Current Air Force wings find at the flea market

[Tonomachi]

I found these two wings on the same table at the flea market yesterday. They are both N.S. Meyer sterling wings and were 20 dollars apiece. Since they were on the same table I was wondering if they could have been worn by the same individual? I was wondering if under current Air Force regulations if an enlisted airmen who after so many years obtained a commission to become a navigator if he or she would be allowed to wear their previous aircrew wings with their new navigator wings?

 

 

[Tonomachi]

Backs

 

 

[pfrost]

I think you can only wear one set of wings at a time. But it also seems like one could imagine a fair number of scenarios where someone would earn both.

[Tonomachi]

I think you can only wear one set of wings at a time. But it also seems like one could imagine a fair number of scenarios where someone would earn both.

Thanks for the information.

[mghcal]

Agree with Patrick. A lot of the career USAF guys would switch jobs fairly often. It would not surprise me if he went from Navigator to Aircrew of some type when his MOS changed. My grandfather had aircrew wings from early ww2 (flight engineer/gunner), pilot wings from late ww2, and navigator and aircrew wings from the 1950s-early 60s. A lot of the bombers in the 1950s-60s SAC had small crews of guys who were qualified to do nearly everything.

[Tonomachi]

Agree with Patrick. A lot of the career USAF guys would switch jobs fairly often. It would not surprise me if he went from Navigator to Aircrew of some type when his MOS changed. My grandfather had aircrew wings from early ww2 (flight engineer/gunner), pilot wings from late ww2, and navigator and aircrew wings from the 1950s-early 60s. A lot of the bombers in the 1950s-60s SAC had small crews of guys who were qualified to do nearly everything.

Thanks for the additional information. I kind of figured regulations would prohibit the wearing of more than one flight wing. I was curious as I saw this photograph (below) of retired Air Force Colonel James Ruffer who served with the USMC, USN and Air Force and appears to be wearing three flight type wings on his Air Force uniform.

[Lee Ragan]

I have a 2nd cousin who is married to a pilot who started out in the Navy flying F/A-18's. He got out and now is in the Texas ANG flying C-130's. I have seen a photo of him wearing Air Force Sr. Pilot wings above his Naval Aviators wings all above his miniature medals on his mess dress uniform.

(He's also a pilot for American Airlines, so he has the wing thing pretty much covered!)