Help Identifying Insignia

[pastorerik]

Hello,

Purchased this unusual belt buckle at an estate auction recently, can anyone out there identify the branch, unit, etc of the insignia?

The buckle will be sold on ebay under user ID brokenarrowleather if anyone is interested.

Thanks in advance

[Redleg]

155 Infantry Regiment. WWII-New Guinea

http://www.tioh.hqda.pentagon.mil/Inf/155InfantryRegiment.htm

[pastorerik]

Thanks Redleg! I really appreciate your help. What would the history of the buckle be? Looks homemade to me, certainly not a uniform piece. Have you seen anything like it before?:)

[Sandbagger]

Goat head = Mountain Infantry?

I know the ARNG mountain warfare badge is a very similar goat's head.


edit: It looks like the mountain warfare badge over the Distinctive Unit Insignia (DUI).

[Redleg]

Goat head = Mountain Infantry?

I know the ARNG mountain warfare badge is a very similar goat's head.


edit: It looks like the mountain warfare badge over the Distinctive Unit Insignia (DUI).

Interesting but the 155 "Mississippi Rifles" served in WWI & WWII with the 39th and 31st ID's, respectively, served in Iraq 2004-2005 and recently in Bosnia.
I don't read where they were attached or part of mountain unit.

The belt buckle seems to be a custom job and perhaps the Ram was a personal/company nickname or the owner was born under the sign of Aries?

The three circled stars on the crest in the eBay photo may be unauthorized.

[Ben Shotalot]

The three circled stars on the crest in the eBay photo may be unauthorized.

It may have signified what battalion he was in. IE: 1 Star = 1st Bn, 2 Stars = 2nd Bn, etc.

Overall, the belt buckle looks to be a complete custom job - one of a kind.

[pastorerik]

Great resource with tons of knowledge to be sure...thank you gentlemen!

[Redleg]

It may have signified what battalion he was in. IE: 1 Star = 1st Bn, 2 Stars = 2nd Bn, etc.

Overall, the belt buckle looks to be a complete custom job - one of a kind.

Ben, I know I have seen the three circled stars before, but I just can't put my finger on it.
My best guess is that the shown crest is from WWII where the 155 served in the Pacific theater and perhaps the stars represent the combined American, Austrailan and British effort there.

[Sandbagger]

Interesting but the 155 "Mississippi Rifles" served in WWI & WWII with the 39th and 31st ID's, respectively, served in Iraq 2004-2005 and recently in Bosnia.
I don't read where they were attached or part of mountain unit.



I'm saying - maybe he was in this unit (155 infantry) and was also eligible for a personal mountain warfare badge having been to the school and then stuck both badges to a belt buckle for the coolness factor.

Mountain Warfare Badge (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/b/b0/Ramshead_Device.JPG/240px-Ramshead_Device.JPG)


Ben, I know I have seen the three circled stars before, but I just can't put my finger on it.


It is very close to the symbol of the 3 white stars in a circular blue field found on the Tennessee State flag (http://z.about.com/d/nashville/1/0/D/b/1/TnStateFlagig.jpg).

Though, I doubt they are related.

[Lee Ragan]

It is very close to the symbol of the 3 white stars in a circular blue field found on the Tennessee State flag (http://z.about.com/d/nashville/1/0/D/b/1/TnStateFlagig.jpg).

Though, I doubt they are related.[/QUOTE]

I don't think the 3 stars are off the Tenn. state flag. Note that on the flag, the stars are tilted. The Army Institute of Heraldry would have a breakdown on all the symbolism on this unit insignia. www.tioh.hqda.pentagon.mil

[mtnsldr]

That is a Mountain Warfare Rams Head device.

[Sandbagger]

That is a Mountain Warfare Rams Head device.

I knew it!

I know a few soldiers in my company that have that device.