Tag: Ian Murray

Posted on

Fun Fact: Anatomy of Ian’s Uniform!

Hallo, Outlander fans. Welcome to today’s Fun Fact: Anatomy of Ian’s Uniform! 

This Fun Fact is especially appropriate for Americans as May 16th is  also our national Armed Forces Day!  Pretty timely, no?

If you are like me, you are fascinated with Ian’s uniform in Outlander episode 512, Never My Love, the splendid finale of Season five! In Claire’s dissociative dreamscape, Ian arrives in full dress uniform for Thanksgiving dinner at the Fraser home! 🦃

I wanted to know more about Ian’s uniform, so I turned to Edward Maloney, Lieutenant Colonel, US Army (retired) for assistance. Know that LTC Maloney is also a faithful, long-time fan of Outlander books and show and was more than willing to share his decades-long expertise in this matter.

Just so you know, Colonel Maloney’s former unit is the 101st Airborne Division of the US Army. Below is its beautiful and dramatic Distinctive Unit Insignia which reads “Rendezvous With Destiny!”

Addendum: I just learned “Hang Tough and Currahee!” is the Battle Cry of the 101st Airborne!  Hang tough means “in your parachute harness” and “Currahee” is from the Cherokee word meaning “We stand alone together.” (A good thought for soldiers trained to fight surrounded.)

Thank you, Lieutenant Colonel Maloney, for your service!

 

So, grab a cuppa (or your fav beverage) and let’s learn about the anatomy of Ian’s uniform, courtesy of LTC Maloney!

Ian’s uniform indicates he belongs with the Infantry, the oldest branch of the US Army. When was this branch formed? Turns out, very close to the date  depicted in the Outlander S5 finale! 

On 14 June 1775, the Continental Congress authorized ten companies of riflemen, the first infantrymen.  Nine years later, the First American Regiment was constituted on 3 June 1784 and it was the 3rd Infantry. Currently, well over two hundred years old, clearly the Infantry is a distinguished branch of the US Army!

So, follow the colored arrows in the below images to discern the anatomical features of Ian’s uniform. (psst…The following image appears twice so you don’t have to keep moving up and down to follow the arrows and explanations!)

Let’s get on with the dissection! 😉

Blue Arrow:  A branch insignia on Ian’s L lapel displays two gold crossed muskets, overlying a disk of Saxony Blue. This insignia is unique to infantry and no other branch of the US Army is allowed this distinction.

The crossed muskets are vintage 1795 Springfields, the first official US shoulder arm made in a government arsenal:

    • caliber .69
    • flint lock
    • smooth bore
    • muzzle loader

 

 

Yellow Arrow: Above his L breast, Ian wears a Combat Infantryman’s Badge, unique to those who have served in combat. It is a single flint lock musket on a blue background. 

Green Arrow: Just above Ian’s L breast is a line of Decoration & Award Ribbons, also known as “fruit salad” or “Travel Ribbons.” These are worn in lieu of larger full-size or miniature medals which are awarded for service.  Here, the Ribbon is a line of Ian’s Mohawk beads! 

Gold Arrow:  Over Ian’s L breast is The Maltese Cross with a Bull’s-eye surrounded by a wreath, known as the Expert Marksman Badge. This badge is unique to Army and Marine Corps, although the designs differ. The suspended bars underneath the badge are added for each weapon the soldier qualifies as an expert, such as pistol, rifle, etc. 

White Arrow:  Worn on Ian’s L sleeve, the chevrons signify a soldier’s rank. Two chevrons indicate Corporal, the lowest Noncommissioned Officer Rank (NCO) who leads an infantry fire team. 

Violet Arrow: Ian’s service cap bears the US Coat of Arms. It is backed on a brass disk and in the case of infantrymen, backed by a Saxony Blue disk. 

Khaki Arrow: Ian’s Regimental Coat of Arms is worn above his R breast.  This insignia will indicate his permanent regiment not necessarily the one to which he is currently assigned. 

Tan Arrow: Also worn above his R breast, this insignia indicates a Unit award such as Presidential Unit Citation, Distinguished Unit Citation, etc. 

Next image,  we see Ian’s left shoulder!

Aqua arrow:  Indicates the Distinctive Unit Insignia which is usually a variation of the regiment’s coats of arms but unique to each regiment. This one looks like the 2nd Infantry Regiment but the colors are altered. 

Red Arrow:  L shoulder – Shoulder Sleeve Insignia  indicates the current unit of assignment – Ian serves with a Native American unit, the Mohawk. this insignia was created by Outlander.

And finally, Ian’s infantry blue cord or fourragere (below) is a military decoration worn over the right shoulder of all infantry-qualified US Army soldiers. 

Ian’s fourragere from afar.

And, a closeup. This is Ian’s fourragere in light blue, (dubbed “Infantry Blue” by the US Army), worn under the right shoulder and under the right epaulette of a US Army infantry soldier’s dress uniform jacket.

The cord is composed of a series of alternating left and right half knots that are tied around a leader cord to form a “Solomon bar”.

Fitting that Ian should wear his dress uniform for Thanksgiving, even if that bird is just an illusion!

In summary, Ian’s uniform tells us he is:

    • Infantryman
    • Decorated soldier
    • Served in combat
    • Expert marksman
    • Corporal of an infantry fire team
    • Bears US Coat of Arms for infantrymen on his service cap
    • Wears his permanent regiment’s Coat of Arms
    • Decorated infantryman
    • Member of a distinct infantry unit
    • Member of Native American unit
    • Qualified infantryman

Whew! I don’t know about you, but I am thoroughly impressed with warrior Ian!

And, I am deeply grateful for the men and women who serve in the US Armed Forces.

I could not have done this fun Fact without the aid of LTC Edward Maloney, US Army. Thanks to his expertise for this brief lesson exploring the anatomy of Ian’s US Army insignia!

I hope all Outlander fans, worldwide, will express their gratitude for the warriors who daily protect them, their families, and their homelands. Please take a quiet moment to honor them!

Disclaimer:  If there are any glitches in the insignia descriptions or attributions in this Fun Fact, the fault is entirely my own for not expressing the information with precision.

The deeply grateful,

Outlander Anatomist

Follow me on:

Photo and Video Credits: Sony/Starz; Lt. Col. Edward Maloney; www.wikipedia.com; www.amazon.com

Posted on

Fun Fact: Glabella

Anatomy Def: Smooth part of the forehead between the eyebrows and above the nose.

Outlander Def: Marsali’s smooth and confident brow supports her beloved Fergus as he plans Murtagh’s escape!

Learn about the glabella in Anatomy Lesson # 11, “Jamie’s Face” or “Ye do it Face to Face?”

When we are restful and relaxed, glabellar (adj.) skin  is smooth. When we are anxious, worried, appalled or plagued by other strong emotion, glabellar skin may wrinkle.  A pair of small muscles deep to the glabellar skin contract to produce the wrinkling. Perhaps you recall a previous fun fact about corrugator supercilii. No? Well, no mind, this is the name of the wee muscles that wrinkle the glabellar skin.

Those who develop permanent wrinkles of the glabellar skin can opt for Botox injections which paralyze corrugator supercilii (and others) to produce a more comely smooth brow.

The glabella isn’t just for beauty, it is also used in diagnosing certain neurological conditions. Repetitive tapping on the glabella elicits the Glabellar reflex or Glabellar tap sign, a reflex wherein subjects blink in response to the first several taps. If the blinking persists, the response is deemed abnormal.

Fun Fact: In cases of dehydration, the skin of the glabella can be gently lifted and pinched to measure skin turgor. A dehydrated patient’s glabellar skin tends to remain “tented” rather than resume its normal flat state.

Read about the smooth skin of the brow in Drums of Autumn. Here, Ian paints Claire’s face with mud after the manner of his indigenous friends. As his finger passes between her eyebrows, the mud is spread over the glabella:

Ian hadn’t waited for the results of my dithering. He stooped and scraped up a small clot of earth, spat in it and stirred it to mud. Without comment, he dipped his forefinger into the puddle, and drew  a line from my forehead down the bridge of my nose.

“Ian!” 

“Shh,” he murmured, frowning in concentration. “Like this, I think.” He added two lines across each cheekbone, and a rough zigzag down the left side of my jawbone. 

See Marsali’s smooth glabella as she attends Fergus, watching him plan the jail break in Outlander ep 412, Providence. Go get ’em Fergus and Marsali!

A deeply grateful,

Outlander Anatomist

Photo credit: Starz

Posted on

Fun Fact: Tragus

Anatomy def: Tragus is a small lump of cartilage on the external ear; it projects downward partially covering the opening of the ear canal. 

Outlander def: Ian’s tragus is definitely perked when he is captured during the night raid to save Roger-Dodger. He is mighty scart! 

Learn about the tragus in Anatomy Lesson #24, Hear, Here – The Ear.  

The outer ear, or auricle, is the visible, bendable flap situated at each side of the head. Like fingerprints or the venous pattern on the back of our hands, each auricle is unique.  Under its skin is a core of elastic cartilage. The anatomy is detailed, the tragus being one of several bumps, whorls or troughs acting to preferentially filter sounds in the frequency range of human speech.

The tragus projects downward over the opening of the external ear canal. Directly opposite the tragus is the antitragus which projects upward over the opening of the ear canal. Together, they help protect the entrance to the ear canal.

One may wonder why this bump was named tragus, a Greek word meaning “goat.” This references the tuft of hair resembling a goat’s beard that often adorns the tragi (pl.) of older men. Think Murtagh, not Ian! <G>

Try This: Place your L thumb in L ear canal, then pinch with L forefinger; this is your tragus. Now insert L index finger into same ear canal and pinch with thumb; this is your antitragus. Did you find both? Good job!

Fun Fact: Pinching the tragus, an action known as the fistula test, may induce vertigo or eye deviation in patients with the presence of an inner ear abnormality (fistula). If the pinch causes the response, the test is positive; if it doesn’t, the test is negative.

Read about ears in Drums of Autumn. Herself describes tidbits about Claire’s ears, Jamie’s ears, Haye’s ears, Byrnes ears, Ian’s ears and Rollo’s ears, and more, much more.  Best read the books! 

“Can ye speak Mohawk yourself, Mr. Myers?” 

Ian’s ears had been flapping all through the explanation. Fascinated by every rock, tree, and bird on our journey, Ian was still more fascinated by any mention of Indians. 

“Oh, a good bit.” Myers shrugged modestly. “Any trader picks up a few words here and there. Shoo, dawg.” 

Rollo, who had inched his nose within sniffing distance of Myers’s last trout, twitched his ears at the admonition but didn’t withdraw the nose.

See Ian’s tragus and its auricle turn bright pink in Starz, ep 413, A Man of Worth. Trapped like a rat! Ian doesna like gettin’ nabbed in the dark.  

A deeply grateful,

Outlander Anatomist