Is this General out of uniform wearing Corps of engineer branch when he is a two-star Jag officer in 19 47?

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 11 Jan 2017 00:03:51 -0500

Response by CPT Jim Schwebach made Jan 11 at 2017 12:16 AM

CPT Jim Schwebach — Wed, 11 Jan 2017 00:16:58 -0500

So what's the background here? Is this frame a capture from a contemporary documentary depicting a real live officer? Is it a frame from a commercial film from that era? From a later time? Was he branched JAG or acting as a member of a Court Martial performing a JAG function? Didi contemporary regulations preclude general officers from wearing branch insignia?

Response by PO1 William "Chip" Nagel made Jan 11 at 2017 2:55 AM

PO1 William "Chip" Nagel — Wed, 11 Jan 2017 02:55:34 -0500

I think Hollywood is Supposed to Hokey it Up So as Not to be Confused with the Real Thing.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 11 at 2017 10:07 AM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 11 Jan 2017 10:07:05 -0500

Hard to say since GO's are usually given serious leeway about the wear of their dress uniform. But, I did find a pic of GEN George Marshall where he is wearing what appears to be Branch Insignia on his lapels.

Response by LTC Stephen C. made Jan 11 at 2017 10:39 AM

LTC Stephen C. — Wed, 11 Jan 2017 10:39:03 -0500

LTC Private RallyPoint Member, according to AR670-1 (para 21-9.a.(1)(2), general officers may wear their branch insignia at their discretion and option. CPT Jim Schwebach MSG Private RallyPoint Member

Response by CSM Thomas McGarry made Jan 11 at 2017 10:44 AM

CSM Thomas McGarry — Wed, 11 Jan 2017 10:44:17 -0500

He's probably not violating the Regs as they were in 1947!

Response by MSG Brad Sand made Jan 11 at 2017 11:21 AM

MSG Brad Sand — Wed, 11 Jan 2017 11:21:42 -0500

I answered no for a couple of reasons, not the least of which it was that no one here has access to the version of AR 670-1 that was in affect at that time and I believe that, even today, flag officers are provided a great amount of leeway when it comes to uniforms.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 11 at 2017 1:20 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 11 Jan 2017 13:20:42 -0500

Anyone else notice the stars on his shoulder are pointing the wrong way?

Response by SSG Robert Webster made Jan 11 at 2017 1:46 PM

SSG Robert Webster — Wed, 11 Jan 2017 13:46:17 -0500

First of all this is supposed to be a representation of MG Myron C. Cramer. He was the Judge Advocate General during WWII.

Whoever put the uniform together for this "documentary" got it wrong. They did not even try to match things up properly. There is a picture of the General in a paper called "Sitting In Judgement" about MG Cramer's experience during the trials. In the picture he is wearing JAG insignia.
Next, if they were trying to be even close to accurate, but made a mistake, they should have used Cavalry insignia, instead of Engineer insignia.

No need for speculation, I feel sorry for MG Cramer.

Response by Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen made Jan 11 at 2017 7:04 PM

Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen — Wed, 11 Jan 2017 19:04:12 -0500

Well, us Air Force folks don't get as waded up over uniforms as you Army folks, but aren't general officers pretty much free to wear whatever uniform & insignia they choose, especially in 1947? Perhaps he was even in the Engineering Corps before coming to JAG.

Response by SSG Roger Ayscue made Jan 12 at 2017 1:33 AM

SSG Roger Ayscue — Thu, 12 Jan 2017 01:33:57 -0500

Generals can do anything that they want to.

Response by SFC Bill Snyder made Jan 12 at 2017 8:46 AM

SFC Bill Snyder — Thu, 12 Jan 2017 08:46:48 -0500

Generals were/are a separate breed. They have a lot of leeway concerning uniforms. Now. Back when the Army had separate branch leaders (Chief of Artilary, Transportation Corps, etc.) all General Officers were the branch on their uniforms. Up until the new current uniform regulations, Engineer Officers wore separate buttons on their uniforms then the rest of all the other officers in the Army.