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USN/USMC pin back paratrooper wing variant


Tonomachi
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I picked this up at the last Bay Area Militaria Show in Hayward, California. The WW2 era wings of this design were worn by USN Parachute Riggers and then adopted by some Paramarines. The WW2 era wings of this design that you encounter most often are the hallmarked sterling but gold wash covered wings made by AMICO. The wing I found at the BAM Show is thicker in construction and made of stamped brass or a brass alloy. The seller told me that a number of years ago he found four of these wings at the Mission Street Surplus Store in San Francisco. This was his last wing so I grabbed it. This reminded me of the Harry S. Wosk Store in San Diego that sold a number of different pin back USN parachute rigger wings during WW2. This wing is not hallmarked and was probably ordered by this surplus store. I don't think it is of WW2 vintage.

 

 

 

 

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These wings were not officially authorized for wear until 1963. Here is this wing compared to one made I'm guessing after 1963 by GEMSCO. Has anyone encountered this wing before?

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Anytime as I am retired and have lots of time on my hands. Since you collect Air Force stuff I thought you would get a kick out of a shadowbox I put together for an Air Force General who was a fighter pilot during WW2, the Korean War and Vietnam War. I got all of his wings from different eras to include a British pilot wing when he was an exchange officer in the UK as well as three of his ribbon groupings and brigadier general eppalets. Would you believe the wife was going to throw all of this stuff away in the trash! The seller was helping her move out of her house and asked her if he could keep these things since she was going to throw them out anyway. He knew there was some value as the wings were sterling. I found his photograph and biography on line and added period insignia to make up what was missing. In the photo I found he is actually wearing the same ribbon grouping.

 

Oops sorry about this as I have had another senior moment by adding this in the wrong area.

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