221st Field Artillery Bn Coat- Americal Division & Guadalcanal Patches – SOLD

Description

An illustrious New England cavalry unit, The National Lancers for formed in 1836. They had remained the Lancers for the most part, within the Massachusetts Militia (then Mass. National Guard) unit federalized in 1916 when called to service with the 1st Squadron of Cavalry in the Mexican Border campaign.  In WWI they changed designation again, being absorbed into the 26th (Yankee) Division as Co. A. 2nd Machine Gun Bn.  In 1921 they were part of the 110th Cavalry. From 1940, their unit designation changed several times; to the 180th Field Artillery, turning horses for 155mm cannons on tracked vehicles.  In 1942 a small part of the 26th Division was sent to the Pacific, again re-designated the 200th Field Artillery in February, and then the 221st Field Artillery Bn. now assigned to the Americal Division.  Now these Lancers were Company A, of the 221st FA Bn, and landed on Guadalcanal with the 1st Marine Division, and shared in this first epic battle of American forces against the Imperial Japanese Army in the Pacific. They fought during the entire war from the Northern Solomon’s, Leyte, and the Southern Philippines.

This 1941 service dress OD wool coat is not identified, and is accompanied with the matching shirt and tie.  Both the Americal Division and Guadalcanal patches are fully machine embroidered. The sergeant saw at least 3 years in the Pacific, and had served on hitch of three years in the National Guard; his service time could very well have been in excess of those three years.

This sergeant is not wearing the newer pattern distinctive unit insignia for the 221st FA Bn, a variant of these old pattern DUI’s for the 110th Cavalry.  These screw back insignia are not hallmarked (note the crossed lances).

Ribbon bars are: Good Conduct, American Campaign, American Defense, Asiatic-Pacific (3 stars), and Philippine Liberation (1 star). Clutch back.

The uniform is completed with US and Field Artillery collar brass, and Ruptured Duck.   Size 37L, contract dated coat June 4, 1943. There are a few small moth holes; a couple on the back collar, one (the largest 3/16″ diameter approx.), and a few insignificant other spread out.   The shirt is a size 14 1/2- 34, and has sergeant stripes, 7 Overseas bars (3.5 years), and another ME Americal patch. The shirt has the original gas flap still attached on the inside. I don’t detect any mothing at all. His tie has no identifying marks, and is in the same condition as the shirt.

A little research could pin point who this uniform belonged to.

A nice historic uniform.