U.S. chevron changes

[SHELLDRAKE!!]

Seeing that there is a plethora of self proffesed military historians here, Im trying to find out the reason the U.S. military changed their chevrons from "point down" in the civil war to the current "point up" format?

 

[Fishbone Jones]

Chevrons were sewn on the sleeves of uniforms with the point down from approximately 1820 to 1903. They were worn with the points both up and down between 1903 and 1905 after the first reversal from "down" to "up" was authorized on 1 May 1903 in Army Regulation No. 622. This confusion period, from 1903 to 1905, was the result of the color change in the chevrons provided for in the regulation which also directed a standard color for each branch, corps, or organization and replaced the gold-colored chevrons. Because of the number of gold insignia available, troops were permitted to wear the old-type chevron until the supply became exhausted.

To assure uniformity in both color and position of the new colored chevrons, War Department Circular 61, dated 30 November 1905, stated that the points of the chevrons would be worn points upward. It also provided for the following colors as had been directed in Army Regulation No. 622, dated 1 May 1903. The colors were: Artillery-scarlet; Cavalry-yellow; Engineers-scarlet piped with orange; Hospital Corps-maroon piped with white; Infantry-light blue; Ordnance-black piped with scarlet; Post QM Sergeant-buff; Signal Corps-orange piped with white; West Point Band-light blue; and West Point Detachment-buff.


Why?? Because like soldiers everywhere, they were told to!!  ;D

 

[SHELLDRAKE!!]

Thank you muchly

 

[tomahawk6]

Personally I think the reason it was done was to differ from our cousins.

 

[1feral1]

The USAF still has them pointing down.

Cheers,

Wes

 

[Acorn]

Personally I think the reason it was done was to differ from our cousins.

It was to make it look more like the French  > ;D