Do any of our good veterans here recognize this?

[PatMarlin]

When I was 8 years old I was at a gunshow with my father. He was a dealer so we went to many.

Looking through a box of metals I found this one pictured below. I remember this big guy standing behind me watching me, and I realized he was waiting for me to put that metal down so he could buy it. I wasn't gonna put it down for that dood... no way!

I forgot how much I paid for it, but an 8 year old doesn't have much cash. As I handed the seller the money, I noticed the guy still standing there, and when I was done he asked me if I knew what the metal was? And I said no and he told me it was an officer's "Sweetheart Pin", and then he offered me $50 bucks for it.

Well $50 in the 60's was no chump change but I figured I was smart enough to think if he was going to offer me as a kid $50 bucks it must be worth a lot more so I told him no...

So I'm wondering if I shoulda took his offer, or is it worth more now?

Any of you guys ever seen one like this? What is the rank?

Don't know if it's WW1, WW2, or Korea?

[bruce drake]

If I remember my Naval Ranks correctly, that pin represents a 1 1/5 striper or Navy Liuetenant. The Star represents that this was a Line Rank and not a specialty. It's equivalent in rank to an Army or Marine Captain.

Bruce

[PatMarlin]

Oh and on the back it's stamped "H. J" .

I think now this is my oldest possesion, as I gave my first oldest one to a childhood buddy of mine last year.

[26Charlie]

The rank is Lieutenant Junior Grade, equivalent to Army or Marine First Lieutenant. The crossed anchors is the Navy insignia. I suppose if it is called a sweetheart pin, one gave it to one's sweetheart. I would have given her a kiss also. Or instead of.

[AZ-Stew]

As 26charlie says, the rank is Lt. Jr. Grade. The crossed anchors, eagle and shield are the same device worn on the front center officer's combination cap, and on one side (can't remember which) of the skinny cloth garrison cap. I'm sure there was usually a kiss given, received, or both, with the presentation of the pin, but the pin would be a more visible reminder of who she was waiting for.

I've never seen one of these before. WWII vintage??

Regards,

Stew

[1Shirt]

It is a JG rank. Have seen befor, believe it to be WWII. Things like this were quite commonly sold in BX's/PX's for wives, sweetharts, and mothers up through and including Viet Nam for all branches of service. Remember I sent one to my mother with a L/Cpl chevron on a chain from a minature Eagle Globe an Anchor, in the late 50's.

Reminds me of an old joke however! At a meeting of the Officers Wives Club on an Air Force Base, a young 2nd. Lt's wife addressed the Chair (Base Commanders Wife) with the following: " Madam Chairperson, I think it would be nice if the wives of all of the officers wore a miniture of the insignia of our husbands rank!".
To which the old Col's. Wife replied, "My dear, if your husband were a butcher, would you wear a pork chop around your neck?"

I used to really enjoy telling that to young Lt's. (and their wives!).
1Shirt!

[garandsrus]

Pat,

I did a search on eBay for "sweetheart pin" and a bunch of results popped up. Many of them were military pins. I didn't see one just like yours but didn't look too hard. It's a very interesting item...

John

[PatMarlin]

Porkchop.. LOL!

Thanks for all the replys fellas. I think it's a kind of a neat peice. Things like this could tell an interesting story if they could talk. Your posts about it here are interesting, to me anyways..

[Buckshot]

...............An interesting thing about Naval officers rank as the other 3 branches, Marines, Air Force, & Army use the same names and I believe the same devices. Don't know for sure about the Coasties, but I think they follow the Naval officers.

Anyway it has apparently caused much consternation and confusion over time with attaining flag rank. In the other 3 branches when attining generalship, as a Brigader you get one star. In the Navy and Coast Guard you get 2 stars as a Rear Admiral. The same as a Major General. But you're a Rear Admiral LOWER HALF. As a consequence you have senior Brigader's possibly saluteing junior Rear Admirals.

In the Navy, one star was a Commodore which is a rank that is really no longer used actively, but is more or less awarded to some more deserving senior Captains.

..................Buckshot

[1Shirt]

Buckshot, Same devices but not the same title for the devices.

NAVY Marine/Army/Air Force

Ensign 2nd. Lt. Single gold Bar (commonly called butter bar)
Lt. Jr. Grade (JG) 1st. Lt. Single silver Bar
Lt. Captain Double silver Bars (called Railroad tracks)
Lt. Commander Major Gold Oak Leaf
Commander Lt. Col. Silver Oak Leaf (sometimes called Lite Col.
Captain Col Silver Eagle (commonly called full bird or
full chicken, or full Col.

The Airforce and Army do not (or at least did not for my 20+ years) teach Navy rank or insignia. It is even more confusing to Army and AF personnel with Navy enlisted personnel and ratings for Petty Officers.
1Shirt!

[Ross]

"H J" may be Herff Jones Inc.

[versifier]

1Shirt has it. My dad, a WWII Navy vet, remembers them. Interestingly, that was his last active duty rank. They got a promotion on retirement (don't know if they still do or if it had something to do with his being a Reservist for many years - he doesn't remember for sure, and when I'm 86, I probably won't either. ) so he is now LCdr., Rtd.