Two New US Buttons and one Surprise

Encouraged by the US Army button from last year, I searched some older finds complexes and found a few more. Two large Army buttons. On the upper right is the maker: Shield Inc. Attleborough. On the top left is the maker: Rex Product Corp. There was also a big surprise. I always thought the button on the lower right was a French Navy button. But now I have seen that it should be a Marine Corp button. This is something very exotic here in Germany. The Marines were only in the Pacific. Or is that wrong? I can't explain this find so far. Do any of you have an idea? The location is a forest position of the 78th Inf. Division which I discovered by chance. Actually military is not my field of interest but you often can't avoid it. If there is interest I could also show a small photo reportage of the area. Greetings Dave

That’s is pretty interesting that you found those US buttons! The big ones are great seal buttons. They go back the the late 1800s to at least mid 1900s. My guess is that they are either WW1 or WW2.

The other button looks the oldest. I should check my US button book.

Yes, there are still many things in the old positions. Do you have an idea about the little button? Is that really Marine Corp?

Nice finds! The U.S. Army switched to the great seal button design in 1903. There have been some subtle changes to the background but the button is basically the same for over 100 years now. The back mark is the best way to judge the age. Yours are WW2 era. As for the little button on the lower right I'm afraid I don't know anything about it. BTW, where do you live in Germany?

Such history there, even 20th century history is interesting. Congrats, Menzi!

Hi Menzl,

The small button is definitely a US Marine Corps button. The current design used today is nearly identical to yours, but was adopted from the late 19th century onward, and given the Great Seal US buttons you found there, it's likely from the WW1 or WW2 era. Here's a link to one: https://www.buttonbaron.com/US-Marin...inal_p_65.html. Now, as to how your button got there, I'm not sure. There were a number of US Marine deployments to Europe, especially in France, during WW1 and 2, but you'd have to do some research to the local area in which you found these buttons to learn more. There's probably a good explanation.

Regards,

John

Hello and thank you for the answers.
Thanks @BTV_Digger for the explanation and the link.

The buttons come from the area which is near the famous bridge of Remagen.
There are still many trenches and foxholes in the dense woods. What I could learn is that the 309th and 310th Infantry of the 78th US Infantry Division fought there against the German Panzer Brigade 106 ,,Feldherrenhalle,, and a Volksgrenadier Division.
Marines were not actually there. But maybe it was some kind of spare button.
The pictures show the old bridge piers which were built in this fortress architecture already in the1 World War. A few days after American troops crossed the bridge, it collapsed into the Rhine.

The rock behind it has a tunnel where the trains could find protection from air raids.

On the shores there are still some relics of the war. On the pictures you can see a smoke bomb and the rest of an ammunition box.

Here a position in the forest. Some trenches and foxholes in the remains of an US artillery position.

In memory of the many young people from both sides who fought and died there. Hopefully such a tragedy will never happen again.