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    chief

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    Everything posted by chief

    1. Hello everyone: This is not a Coast Guard CPO hat. I would venture to say it is a CPO for the U.S. Maritime Service aka the Merchant Marines. I have a Maritime Service CPO device in my collection. They look similar to the Coast Guard shield from a distance. Up close however the hat device clearly says U.S. Maritime Service. This apparently is a bullion version hence there is no lettering. I have never seen one before. In the Navy and Coast Guard only officers had the option of bullion, apparently so did Merchant Marine chiefs. Very nice item and extremely rare.
    2. Hello everyone: I just joined this group and would like to comment on this hat and hat device. First off this hat and device are correct. This is the hat and hat device for Coast Guard Surfman that was in service during WWII. I don't exactly know when the rate was disbanded, probably the early 50s late 40s. Surman had a dress blues with white combination hat for wintert and a khaki hat and uniform for the summer. The other members of the Coast Guard had the traditional Navy cracker jacks which were worn until 1974. Admiral Bender wanted Coasties to have a separate and distinct uniform. This is the uniform we wear today. Many coasties don't know that todays uniform was actually based on the 1940s Surfman's uniform. The hat device today is similar in design as the surfmans with a couple of differences. 1 The surfmans hat device was a solid one piece of brass, 2 Todays device is is made of 2 pieces silver anchors and a brass colored shield. The gentleman in the picture is a surfman not a CPO. Look closely at the picture and you will notice that he is wearing a single breasted suit jacket. During the 20s,30, 40s, 50, and 60s up until 1974 CG officers and chiefs wore Navy style double breasted jackets. Hope this clears up the confusion.
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