A rare find here in this WWI era Massachusetts State Guard uniform jacket. Shows evidence of heavy use in the form of discoloration/staining which is visible in photos along with some fraying of threads at points of friction. This single breasted jacket has 5 brass buttons down the front which bare the Massachusetts state seal. An additional 6 small buttons of the same design are located on the pockets and epaulets. A ribbon bar for the WWI Victory Medal, complete with Citation Star device, is attached to the uniform above the wearer's left breast. Screwback collar discs are present. One disc reads "MSG" for "Massachusetts State Guard" and the other indicates service in the Medical Corps. Collar hooks and loops are present and in good condition. State guard uniforms are notoriously hard to find, and this will be a unique addition to your WWI/MA/State Guard collection. 
 
By 1908, the Massachusetts Volunteer Militia consisted of two brigades and some unattached units ("total strength, 6,524"), commanded by William H. Brigham and Governor Curtis Guild, Jr.
 
In April 1917, the General Court again reformed the militia, renaming it the Massachusetts State Guard due to the events of World War I. Anticipating a possible German invasion or other emergency and lacking the National Guard due to deployment, many states created and trained state guard units.
 
After the Halifax Explosion in Nova Scotia in 1917, a medical detachment from the Massachusetts State Guard was among the first units to arrive and offer aid. As an expression of gratitude for the aid provided by the Boston Red Cross and the Massachusetts State Guard, the city of Halifax sent the city of Boston a Christmas tree, a gift which was revived in the form of an annual tradition conducted by the province of Nova Scotia in 1971 which continues to this day. During the 1918 flu pandemic, the Massachusetts State Guard operated nine hospitals to treat civilians.