When we are in Garrison on Saturday nights Our Unit has an awards ceremony, and usually goes from barracks party to barracks party. Or we may go off base. For this the individual wears his dress uniform, of either the Service Coat, (Class A Jacket, also known as the 4 Pocket Tunic and is a Pre-Early War Item), or the Ike Jacket (Late War item).

Service Coat:


Ike Jacket:


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How to wear insignia on your Service Uniform:

Typical Service Uniform (Class A), Fall '40 - Fall '42


Typical insignia:
1) Infantry and US collar insignia
2) 15th Infantry Regimental DIs*
3) Rank chevrons
4) Marksmanship qualification badge(s)
5) Russet brown garrison belt
6) Available awards:
American Defense Svc Medal (one year active service between Sep 8, 1939 - Dec 7, 1941)
7) Shoulder sleeve insignia, 3rd Infantry Division

*Note: the Army discontinued procurement of DIs in 1942; it would have been uncommon for soldiers who entered service after this time to have complete sets of regimental DIs.

Typical Service Uniform - Mid-1944


Typical insignia (same as above, plus):
1) Available awards: Good Conduct Ribbon, American Campaign Medal (service within the US for one year after Dec. 7, 1941), European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal w/ Arrowhead Device and up to 6 campaign stars (Algeria-French Morocco, Tunisia, Sicily, Naples-Foggia, Anzio, Rome-Arno)
2) Combat Infantry Badge
3) Overseas service ("Hershey") bars (one for each six months overseas service, month of departure - Nov 1942 - inclusive)
4) Service stripes (one for each three-year period of active service)


Typical Service Uniform - M1944 ("Eisenhower/Ike") Jacket, Summer '45


Typical insignia (same as above, plus):
1) Available awards: European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal w/ Arrowhead Device and up to 2 silver campaign stars (add Southern France, Rhineland, Ardennes-Alsace, Central Europe)
2) French fourragère (represents second award of the Croix de Guerre to the Division; presented April 20, 1945 in Nuremberg)
3) Distinguished Unit Badge (awarded to the Division June 6, 1945 for action in the Colmar Pocket during the previous winter)

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Placement of Insignia on the Service Uniform

Now that you know what the Dress Uniforms looks like, now to learn how to deck them out with insignia!

Uniform regulations were originally rather loose as to exact placement of most insignia on uniforms during WWII but gradually became more exact. However, these were observed and enforced to varying degrees. Below are examples of the regulation placement of enlisted insignia.










*Supplement the 3rd ID patch with 2nd ID.

A: Pfc, less than three years of service; less than six months overseas service
B: Cpl, less than three years of service, between 6 and 12 months overseas service
C: Sgt, over three years of service, between 18 and 24 months overseas service
D: T/4, over six years of service, between 30 and 36 months overseas service

Note: Place shoulder sleeve insignia (SSI) ½" below the shoulder seam. Place overseas ("Hershey") bars or service stripes ("hash marks") approx. four inches above the sleeve end. If service stripes are worn, place the overseas bars just above them. (On an unaltered M26-type coat, there is a small stitch running around the sleeve at this line.) Rank insignia are centered between the elbow and the top of the sleeve.

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The Different Classes of the Dress Uniform:




If you do not have a either types of the above service coats, you may wear:



Manner of wear and insignia:

The Class B uniform is essentially the Class A without the jacket. The summer version, or Class C ("suntans") is simply the khaki trousers, shirt and cap. Typical insignia include those worn on the Class A version, except that the US and branch disks were not authorized. This was a uniform practice that was suspended in 1940 and resumed in the postwar era. Wear of service stripes and overseas bars was authorized, but rarely seen before the end of hostilities. Officers wear rank on the right collar and branch insignia on the left when the jacket is not worn (see The Officers' Guide for placement).