France - WW1 mourning brassard (Rouwband WO1 Frankrijk)

For today, some words about a detail you often meet on pictures of the Great War: the mourning brassard, such as the one worn by the soldier standing on the right. It was a common sight, even if they were not issued by the U.S. Army. Indeed, soldiers mourning the loss of a loved one during the war were allowed to wear a plain black wool brassard on their service dress during the mourning period. A golden star on this brassard indicated the loss of a brother or a son. There were several other kinds of brassards worn during the war, and black and white photographs don’t allow to guess their original color: for instance, blue armbands were used by agents or signalmen.