Need help identifying WWII military figure charm bracelet

[SloopJohnB]

A friend of mine recently found an interesting WWII charm bracelet in his mother's jewelry. Neither he nor I have ever seen one quite like it, and I'm hoping someone out there can provide some insight into the bracelet, and it's significance at the time it was put together. My friend and his family lived in Hawaii during the war, and his father was a Navy pilot. His mother apparently put this bracelet together during the war years, from around 1942 to 1946.

All of the pieces relate dierectly to the military services and the war, and are of sterling silver. They range from military emblems for all branches of the service to airplanes, tanks, the Iwo Jima flag raising, figures of sailors, pilots wearing parachute packs etc. Given the variety of figures, and the fact they are all in sterling, I'm guessing these figures and the bracelets must have been popular and relatively plentiful at the time.

My friend is not so concerned as to value, he's more interested in learning any information he can as to the use, popularity of the bracelets and their charms, and this particular "fad" in general.

I would very much appreciate any information or assistance you folks out there can provide.

Thanks in advance,
John

[5MadFarmers]

http://img.auctiva.com/imgdata/4/8/0/9/5/0/webimg/428130683_o.jpg

http://www.trocadero.com/vintageadvantage/items/880002/picture1.jpg

[Scott Wilson]

Those bracelets are really neat. I would love to come across one and have my wife wear it, and she would. The charms remind me of the old cast tin soldiers and such, only smaller.

[Ron James]

These charm bracelets were sold in the Base Exchange, also the charms were on sale just about everwhere. At one time I remember in the 1950 and early 1960's charm bracelets were quite the thing. You buy just about any type of silver charms at the local 5&10 stores. Girls would have bracelets with different themes.

[SloopJohnB]

Thanks for the responses, fellows. Looks like the military charms during WWII were popular and plentiful. A nice family heirloom for my friend.

[Dan Shapiro]

It's a shame, but the actual "meaning" (to the owner) of each charm has probably been lost to time. They were usually purchased to celebrate or commemorate an event. A promotion, qualification, birth, major vacation. Grandma had one. Have no idea who has it today. But she could rattle off what each one "meant". Having 4 son's in WWII, she had a lot of charms.