Help Identify a uniform please

[cartesr]

Hi
I'm hoping someone out there could shed some light on this uniform please. I found the attached photo in a box of old family photos. I have no idea who it is, so maybe the uniform may provide me with a clue.
Ive done some digging around on-line around what looks like a JS on the collar badge and all I seem to be able to come up with is a US on a American uniform. Ive also come up with alikeness in photos to a first world war American army/airforce uniform, thats assuming the J is in fact a U.

Any help/opinions provided would be much appreciated

thanks
Steve Carter     

[Viktoria]

Something about the hat makes me think Russian or Polish?

High cheek bones too.
Viktoria.

[Henry7]

That 'J' on the collar-badge won't be a 'U' - the thicker vertical line on a 'U' would be the left side 'downstroke'.   

Assuming the badge was made correctly of course!

And as it seems to be a 'J' it won't be Russian.

Harry.

[ShaunJ]

I think it is a US infantryman of the WW1 era.

Example of  the collar badge https://britishmilitarybadges.e2ecdn.co.uk/Products/79987gfgjhgkg683725001.jpg?w=547&h=547&quality=85&scale=canvas

[cartesr]

hi thanks for your thoughts. my first thoughts were European, and then I saw the WW1 US uniform (see link below) and I agree total about the J really being a J.  The US angle im basing on this uniform on this site, but it really does look like a J.

https://www.ima-usa.com/products/original-u-s-wwi-army-aviation-section-pilot-uniform?variant=26172817541

I also did have ancestors who did fight in WW1 who had previously emigrated to the US although at the moment I dont have the information as to who they fought for the US or the Brits
thanks again for taking the trouble to respond

[Viktoria]

I see ——-the U is thinner at the outside than the centre .
Viktoria.

[Henry7]

I see ——-the U is thinner at the outside than the centre .
Viktoria.

Yes, if the lettering is in a Roman type with thicks & thins, the left vertical would be thicker then the right vertical.

But this badge looks like JS or J5 - and I've no idea what they might mean.

Harry.

[tonepad]

I would also think it is a US infantryman of the WW1 era.
Metal badges are not always clear on photos due to light reflections etc.


A "US" collar disc:

 https://hglanham.tripod.com/metalinsignia/collardisk1.html


Tony

[ShaunJ]

I'm sure this is the type of collar badge, part of the U being in shadow: