Did these ever exist?

[Blubarb]

Question:  Did these ever really exist? If so, what's the story behind them? If not, where did they come from? I only paid a peppercorn for it as it came in a job lot, so really more curious.



Thanks in advance

John

[Butch]

Yes. The USMC awarded them to their supplier of the year.

[Blubarb]

Is it in the catalogues? - what decade/year are we talking? 50s or 60s?

[Butch]

Do you subscribe to ZodiacCatalogs.com?

[Blubarb]

I do. I must have skipped over it when I was looking at Hermetics - I'll head back, Butch.  I think I might have been trying to find the dial design...

[Butch]

First of all, Thank You! Please see this then.

http://www.vintagezodiacs.com/zforums/index.php/topic,2896.0.html

[Blubarb]

 

[Blubarb]

message sent.

[Butch]

Thanks!

[Blubarb]

Some preliminary results:
It appears that the Zodiac Leatherneck award was/is presented to a USNA Midshipmen commissioned in the Marine Corps achieving the highest cumulative score during the Leatherneck course at TBS. The Marine Corps Association & Foundation sponsored the Leatherneck Award. I believe it was also awarded to the top recruit from his/her platoon with the highest grades and the best physical fitness score. In the mid to late 1950s the award took the form of the Zodiac Hermetic watch. From what I can tell so far, and I am still waiting for some ex-marines to confirm, the watches were only awarded over a small time period. More to come as I keep digging. Might be a lot scarcer than I first thought.

[Butch]

Interesting. That was not what I found years ago when I researched one I had bought for my uncle. Keep us informed.

[capuett]

Hello Butch,

I meant to ask you previously, where you found the Leatherneck Award watch for your uncle?

[Butch]

On eBay.