Plausibility of Medal Loops on a Arty Tunic

[DonC]

Hi All -

I am considering a piped Artillery Major's tunic as a purchase. Condition seems very nice and there are no sirens going off on it. The one thing that nags me is that it only has two loops for a medal/ribbon bar and a single fitting for a screw-back badge, most probably an EK. It has the ribbons for the 1939 EKII and the Ostfront Medaille through the button hole.

I would assume a Major would have at least one other set of loops for a badge or a loop or two more for a longer ribbon bar - it looks like it will only hold a two-place medal bar or maybe a three ribbon bar set.

Am I being paranoid?

Don

[CSP]

Don:
Yes...you are being paranoid in my opinion. Major or not, several explanations are plausible: he just was not more highly decorated, this is a piped uniform that was probably infrequently worn and these were the only decorations he had at the time, he may have been wounded severly enough to preclude further front line service, he may have been KIA, this may be all he cared to wear, etc, etc.

I own two Großdeutschland uniforms to officers who used screw back badges...most probably EKIs, like you say (and one uniform is an early service tunic w/slanted hip pockets), a Hauptmann and... he only has a GAB and EKI, no ribbons in the button holes. In fact on the Infantry example (also a Hauptmann), I am certain the badge was an EK I since ther wear marks include the small post on the upper arm mark.

Whether you proceed or not, I would not be so concerned about what you are so concerned about.

[DonC]

Thanks, Scott -

I appreciate the input!

Don

[Mike Swan]

Don,

I own a Reichswehr pattern service tunic worn by a hauptmann, pink waffenfarbe. It has 4 loops for a ribbon bar. Of those, only 3 have ever been occupied by a bar. He has no other award loops.

I thought this strange considering his rank but it's 100% original.

Sometimes it doesn't pay to worry too much.

Best regards,

Mike

[CSP]

Not that you need much more convincing, but consider today''s US Military and what they wear on their "class B"service uniforms: USN wears only badges and top three ribbons usually. USMC wears all or top two rows of ribbons and almost no badges. USAF wears only badges .usually and... USA tends to wear mostly nothing but a regimental crest. Some individuals I see day-to-day on the Joint Staff are just that - individuals, and they do what they want.

Probably was no different in a Wehrmacht of some 6 million members.