Mass Militaria & Antiques

This is a Japanese WWII Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) 3rd Class Petty Officer round rating insignia. The patch features a red anchor inside a laurel wreath on a black wool felt backing. It is made from layered felt and cloth with hand-stitched construction visible on the reverse, very typical of wartime Japanese cloth insignia.

3rd Class Petty Officers in the Imperial Japanese Navy were junior NCOs responsible for supervising enlisted sailors and carrying out technical or leadership duties aboard ships, submarines, naval air stations, and shore facilities. Men holding this rank often served as experienced specialists in areas such as engineering, communications, navigation, gunnery, or maintenance. During World War II, petty officers formed the backbone of the IJN’s day-to-day operations and discipline, bridging the gap between officers and enlisted crewmen.