Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
The name, while not clear, looks like it may be Thompson but.......
that is not a warrant officer's hat emblem, that is not a warrant officer's lapel insignia and as this picture of Thompson back then shows https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/i...Fczvg&usqp=CAU
it is not surprising that a warrant officer would have a lot more ribbons than just a 90 day wonder.
So did they put the wrong face on the cover of the book, changing the combat infantry badge with wings, the name tags, the hat and lapel insignias?
There are no mistakes in identification or labeling. Both are stock news photo's taken during the court marshal trials.
I am not familiar enough with military insignia or dress codes (which may differ based on what event one is attending) but keep in mind that the trials took place a couple years after the actual event so they may reflect promotions that occurred afterwards.
The name, while not clear, looks like it may be Thompson but.......
that is not a warrant officer's hat emblem, that is not a warrant officer's lapel insignia and as this picture of Thompson back then shows https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/i...Fczvg&usqp=CAU
it is not surprising that a warrant officer would have a lot more ribbons than just a 90 day wonder.
So did they put the wrong face on the cover of the book, changing the combat infantry badge with wings, the name tags, the hat and lapel insignias?
I’m confused by the question. Calley and Thompson look nothing alike and Thompson is wearing the Major oak leaf and Calley is wearing the Lieutenant bars. They are both officers, not warrant officers, in those 2 photos. Although Thompson used to be a warrant officer and then received a direct commission after Vietnam as a Captain, then was promoted to his final rank of Major. Maybe the photo is when he had attained his highest rank?
I’m confused by the question. Calley and Thompson look nothing alike and Thompson is wearing the Major oak leaf and Calley is wearing the Lieutenant bars. They are both officers, not warrant officers, in those 2 photos. Although Thompson used to be a warrant officer and then received a direct commission after Vietnam as a Captain, then was promoted to his final rank of Major. Maybe the photo is when he had attained his highest rank?
I think I’m missing your point here?
Well, first of all, I don't think that is an oak cluster but a unit insignia....for Calley is wearing something similar. Secondly, where are Thompson's ribbons?
However, I am willing to accept that it is not in error. Thank you.
Well, first of all, I don't think that is an oak cluster but a unit insignia....for Calley is wearing something similar. Secondly, where are Thompson's ribbons?
However, I am willing to accept that it is not in error. Thank you.
I am career Air Force and ribbons didn’t have to be worn. Since there are no ribbons in the picture, I’m certain the Army must’ve had the same rules as the Air Force. You can’t walk around in your full dress uniform without ribbons unless the rules say you don’t have to wear them,
In the Air Force, the instruction used to say “all, some, or none” when it came to ribbons. They changed it and then it became you didn’t have to wear ribbons on the short sleeve shirt, but you had to wear all your ribbons on the suit coat and long sleeve shirt.
As far as the oak leaf, it’s very visible on the top of his shoulder. Are you talking about something else? The unit patch on the shoulder? The crossed rifles (infantry pin) or the US insignia?
You can zoom in on the photos in their respective web pages.
Don't really know the insignias, but googling is showing on the second picture says that Thompson has warrant officer badges on his lapels, a single bar that's split into three sections on his shoulder (CWO-3?), what appears to be a unit insignia higher up on the shoulder, and the Distinguished Flying Cross above his left breast pocket.
My guess is that the first photo, showing infantry badges on his lapels, is from before Thompson was deployed in December 1967 and the second photo is from late 1969, when Thompson testified before the U.S. House Armed Services Committee. Between those two times, Thompson was awarded the DFC.
You can zoom in on the photos in their respective web pages.
Don't really know the insignias, but googling is showing on the second picture says that Thompson has warrant officer badges on his lapels, a single bar that's split into three sections on his shoulder (CWO-3?), what appears to be a unit insignia higher up on the shoulder, and the Distinguished Flying Cross above his left breast pocket.
My guess is that the first photo, showing infantry badges on his lapels, is from before Thompson was deployed in December 1967 and the second photo is from late 1969, when Thompson testified before the U.S. House Armed Services Committee. Between those two times, Thompson was awarded the DFC.
Oh, I see now. Those pictures make it clear those aren’t the Major oak leaf, they are the warrant officer rank. Since the Air Force does not have Warrant Officers, it wasn’t immediately evident to me.
I’m confused by the question. Calley and Thompson look nothing alike and Thompson is wearing the Major oak leaf and Calley is wearing the Lieutenant bars. They are both officers, not warrant officers, in those 2 photos. Although Thompson used to be a warrant officer and then received a direct commission after Vietnam as a Captain, then was promoted to his final rank of Major. Maybe the photo is when he had attained his highest rank?
I think I’m missing your point here?
Did the book publisher alter the photo to make a Warrant Officer's uniform look like a Commissioned Officer's uniform to meet its audiences expectations of what the subject should look like seems to be the question.
The rank insignia seems to be washed out by the background and sun but my first thought was a Lieutenant, where as the direct commission to Captain seems to be the history. I have never seen the ceremony in the US Armed Forces but my thought from another nation's ceremony that I have seen was that the direct commision might be more in line with a direct commission as a Lieutenant with an immediate promotion to Captain.
And thus begins another conspiracy theory on the history forum?
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
