Opinions On Rank Tab

[dcdefend]

I would appreciate some opinions on this rank tab. Also, what about the tress, regardless of the tab. Thanks.

[Bob Hritz]

The base collar tab looks good. The litzen is most unusual, with very little aluminum threads. It might be good, but you would have a lot of explaining to do because of the litzen.

In original period photos, you do see a variety of litzen, but it is most often the thickness and pattern of the black stripe that is discussed.

Bob Hritz

[John Pic]

It is original the litzen is good too but the tab may have suffered water damage and the core litzen threads expanded . I have seen this litzen in its normal state before.

[sgstandard]

Tab

The tab may be original, but unless the man was demoted, the tab has been monkeyed with. A single pip would be 2 ranks higher than what you see here, and a single pip and one litze would be 3 ranks higher. Either way, there's a missing pip that doesn't make sense in the rank progression, unless he was demoted at least 2 ranks. That begs the question of whether the litze is original to the tab.

[dcdefend]

Enlisted Tab

Thanks for the replies. Yes, the pip is missing. The hole is there.

I had looked through all my books and could not find this exact litzen. It's not a new reproduction, I know that, so it's either real or an old reproduction.

[sgstandard]

Tab

If John Pic says the litze is ok, I'd go with that. And assuming that it's original litze, it is likely original to the tab. Most likely scenario is that it probably had one pip and one litze. Maybe someone cannibalized the pip, or maybe one of the prongs broke off, and it got lost over the years. Either way, I would definitely replace the pip with one that basically matches the wear or age exhibited by the tab. If possible, try to measure the mark left by the old pip (side to side, or corner to corner), though it may be hard to see. I may have an extra pip.