Is the Honorable Discharge "Ruptured Duck" Pin still a thing?

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 29 Apr 2021 18:10:49 -0400

A friend had told me a previous commander he had gave them out to Soldiers as they ETS'd, we were under the impression however that the Honorable Discharge Pin was given to World War II vets upon honorable discharge and was done away with after 1946.

Have you seen units trying to keep this old accoutrements alive? I assume that commander was doing it out of his own pocket.

Response by LTC John Griscom made Apr 29 at 2021 6:13 PM

LTC John Griscom — Thu, 29 Apr 2021 18:13:25 -0400

Only for WW II vets

Response by CPT Andrew Wright made Apr 29 at 2021 6:34 PM

CPT Andrew Wright — Thu, 29 Apr 2021 18:34:33 -0400

While the ruptured duck is no longer issued the Minuteman lapel pin has been given to honorably discharged soldiers in recent years.

Response by LTC Jason Mackay made Apr 29 at 2021 8:16 PM

LTC Jason Mackay — Thu, 29 Apr 2021 20:16:36 -0400

Response by SGT Joseph Gunderson made Apr 29 at 2021 8:27 PM

SGT Joseph Gunderson — Thu, 29 Apr 2021 20:27:11 -0400

I haven't seen any awards or pins given to ETSing SMH. They receive an award for their service, or in the army they usually are, but nothing more.

Response by SPC Nancy Greene made Apr 29 at 2021 8:41 PM

SPC Nancy Greene — Thu, 29 Apr 2021 20:41:29 -0400

SPC Private RallyPoint Member they were ‘issued’ during WWII to identify soldiers who were honorably discharged or still on active duty. My father received one.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 29 at 2021 9:54 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 29 Apr 2021 21:54:03 -0400

They were issued to WWII vets who were honorably discharged. Since many returning veterans didn’t have civilian clothes available it would differentiate them from those still serving.

While it is no longer in the military supply system there is nothing in the regulations stating a unit can’t give them out at time of discharge. However they are no longer authorized for wear on the uniform.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 29 at 2021 9:58 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 29 Apr 2021 21:58:28 -0400

http://americanwarlibrary.com/theduck.htm

Common Myths About The Ruptured Duck Pin

Not true. Actually, the plan for a multi-service branch, universal Honorable Discharge Lapel patch originated in 1919 at the close of WWI. The purpose of the patch, and later pin, was to permit Honorably Discharged military personnel to wear their uniform for a period of time after they left military service due to their inability to afford civilian clothes, while at the same time identify themselves as no longer active duty personnel. The pin...

Response by LTC John Mohor made Apr 29 at 2021 11:30 PM

LTC John Mohor — Thu, 29 Apr 2021 23:30:40 -0400

I never heard of a current unit giving out ruptured ducks.

Response by Lt Col Jim Coe made Apr 30 at 2021 9:09 AM

Lt Col Jim Coe — Fri, 30 Apr 2021 09:09:45 -0400

Seems like something in the category of challenge coins. Neat to have, but unofficial.

Response by AN Charles Culbertson made Aug 1 at 2021 8:34 PM

AN Charles Culbertson — Sun, 01 Aug 2021 20:34:59 -0400

I was discharged in 1955 from the Navy and was given a Rupture Duck

Response by COL Carl Jensen made Aug 2 at 2021 7:52 AM

COL Carl Jensen — Mon, 02 Aug 2021 07:52:32 -0400

WWII item, Millions of guys did their time and were given sew ons to designate that they were going home and they could wear the uniform as clothing so they wouldn't be confused with those who were still on active duty. The regulations no longer applied to them. as they were no longer on duty. They were civilians in uniform. The duck lapel pin was an "I served" pin in WW II item. They earned it. They could have made a different one for each action we were involved in, but the budget favored $500 dollar hammers.

Response by SPC Ricky Poe made Aug 2 at 2021 6:32 PM

SPC Ricky Poe — Mon, 02 Aug 2021 18:32:36 -0400

They were issued to some honorable discharging soldiers from Desert Storm like myself but it may have depended on the post Commander as well and it is only authorized on your uniform if it was listed on your dd214 like mine is from my understanding as Veteran after Vietnam

Response by CH (LTC) Robert Leroe made Aug 4 at 2021 9:18 AM

CH (LTC) Robert Leroe — Wed, 04 Aug 2021 09:18:05 -0400

I've never seen this pin. I was an Army Brat from 1952-1974 and an Army Chaplain from 74-99. I have a Minuteman pin, which is neat since I live near Concord.

Response by CWO4 Tim Hecht made Aug 8 at 2021 7:27 PM

CWO4 Tim Hecht — Sun, 08 Aug 2021 19:27:31 -0400

I got this pin when I retired from the Coast Guard in 2001:

Response by SMSgt Lawrence McCarter made Aug 9 at 2021 2:41 AM

SMSgt Lawrence McCarter — Mon, 09 Aug 2021 02:41:21 -0400

My Late Father in Law SSgt Salvatore La Macchia, US Army (He passed on at age 89) shown upon His arrival home in Watertown, Massachusetts after His Honorable Discharge from the Army in WWII. Notice the Ruptured duck path above the right breast pocket of His uniform jacket. That patch was authorized on the uniform as many Veterans of WWI didn't even have any civilian clothes and could wear the uniform for a period of time until they did. The metal, Ruptured duck Pin could be worn on civilian attire and help identify WWII Veteran's when they applied for jobs. My Father, ET1, David R. McCarter, USN, now aged 95 was issued a Ruptured duck metal pin but had no cloth patch on his uniform as He remained in the Navy. Both of them had served in the Asiatic Pacific Theater of Operations during WWII. Picture (2) shows the cloth version of the WWII Ruptured duck that was authorized for wear on the Military uniform under the conditions described in the above text )

Response by SPC Christopher Perrien made Sep 6 at 2021 9:52 AM

SPC Christopher Perrien — Mon, 06 Sep 2021 09:52:51 -0400

Now that is "old school", I got the MM pin when I got out in 89. Actually I am more proud of my "short-timer's wheels"- from Germany in 88, which you got/wore at thirty days(unofficially) before your PCS . They were these little German Curtain links you hung off a pocket (not all Tops/Smashes were cool with them). No idea if they are still a thing.

Response by MSG Bobby Dean made Sep 7 at 2021 6:35 AM

MSG Bobby Dean — Tue, 07 Sep 2021 06:35:58 -0400

The "Soldier for Life" pin is now given out to honorably discharged soldiers with an American flag.

Response by SSG Scott Kennard made Sep 12 at 2021 10:19 AM

SSG Scott Kennard — Sun, 12 Sep 2021 10:19:43 -0400

My grandfather, who was a WW2 vet, told me they were given to soldiers who were separated as "proof" of their discharge. At the time there were some individuals who would desert or go AWOL to get out of being deployed.

Response by CPO Rob Carleen made Sep 13 at 2021 7:34 AM

CPO Rob Carleen — Mon, 13 Sep 2021 07:34:46 -0400

The Ruptured Duck pin was given to military discharged from active duty in the 40’s because there was a shortage of civilian men’s clothing. The pin told the MP’s that ,although they were in uniform, they were no longer considered under military authority.

Response by MSG John Duchesneau made Sep 14 at 2021 11:20 PM

MSG John Duchesneau — Tue, 14 Sep 2021 23:20:34 -0400

It is not longer issued and was only issued to those who were discharged prior to December 31, 1946.
Personally, I think they should bring it back. It looks far more distinctive than whatever they are issuing these days and I think Veterans would be proud to wear it.

Response by SPC Brian Stephens made Sep 15 at 2021 12:01 PM

SPC Brian Stephens — Wed, 15 Sep 2021 12:01:07 -0400

All I can say is I have never seen this pin before nor have I ever heard of the "ruptured duck" pin. When I outprocessed at Ft. Dix after 3 years of active service, my pin had a minuteman on it. They gave it to everybody finishing up at Fort Dix before we all went home

Response by MCPO Chuck Feeney made Oct 26 at 2021 1:12 PM

MCPO Chuck Feeney — Tue, 26 Oct 2021 13:12:17 -0400

I have my Dad's WWII pin, but here's what I was issued at each reenlistment between "67 and '88

Response by SSG Ralph Watkins made Oct 27 at 2021 8:05 PM

SSG Ralph Watkins — Wed, 27 Oct 2021 20:05:01 -0400

Just about all of my uncles & my dad served in WW-II. Those being discharged owned no civilian clothing, having been deployed overseas for years. When they were sent home, they wore the "Ruptured Duck" to denote they were discharged but not completely out yet. Sort of like terminal leave. Not seeing one on a uniform meant the person was still on active duty. Most of those who served in the war were actually considered in the reserves. We still had a limit on the size of our military & all of those who millions who served were listed as reserves. My dad's old dog tags say he was in the USMCR. He enlisted while still in high school & was inducted like a regular Marine. The same with my uncles. The were part of the war effort. After the war, those who remained were back to being regulars.

Response by CPO Kenneth Arbogast made Nov 25 at 2021 7:11 PM

CPO Kenneth Arbogast — Thu, 25 Nov 2021 19:11:04 -0500

I received a Discharge Pin in 1999, though I had to remind my yeoman since I was on terminal leave at the time.

Response by CPO Kenneth Arbogast made Nov 25 at 2021 7:13 PM

CPO Kenneth Arbogast — Thu, 25 Nov 2021 19:13:17 -0500

I received an Honorable Discharge pin in 1999, though I had to remind my yeoman because I was on terminal leave at the time.

Response by SMSgt Jeff Kyle made Dec 4 at 2022 12:09 AM

SMSgt Jeff Kyle — Sun, 04 Dec 2022 00:09:12 -0500

It is my understanding that the gold “Duck” was World War Two era and prior. I’ve done a bunch of research on this pin and all say pretty much the same thing. If it’s official, you had to serve prior to 1946. The various branches adopted different “Honorable Discharge” pins. For personnel who retire, you get a “Retired” pin.
There’s nothing anywhere that I can find that disallows the current use of the pin. As it’s official date of issue ended in 1946, the branches developed their own replacement. Mine are pictured here.