SPRINGFIELD ARMORY EMPLOYEE VEHICLE PASS
MEDALLION: This medallion was issued to
employees at the Springfield Armory to mount on the
front bumper of their personal vehicles so that when
entering the armory grounds, the gate guards would pass
the vehicle without stopping it to identify the driver.
A more efficient method than clogging the gate at the
beginning of every work day, but a much more relaxed
level of security than we have become accustomed to
today.
Apparently this system of identifying Ordnance
Department workers’ vehicles was used universally
throughout the armory and arsenal system as there is at
least one of these medallions – same shape and size –
which bears the legend for the Rock Island Arsenal
instead of the Springfield Armory. It is believed that
these pre-date World War Two, perhaps as early as the
1920’s.
Incorporating the Ordnance Department insignia of the
“flaming bomb”, this medallion measures 5 ¾” high and
the round center piece is 2 ½” in diameter. It is cast
of aluminum or some similar pot metal. The brass plate
bearing “54” is cast with a bolt that passes through the
medallion and is anchored on the reverse by a threaded
nut – likely the manner in which it was attached to the
bumper of the vehicle.
This is a scarce piece of memorabilia from the famous
Springfield Armory and an interesting conversation
piece.
SOLD
The last photograph shown below provides a sense of
size of this medallion, depicted next to a standard
.45-70 Frankford Arsenal cartridge. The cartridge is
not included in the sale of this piece.
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