Original Item. Only One Available. This is an excellent original U.S. WWI M1912 service tunic worn by a Wagoner with the 7th Ammunition Train, 7th Division, complete with a cross-stitched 7th Division “Hourglass” shoulder patch, Wagoner wheel insignia, U.S. and Train collar discs, overseas service chevrons, honorable discharge chevron, and an unusual early-style Victory ribbon associated with the immediate postwar period. The interior retains its original contractor label for Leibowitz of New York, dated May 8, 1918.

The 7th Division was activated on 6 December 1917, exactly eight months after the American entry into World War I, as the 7th Division of the Regular Army at Camp Wheeler, Georgia. On 18 July, the division moved to ports of embarkation as it prepared to deploy to Europe as a part of the American Expeditionary Force (AEF). The unit arrived at Hoboken, New Jersey and in New York, via Camp Merritt, where additional replacements joined the unit. The majority of the unit sailed to Brest, France. The 7th Support Trains and the 7th Training Headquarters along with the military police sailed for Bordeaux, France. The units began to arrive in France on 26 July with the last units arriving on 3 September 1918. Most of the division sailed to Europe aboard the SS Leviathan.

This is a great tunic of the M1912 pattern worn by a Wagoner in the 7th Ammunition Train, 7th Division. The tunic bears a great cross-stitched 7th Division “Hourglass” patch on the left shoulder, one red honorable discharge chevron on the left sleeve, two bullion overseas chevrons on the left cuff, a great Wagoner wheel rate on the right sleeve, US & T Train collar discs, and a rare early style WWI Victory ribbon. This was the variant worn directly after the war and on the way home, as the official WWI Victory Medal was not issued until 1921.

The interior shows minor period wear, and retains a full contract label under the lining for Leibowitz of New York, dated May 8th, 1918.

From the period of 10 October until the end of the war on 11 November, the division, minus their artillery, occupied and conducted local engagements in the Puvenelle Sector (Lorraine). On 10 October 1918, the division relieved the 90th Division on the front with a front line from Sablière, Vandières (incl), Côte 327, north edge of Bois des Rappes, la Souleuvre Fme, 1½ km south of Rembercourt-sur-Mad. The 92nd Division was on the right and the 37th Division was on the left. On 16 October, the 28th Division moved in on the left of the 7th Division. Several days later, on 23 October, the 92nd Division (VI Corps) occupied the sector on the. Three days later on 26 October the sector was reduced by moving the east boundary to a line between Villers-sous-Prény and Prény (both incl). Elements of the 92nd Division relieved the 56th Infantry Regiment. On 29 October, the sector was extended west to a line from Xammes to Charey, with the 64th Infantry relieving elements of the 28th Division, on a front along the eastern edge of Bois de Blainchamp, northern edge of Bois de Hailbat, eastern edge of Bois du Rupt, northern edge of Bois de la Montagne.

During this period in early November, the 7th Division began preparing for an assault on the Hindenburg Line as part of the Second Army. The division launched a reconnaissance in force on the Voëvre plain, but the main assault was never conducted as hostilities ended on 11 November 1918 with the signing of the Armistice with Germany.

On 1 November the division conducted local attacks and established outposts at Bois de Trou-de-la-Haie and Bois de Grand-Fontaine. From 9 November through 11th the division executed local attacks and made gains along the front. On 9 November the division assumed temporary occupation of a hill west of Prény. On 10 November, Hill 323 (1 km southeast of Rembercourt) was occupied. On 11 November, the line was established from 310.2 to 287.1 in the Bois de Grand-Fontaine, the quarry near 278.7, west of Rembercourt, and the small woods ¼ km south of Mon Plaisir Fme.

During its 33 days on the front line, the 7th Division suffered 1,709 casualties, including 204 killed in action and 1,505 wounded in action and was awarded a campaign streamer for Lorraine. The division then served on occupation duties as it began preparations to return to the United States.

The surviving combination of cross-stitched 7th Division Hourglass patch, Wagoner wheel insignia, U.S. and Train collar discs, two overseas chevrons, red honorable discharge chevron, early Victory ribbon, and dated May 8, 1918 Leibowitz contract label gives this tunic an unusually complete visual record of a soldier who served in the transportation and ammunition-support structure of the 7th Division during the final months of WWI.

Approximate Measurements:
Collar to shoulder: 9.5
Shoulder to sleeve: 22.5
Shoulder to shoulder: 17
Chest width: 20
Waist: 18
Hip: 22
Front length: 31