WW2 Japanese Navy Round Engineer 2nd Class

This type of round rate was worn by the Imperial Japanese Navy from the early 1900s all the way into the middle stages of the Pacific War.

White cotton rates were sewn on white summer uniforms.

Black wool rates were worn on the winter wool uniform as well as on the green shore-based uniforms. Plenty of photo ls depict Naval Landing Forces wearing black rates on their sea-green tunics.

These rates, in both white & black, were also occasionally sewn on khaki, short sleeve, shirts by members of the Special Naval Landing Force and other shore-based sailors according to photographs taken during the war.

Round rates were to be replaced in the Japanese Navy by a black geometric shaped rate by an order published on April 1, 1942. Photos depict both types of rates being worn concurrently due to the inability to push enough of the new rates out to the far reaches of the fleet.

These round rates produced in a few ways including hand sewing, embroidery and screen printing.