# What year and unit are these old military photos from? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 18, 2025, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-year-and-unit-are-these-old-military-photos-from/1018509 "2025-05-18T18:55:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2025, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-year-and-unit-are-these-old-military-photos-from/1018509/1 "2025-05-18T18:55:58Z")
A friend found these photos of an ancestor in the (presumably US) military around 1912. Any thoughts on getting an exact year or more details such as unit or location? [[Album] Unknown photos ![](https://i.imgur.com/lbDld8q.jpeg?fb "Unknown photos") ](https://imgur.com/gallery/RzjoSYs) (Looking more closely at that last one they are lucky they took this in pre-social media days, I’m sure posting that kind of gun safety online while in uniform would result in disciplinary action 😉 ) ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2025, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-year-and-unit-are-these-old-military-photos-from/1018509/2 "2025-05-18T19:04:23Z")
Clues from the displayed firearms: rifle appears to be an M1903, which was in Infantry service from 1903 to 1936. The pistol is an M1911, in service from 1911 to 1985 as a standard sidearm. So, from 1911 to 1936. The uniforms suggest to me the earlier end of that time range. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2025, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-year-and-unit-are-these-old-military-photos-from/1018509/3 "2025-05-18T19:04:34Z")
Bolt action rifle and moreso the almost wagon wheels on the truck look like it could be pre-WWI to maybe 1925 to me. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2025, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-year-and-unit-are-these-old-military-photos-from/1018509/4 "2025-05-18T20:01:44Z")
The OP already has a rough date of 1912. ---
**Author:** ![Bear\_Nenno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bear_nenno/32/3358_2.png) [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2025, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-year-and-unit-are-these-old-military-photos-from/1018509/5 "2025-05-18T20:06:10Z")
If all of the pictures are from the same year, it is later than 1912. The Series 2 Liberty truck in the third photo did not enter service until 1918. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2025, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-year-and-unit-are-these-old-military-photos-from/1018509/6 "2025-05-18T20:13:17Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > The OP already has a rough date of 1912. Seems WWI era to me so I’d guess 1917-1919. So, the American Expeditionary Force (maybe?). > [@gnoitall](#): > > The pistol is an M1911… Where’s the pistol? ---
**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2025, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-year-and-unit-are-these-old-military-photos-from/1018509/7 "2025-05-18T20:16:52Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > Where’s the pistol? The last photo, being irresponsibly wielded at his comrades. Classic violation of “don’t point it at something you don’t want to kill” ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2025, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-year-and-unit-are-these-old-military-photos-from/1018509/8 "2025-05-18T20:18:06Z")
Ah…I see it now (I had to enlarge the image). Thanks. Without insignia I doubt we can guess what unit it was and I don’t think there is enough detail to suggest a location either (they seem different places too). ---
**Author:** ![OttoDaFe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ottodafe/32/356_2.png) [@OttoDaFe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OttoDaFe)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2025, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-year-and-unit-are-these-old-military-photos-from/1018509/9 "2025-05-18T20:35:08Z")
I’m not terribly conversant with military history, but the fact that they’re wearing what appear to be gaiters (rather than puttees) in the third photo would suggest late WWI or after. ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2025, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-year-and-unit-are-these-old-military-photos-from/1018509/10 "2025-05-18T21:18:08Z")
In the last photo, the goofball in the barracks cover is wearing 1910 leggings; the two in campaign hats are in 1916 dismounted branches leggings. Patch pockets replaced bellows pockets on the tunics after 1912.