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WWII Chaplain's Jump Wings?


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Maybe y'all can help give an opinion on these wings that my uncle picked up recently. My uncle is a Catholic priest, and as he's been a WWII militaria collector since he was a kid, he carried that hobby into his vocation, collecting WWII chaplain's items.

 

He bought these wings on eBay recently, and wanted my opinion on them. From what I can see, being pin-back, that pretty safely makes them WWII period, am I right? Has anyone ever seen the chaplain's cross welded to the front of jump wings? How about the star on the front? Looks to me like a campaign star, which is kind of odd as well. Strange that he'd put that on his jump wings, maybe he was just particularly proud of a combat jump or something?

 

Anything you guys can chime in on, that'd be great. He'd like to find out anything he can about them. He paid $40, so even for plain wings, I think that's a pretty good deal from what I've seen.

 

Thanks!

 

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Tough to see, those are faked by the thousands, and not many Chaplains served in the Airborne, and even fewer adjusted their wings with a cross.

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Even pin-back Sterling wings? I only found one place making repro pin-back jump wings, and those were neither Sterling silver nor solid.

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They fake even British-Made pins, from actual silver, so yes. Think you need some opinions from some true jump wings collectors, so hopefully they will respond :)

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Crasher,

 

I have specialized in collecting WWII parachute and glider badges for over forty years now and can tell you that I have litterally seen over 100 parachute badges with a cross applied to the wing or cut out of the canopy to form a cross. All have been advertised as "chaplain wings." In those forty years, I was fortunate enough to have known two chaplains who were qualified paratroopers during World War II. Neither of the two chaplains had ever seen a wing with a cross apllied to them, let alone having owned or worn one. To be entirely honest with you, I do not ever plan to own one of these wings unless and until I can get one directly from the vet's family AND with photographic evidence that they were worn. I have never seen one that I was 100% confident was an original.

 

As for the wing itself, yes, I would say that the cross and star have been applied to a WII vintage parachute badge. I just have qualms about when the soldering might have been done.

 

I hope this helps.

Allan

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