Army Nurse
Corps
(ANC)
...III. Uniforms
-. Insignia
-. Medals and Ribbons
-. Service and Dress Uniform
-. Work Attire
-. Cold-Weather Clothing
-. Flight Nurse Attire
-. Miscellaneous
-. Dress Regulations
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Insignia
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Cap Device
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The first pattern of the WWII Army Nurses visored service cap had a fabric bow at the front and initially was worn without any insignia. However, some nurses pinned the ANC collar insignia above the middle of the bow. 

The pattern of the service cap was revised a few months later. The fabric bow at the front was omitted and approval was given to nurses' requests for the same regulation United States Coat of Arms on their service caps as male officers wore. 

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Cap Device: Regulation Coat of Arms of the United States
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Picture Source: AR 600-37 43, April 1945 .v At first, Army Nurses wore their caduceus collar branch insignia on the left front of their overseas caps. 

Later, in 1943, it was ordered to wear a rank pin only on the left side one inch from the front center of their overseas caps, thus adopting the same wear authorized for male officers.

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Collar Insignia
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The Army Nurse Corps was part of the Army's Medical Service Corps. The branch insignia of the Medical Service Corps consisted of a winged caduceus with two entwined snakes. 
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A letter was superimposed on the staff of the caduceus to distinguish special Medical Service Corps of the Army (for example "D" for Dental Corps, "V" for Veterinary Corps, "S" for Sanitary Corps, PT for Physical Therapists). A superimposed "N"  indicated the Army Nurse Corps. ..v Picture Source: The Officer's Guide, 1943
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Left: Caduceus with white enameled N
Middle: Caduceus with brown enameled N
Right: Caduceus with black N
..v  It was very common to use contrasting coloration on the superimposed letters, in order to highlight the exact branch of the Medical Service Corps being served. For example, a bronze and a brown enameled N was already adopted during the 1920s, white and black during the 1930s.
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During World War II, it was permitted to continue the use of older devices issued in the 1920s and 1930s. The availability of the different insignia depended on the manufacturer. Slight variations in design were common as well. 
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The caduceus was worn on both lapels of the WWII service uniforms. 
The cut-out US letters were worn on the collar of the service uniform.
Rank insignia were attached to the shoulder loops.
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Picture Source: AR 600-37 43, April 1945
Placement of Insignia 
on the Service Uniform
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Additionally, the caduceus was worn on the left side of the collar on capes, hospital uniforms and shirtwaists (if the jacket was removed). 
A rank pin was worn on the right side of the collar.
On hospital uniforms where the rank pins could be worn on shoulder epaulets, the US letters were worn on the right side of the collar instead of the rank pin. 
Picture Source: AR 600-37 43, April 1945
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On the Off-Duty dress, the caduceus was worn on the left side of the collar, the cut-out US letters on the right side and rank insignia on the shoulder loops. 
The insignia were placed the same way on the brown and white seersucker uniform when worn with the matching jacket.
Picture Source: AR 600-37 43, April 1945
Placement of Insignia 
on the Off-Duty Dress
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No insignia were worn on the collar and lapel 
of overcoats, raincoats or jackets, field M1943.
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Rank Insignia
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At the beginning of the war, the Army Nurses obtained relative ranks only. In June 1944, they were granted actual ranks of Army officers but limited for the duration of the war plus six months. The highest rank granted was that of colonel, which was held by the superintendent of the Army Nurse Corps Florence Blanchfield.

Picture Source: American Women in Uniform by Mary Steel Ross, 1943
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Grade Insignia were worn on shoulder loop of the service jackets as prescribed for male officers of the Army. They were also worn on the shoulder loop of the off-duty dress, overcoat, utility coat and the M1941 and M1943 field jacket.
Additionally, the grade insignia were worn on the right side of the collar on capes and waists (if jacket was removed).
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Flight Nurse Wings
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Flight Nurses wore a flight nurse's wing above their left sleeve pocket. The first flight nurse wing was authorized in December 1943. The gold color of the first wing version was changed to silver at the end of 1944. 
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Buttons
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Regular gilt US Coat of Arms Button
.v Army Nurses wore regular gilt US coat of Arms buttons on their service uniforms and off-duty dresses.

Detachable white mother-of-pearl buttons were worn on the white hospital uniform. Detachable blue mother-of-pearl buttons were worn on the blue hospital uniforms.

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Overseas Stripes
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Army Nurses could wear gold stripes on the lower left sleeve of their service jacket. 
Each stripe indicated a 6 months period of serving overseas.
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Overseas stripes made of
gold embroidery
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Overseas stripes made of
gold colored braid
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Placement of sleeve stripes above
the sleeve braid

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Placement of sleeve stripes on the 
wool field jacket (Ike jacket)
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Sleeve Patches

Army Nurses could wear a sleeve patch on their left upper sleeve of their service and field jacktes, overcoats, utility coats, raincoats and waists to indicate the Army force to which they were assigned. The Army was divided in three forces, the Army Service Force, the Army Air Force and the Army Ground Force. The patch could be that of a General Headquarters or a special higher-level formation or command. Army Nurses serving with the Ground Forces were formally assigned at the level of army groups or armies, but seldom within corps or combat divisions. 

To make a complete and accurate survey of all sleeve patches worn by Army nurses, one would have to possess all the unit assignment and attachment orders of all nurses during World War II. This would be an impossible task. Many orders were destroyed or captured by enemy offenses (i.e., Japanese advance in the Philippines, German counterattacks at Anzio and the Ardennes, etc.). Furthermore, many orders were destroyed during the war or accidentally burned during the 1973 loss of personnel records at the St. Louis depository in postwar America. In other words, in most cases, the required orders simply no longer exist. http://www.archives.gov/st-louis/military-personnel/fire-1973.html

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In the following, some examples of United States Army Sleeve Patches 
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General Headquarters
Picture Source: All-Service Identification Guide, ca. 1944/45
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Examples of some headquarters patches
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China-Burma-India (CBI) Headquarters: . The original mission of the China-Burma-India (CBI) Headquarters was to increase the effectiveness of U.S. assistance to China and to assist in improving the efficiency of the Chinese Army. The design of the presented patch had been in use since 1942 but was not officially approved before November 1944.
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ETOUSA (Headquarters, European Theater of Operations, United States Army):  The ETOUSA  prepared and carried on operations in the ETO against the Axis powers and their allies under strategical directives of the combined U.S.-British Chiefs of Staff. After formation of the SHAEF in February 1944 the ETOUSA became primarily responsible for the administration and supply of  U.S. troops. The first design patch was approved in September 1943. Due to the change of task a revised design adopting the Army Service Forces insignia was approved in February 1944.
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SHAEF (Supreme Headquarters, Allied Expeditionary Force):  The  primary mission of the SHAEF (Supreme Headquarters, Allied Expeditionary Force) was to enter the continent of Europe and in conjunction with the other United Nations, undertake operations aimed at Germany and the destruction of her armed forces.

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Air Forces
Picture Source: All-Service Identification Guide, ca. 1944/45
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Service Commands
Picture Source: All-Service Identification Guide, ca. 1944/45

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Army Groups


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Armies of the Ground Forces

Picture Source: All-Service Identification Guide, ca. 1944/45


(note: there was also a 14th Army, but it was not activated during WWII)

If you search for more information and more examples of U.S. Army soulder sleeve insignia take a look at this great homepage compiled by Dr. Howard G. Lanham: http://www.angelfire.com/md2/patches/branchI.html

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continue to:

Insignia
Medals and Ribbons
Service and Dress Uniform
Work Attire
Cold-Weather Clothing
Flight Nurse Attire
Miscellaneous
Dress Regulations
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