USSJamesMadison627.com

Does anyone know the correct procedure for the number of stars on your patrol pin? I know you could ware the bare pin after 1 patrol. A gold star for 1 patrol and a silver star for 5 patrols.
So, after completing 6 patrols are you authorized to ware the patrol pin with 1 silver star, 1 gold and 1 silver or 6 gold stars since there are 6 holes on the pin. I've often wondered if I had the correct number of stars on mine. I had 1 silver and 1 gold stars to indicate 6 patrols. What's the definitive answer?

JT

Don't know if I did it correctly or not, for 7 patrols I wore 1 silver and 2 bronze.

Since my DD 214 did not include my patrol pin I had filed for a DD 214 correction. Although it took about 3 years I finally did receive a "DD 215" (Correction to DD Form 214). I made 6 patrols & Item 5 on the DD 215 included the following:

ADD: SEA SERVICE DEPLOYMENT RIBBON, SSBN DETERRENT PATROL INSIGNA w/1 Silver star & one Gold star.

So after 5 patrols is when you use the silver star. 6 patrols is 1 Silver star & one Gold star.

Chip is correct. I made 10 Patrols on the Madison and my DD 214 says...Authorized to wear the Pin and 2 Silver Stars... The pin don't count after your first run I reckon..

K J Ray MM1/SS
Blue Crew 1974-1979

Kelly Joe, That's what I was wondering. I just saw a website that sells submarine insignia and their explanation is: the bare patrol means 1 patrol with a gold star for each additional patrol to a maximum of 4 gold stars; a silver star represents 5 patrols and takes precedence over gold stars and always a maximum of 4 golds; the pin always represents 1 patrol; therefore 5 patrols is a patrol pin with 4 gold stars and 6 patrols, which seems to be pretty common, is a patrol pin with 1 silver star. The website also indicates a gold patrol pin for 20 patrols. So I guess you can take your pick as to what is correct. My pin has 1 silver and 1 gold star for 6 patrols. I thought the part about a gold pin for 20 patrols was interesting. Was there an officers gold patrol pin? My patrol pin and dolphins are not indicated on my DD214 That was probably because I served my last 2 months aboard the USS HUNLEY (AS-31) in Charleston because of not having enough time for another patrol. I was an STS2ss and didn't do a whole hell of a lot! Looks like those "skimmer" yoemen must have screwed me! JT