P a ge 31 t opside V olume 79 , I s s u e 2
The History of the Coast Guard Auxiliary Button Article and photos by COMO Joseph Giannattasio
There were two primary types of Coast Guard Auxiliary uniform buttons worn since the beginning of the twentieth century . They both incorporate the Auxiliary “ shield and crossed anchors ” insignia . The difference is that the original buttons were gold colored metal , used from 1941 until the 1950s , early 1960s , when the change was made to the silver version .
The earlier gold Auxiliary uniform buttons were stamped “ Superior Quality ” and most likely made by the manufacturer The Waterbury Button Company , although they were not the only one known to use the phrase . The later silver Auxiliary buttons are “ flat eye ’ styled and stamped “ WATERBURY CO .’ S . CONN .” The newer version is the ‘ hopper ’ styled button stamped “ WATERBURY BUT- TON CT USA .” The Waterbury Button Company located in Waterbury , Connecticut has been the chief supplier of military buttons to the U . S . government since the War of 1812 .
The Auxiliary ’ s combination hat , like the Coast Guard , also use metal buttons with a metal threaded screw to attach the chinstrap to the cover ’ s headband . Like the uniform buttons , their color matched the gold to silver trend .
Collection of early ( gold ) and contemporary ( silver ) Auxiliary Uniform buttons .
( J . Giannattasio collection .)
Military uniform buttons tell a story , a story about the nationality , the arm of service , the period of time and sometimes even the rank of the individual to which it once belonged . There are uniform buttons that also identify the early heritage of the Coast Guard . The US Coast Guard received its present name in 1915 when the Revenue Cutter Service ( renamed from the Revenue Marine ) merged with the US Life Saving Service . The Coast Guard began to maintain the country ' s aids to maritime navigation , including operating the nation ' s lighthouses , when the Lighthouse Service transferred to the Coast Guard in 1939 . In 1946 Congress permanently transferred the Bureau of Marine Inspection and Navigation to the Coast Guard .
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Examples of the early ( gold ) and current ( silver ) Auxiliary Uniform buttons .
( J . Giannattasio collection .)