.]

Sorry all,
I forgot, must be getting late, the first ones if on a sterling piece, were sterling also. Still had a flat face though.
Terry

[Garynh2]

Thanks!

Appreciate the info Jeff and Terry. These are gold plate according to the box. I believe plate was usually used over sterling.

Gary
Semper Fi

[VerKuilen Ager]

Clutchback items saw limited popularity in W.W.II, although the Army specified clutches on government issue AAF wings in 1942. You only find clutch fasteners rarely before the late 1940s and early 1950s. However, that's not to say that the pinbacks went away at the same time. For the most part this was simply a manufacturer's choice, as clutches were cheaper and easier to put on. Most pins disappeared by the ealy 1960s. Chances are your insignia are from the post-WWII era. If they are sterling, they probably pre-date the '60s. If they are not sterling or or marked with a fractional sterling mark, they are probably from very late in the pinback cycle; as late as the early Vietnam era.

Note also that Meyer was a government contractor. The material can be fairly accurately dated if the pieces bear their M-code (M-21, for example) along with the name.

[Garynh2]

Thanks Histaria!

All the box says is "Meyer Plate" (acid test)

On the back of the leaf it says "Shold-R-Form" with the Meyer shield.

Gary

[Rick Research]

I just had my great uncle's insignia out. He was a Colonel, USAR in the 1950s (not sure exactly when), having been a Private in the Engineers in WW1, and a Major, Quartermaster Corps in New Guinea WW2. May have come back as a light colonel, but I'm not sure.

His birds have only the Meyer New York shield and "shold-R-form" marking (all in block caps but the R is larger) with pin backs and are non sterling.

Oddly enough, on his clutchback QMC branch collar insignia, one is flat-based (much higher "crown" more round than the usually seen type) without the bumps and says "Rex Patent Pending" in all small caps, but the other is apparently a later replacement with the bumps on the flat part of the diskand the low "pinched" back to front with pressure ears.

[Terry K.]

Hi All,
Clutch backs saw limited use BEFORE the war. During the war they were used in vast quanities. I have over 100 American uniforms from local vets, most of whom were discharged at the end of WW2 and 90-95 percent of them have clutchbacks. Almost all drafties were issued them, only reservist who were in before the war seem to have had screw backs. Also, most of the kits I have gotten from the pre-war vets had CB's in with their other item, for sure an issue item during the war. No offence to any one, but I know this subject. If any rank insignia was marked acid test, it for sure is of WW2 vintage as that test mark was eliminated around 1943 as far as we can tell. That's not to say it was not sold to officers through the 1950's as they used up stock.
Should-r-form marked ones seem to have went out of use with the advent of the war as well, but were availible until the stocks were depleted.
Just some of my and friend observation. Mine after nearly 40 years of collecting.
Terry

[J.von Canon]

Pinbacks and clutchbacks

Don't know if this is any help but my parachute badge(received at Ft.Benning)in 1962 was the sterling pin-back version.
(Never heard of chest-thump "blood wings"until much later with advent of cheap clutch-back wings...)

[Terry K.]

Hey,
Sterling was available thru 1964 and after from the PX. Some still with pin back. In fact you can still order them, I think.