Uncle Ray's USMC ribbons and chevrons? Thoughts.

[snell]

The crossed rifles came in in the early 60s. My senior DI in Parris Island was an E-5 Staff Sgt (three stripes, one rocker, no crossed rifles) and half way through our training cycle (about May 1963) he got bumped up to E-6 Staff Sgt and got his crossed rifles.

Gads I'm old

Art

Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.

[Jim Tarleton]

The crossed rifles came in in the early 60s. My senior DI in Parris Island was an E-5 Staff Sgt (three stripes, one rocker, no crossed rifles) and half way through our training cycle (about May 1963) he got bumped up to E-6 Staff Sgt and got his crossed rifles.

Gads I'm old

Art

When I was in, a Staff Sergeant was an E-6. When was the rank of Lance Corporal instituted (E-3)?

Jim

[Long Island]

James G. Thompson put out a great book called the "Complete Guide to USMC Medals, Badges and Insigna WWII to Present". All color plates shown and you might also find some info on usmedals.com
Need more of an exact description as the colors of the ribbons are quite definite. Most likely includes a Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, World War II Victory Medal, American Campaign Medal for service in the Pacific Theater during WWII.
Bob

[snell]

By the time I got out of boot and ITR and had enough sense to stop and look around there were no ranks without the crossed rifles. I would guess that the L/Cpl rank appeared sometime in late 62 or early 63.
I can remember the pressure to keep the platoon squared away so that our SDI would keep his staff privilages. When he walked into the squad bay with his new stripes(and crossed rifles) you could hear the entire platoon sigh LOL

Of course, about the same time, we also had to strip our leather gear down and redye it from brown to black and redo the spit shine on the boots, (some guys had one set boots & one set boondockers), dress shoes and barracks covers. What a treat that was!!

We even had a couple of guys issued heringbone utilities...I really am old !!