This US WW2 Nurse Officer Collar Badge Set 1st Lieutenant is a fine reproduction set for completing a World War II U.S. Army Nurse Corps HBT shirt or wool shirt. The set includes a silver-coloured 1st Lieutenant rank bar and a gold-coloured Army Nurse Corps caduceus badge with the letter “N”.
Ideal for reenactment, living history, film, theatre, museum display or completing a U.S. Army Nurse Corps impression, this badge set adds one of those small but important uniform details. Quiet metal, big story: rank, branch and wartime service in miniature.
Specifications:
- Reproduction U.S. WW2 Army Nurse Corps collar insignia
- Rank: 1st Lieutenant
- Set includes: 1 x Nurse Corps collar badge and 1 x 1st Lieutenant rank bar
- Suitable for HBT shirts, wool shirts or WW2 nurse displays
- Finish: gold-coloured Nurse Corps insignia and silver-coloured rank bar
- Pin-back style fastening as shown in the product photos
- Suitable for reenactment, living history, museum display and uniform completion
Subtle combination advice:
For a historically convincing U.S. Army Nurse Corps impression, this set pairs well with a WW2 U.S. Nurse HBT shirt, WAC/ANC garments, suitable headwear, belt and period-correct footwear. When mounting the badges, pay close attention to the correct left/right placement of the Nurse Corps insignia and rank insignia.
Historical Context
During the Second World War, the women of the U.S. Army Nurse Corps played an essential role in the American military medical system. They served in station hospitals, evacuation hospitals, field hospitals, hospital trains, hospital ships and later as flight nurses. Their uniforms were designed for practical service in many different environments, from hospital wards to medical units closer to the front.
The Nurse Corps insignia, showing the caduceus with the letter “N”, identified the wearer as part of the Army Nurse Corps. The silver bar represented the rank of First Lieutenant. On a shirt or “waist” worn without the service jacket, the Nurse Corps insignia was generally worn on the left collar, while the rank insignia was worn on the right collar. A small set, but one with a surprisingly large historical footprint.
