Questionable uniform

[PaidInFull24]

Hey guys!
I recently saw a WW2 uniform that had an Alaska command patch on the right shoulder. It looked like a nice class A jacket, but the question comes with the left shoulder patch. It had a 9th service command patch on the left shoulder with 4 overseas stripes on the left sleeve. I didn't think that service in Alaska would qualify for overseas stripes. I have a WW2 Newfoundland Base Command uniform and there are no overseas stripes on the sleeve since the soldier never really made it "overseas". What do you all think? Would service in Alaska qualify for overseas stripes? Also, what are the chances that a 9th service command soldier would be serving in Alaska? Thanks for all your info! Could this possibly be a make-up? (P.S., I just won a really neat-looking Greenland Base Command Ike jacket and shirt. I'll post pics when I get them, they'll go great with my Newfoundland Base Command uniform. I'm really excited!)

Regards,
Nick

 

[Gene]

I used to have an Alaskan base command tunic with overseas stripes. I'm pretty sure it counted as service in the Pacific Theater, since the tunic came directly from a vet with no chance of it ever being put-together by a guy wanting to make a quick buck. And it is very plausible that a service command soldier ended up in Alaska.

 

[PaidInFull24]

Thanks so much for the input Gene. I'm confused though. Could Alaska be part of the Pacific theater AND the American theater? If so, that explains the overseas stripes in conjunction with the Alaska service patch. If not though, when he went "overseas" into the territory of Alaska (possibly a part of the Pacific theater?), wouldn't he no longer be considered in the American Service Command because he had left the states? Alaska considered a US holding during the war? I know there were several battles fought in the Aleutians, and I know they did not get statehood until after the war. On this one though, I'm still a little confused. Thanks so much for your input!

 

[Phantomfixer]

I think....even today Alaska and Hawaii are considered overseas assignments...If I remember correctly the left shoulder was the current command patch and the right was previous command (optional)
John

 

[Sgt Brown]

John is correct. Alaska was considered an "overseas" assignment. Heck, the Navy would not let WAVES serve in Hawaii as that was an "overseas" assignment and they were not allowed overseas.

It is also correct that the patch on the right shoulder indicated the wearers previous command while the patch on the left shoulder indicated his current assignment. So, your guy served in Alaska Command then transferred to 9th Service Command. Any hershey bars earned in AK would be appropriate on the uniform.

Tom

 

[PaidInFull24]

So then Alaska was considered a part of the pacific theater?

 

[Sgt Brown]

So then Alaska was considered a part of the pacific theater?

Yes.

Tom