EM/NCO'S Wireless Operator, s/Air Gunner's Badge in Cloth...

EM/NCO’S Wireless Operator, s/Air Gunner’s Badge in Cloth (Fliegerschützenabzeichen für Bordfunker Stoffausführung)+ Award Document – Acts of awarding decorations.

NCO (Sergeant) – Unteroffizier (Feldwebel) Hans-Walter Beckmann.

Awards Document – Acts of awarding decoration.

Dimensions: 14,8 x 20,9 cm

The Wireless Operator’s/Air Gunner’s Qualification badge was introduced by Hermann Göring on March 26th 1936 for award to radio operators, air gunners and mechanics who had met the required criteria.

The Wireless Operator’s/Air Gunner’s badge was awarded on an individual basis and the main criteria for bestowal of the award was the completion of five operational flights over enemy territory or a minimum of two months active service.

As with other flyer’s specialty badges a cloth version of the Wireless Operator’s/Air Gunner’s Badge was authorized for wear on the flight blouse with a machine embroidered pattern for EM/NCO’s and a hand embroidered pattern for Officer’s.

Originally the cloth version of the Wireless Operator’s/Air Gunner’s badge was only authorized for wear by Officer’s ranks until regulations of November 18th 1937 extended the authorized wear of the cloth versions to EM/NCO’s.

Further regulations of May 8th 1942 discontinued production of the cloth versions although they continued to worn through-out the war.

Also After the introduction of the Air Gunner’s badge on June 22nd 1942, the Wireless Operator’s/Air Gunner’s badge was re-designated Bordfunkerabzeichen, (Wireless Operator’s Badge), and was bestowed exclusively to Wireless Operators.

The EM/NCO’s machine embroidered badge is in the form of a vertically oval wreath, with laurel leaves to the right side and oak-leaves to the left side, in light, silvery/grey, rayon threads encompassing a stylized national eagle in flight, clutching dual lightening bolts in its talons, in darker grey rayon threads, on a cut-out Luftwaffe blue/grey wool base.

Measuring: 56 mm (w) x 78 mm (h)

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