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Wearing Two Wings - WWII Photo


tigerfan
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Here is an interesting photo of a 2nd Lt. wearing a 2" navigator wing and 3" bombardier wing. I assume he was rated for both positions. Sadly this soldier was KIA on October 14, 1943 raid on Schweinfurt. Although this photo shows the prominent wing to be the bombardier, he is listed as being the navigator on the crew list when he was KIA. Anyway an unusual period photo out of the norm.

 

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Fascinating! It's one of those anomalies which, if you recreated it today, people would say "No way!" Just goes to show, never say never! I assume he trained as one and "upgraded" to the other, and was proud of his dual qualifications?

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carrabassett

Very interesting photo, thanks for showing it. I have never seen a photo or blouse with 2 US wings worn like that either. Sometimes you see a set of foreign wings with US wings if they were in the RAF or something like that but never a 2" and 3" US wing. Jim

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You said it Sabrejet, I hate it when people say "they never did that" or "they never wore that" I had an A2 one time that had the wings painted on the left front pocket flap, I don't know why the guy did it but that's where they were.

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I have a uniform to anEighth Air Force member who wore both Bombadier and Gunners wings. He also had sets made when he was in pow camp.

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I have a B-26 group that belonged to a guy who classified himself as a bombardier/navigator.....his dress uniform just has navigator wings, but I could see someone in his position posing for a photo like this.

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manayunkman

There is actually a Bombigator wing, information file and their own magazine.

 

I had an incredible grouping to a bombigator with the wing.

 

A collector/dealer in Pa. got it.

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The bombigator wing that came from a Harrisburg, Pa. vet.

That is a Cool Daddy set of wings...
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My uncle was qualified as a bombardier, navigator, observer, and gunner. Don't know if he wore more than one at a time.

 

Charlie

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doinworkinvans

You know....over the years, I've seen several photos posted showing studio shots of soldiers wearing things that most would say "no way!"

 

I think after this one I will draw my conclusion that during studio photos they wore what they wanted. As Ian said, I guess you never say never! I guess we should stop beating ourselves up over oddities.

 

Daniel

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You know....over the years, I've seen several photos posted showing studio shots of soldiers wearing things that most would say "no way!"

 

I think after this one I will draw my conclusion that during studio photos they wore what they wanted. As Ian said, I guess you never say never! I guess we should stop beating ourselves up over oddities.

 

Daniel

I'll agree with that Daniel "A Studio Portrait", unlikely that both wings or similar portraits where mulitple qualifcation badges of these type were worn, were worn in formation or on everyday duty. This falls into the same catogory of those WWII portraits of Enlistedmen wear Officer Branch Insigina on the Garrision Caps and such, done only for sitting for a formal portait

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501stGeronimo

The bombigator wing that came from a Harrisburg, Pa. vet.

Isnt that on bullfrog militaria..or something like that?
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manayunkman

Ken bought the Davis group from me as well as several other groupings, some which are on his site and others that he has sold, when I had to start liquidating.

 

Lt. Col. Davis was from Colonial Park to be exact and had a mail box that was a P-40 painted like an AVG Flying Tiger.

 

The mother of my children still has a bunch of Davis' stuff including his Bombigator Information File.

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