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what is it?


ikar
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Here's a pin at the top center of the picture with a bar saying photolab tech hanging from it. Who knows about this one?

 

DSCF0065.jpg

 

Also, what is the reason for using what looks like a iron cross to display weapon qualification bars?

 

 

DSCF0066.jpg

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Cobrahistorian

Bob, it's an aviation skill qualification badge. Kinda like a weapon qualification badge or a vehicle driver skill badge.

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Got da Penny

Here is some more info i found.

 

Army Air Force Technician Badge.

 

Army Air Force Technician Badge indicating the individual skills in which they were qualified....It was a distinctive Silver Badge which was an aircraft engine inside a wreath, with add-on specialties in a ladder configuration denoting airplane armorer, aircraft electirical, hydraulic, and instrument specialist, airplane mechanic,machinist, metal worker and welder,airplane power plant specialist, airplane propellor speciiaist, ACS radio specialist, bombsight mechanic, Link Trainer Instructor, parachute rigger, photographer, photo labratory technician, power turret and gunsight specialist,radio V-1 mechanic, Radio V-1 observer, radio mechanic, radio operator, teletype writer mechanic,weather forecaster; observer.

 

 

AAF Tech Badge

 

 

 

 

Carey

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Here's a pin at the top center of the picture with a bar saying photolab tech hanging from it. Who knows about this one?

 

DSCF0065.jpg

 

Also, what is the reason for using what looks like a iron cross to display weapon qualification bars?

DSCF0066.jpg

 

This is a standard US Army Marksman Shooting Badge. Came in three grades, this being the lowest. Marksman, Sharpshooter, Expert. The Sharpshooter is a maltese cross with a target in the center and the Expert badge has a wreath around the cross. See attached pic.

Terry

post-6022-1311631180.jpg

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Any idea why they chose to use a cross?

 

Ikar,

I don't have a specific answer for you however I suspect that it comes from our practice of copying European uniforms and insignia prior to WW1. As far back as the Civil war some US units used the maltese cross as a regimental insignia etc. It appeared that our uniforms were patterned after whatever army was considered the best during the period, hence the inverted chevrons that the Brits were wearing, helmets with spikes such as the germans in the 1880's etc. It wasn't until WW1 that the US Military became a world power and the uniforms were distinctively US and begin being copied by other armies. Only speculation of course, I'm sure there are some forum members that have an exact answer.

Terry

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flyer333555

Ikar,

 

Your question of the Army using an insignia like the German Iron Cross for the Marksmanship Badge sounds like "since the German Army used the red color for their artillery soldiers or Gold/Yellow for cavalry, the United States Army should not use red for artillery or yellow/gold for cavalry either."

 

This just does not happen. In some cases, these decisions are made independently then get established as tradition. In other cases, as has been stated, one nation adopts something because it is seen by another as a trend, then gets established.

 

Another example. All armies, all over the world, have adopted the hand salute to their superiors. Can you imagine someone in the US Army stating "soldiers will not salute their superiors using the hand salute because it has been used by Nazi Germany, the Soviet Army, and the dictators around the world?" No, I guess it will never happen...

 

Luis R.

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 3 years later...
Proud Kraut

First of all: I don't want to start any discussions about the Iron Cross or any other German awards here. There are many partnership activities including a vivid exchange of marksmanship awards between the U.S. Army and the Bundeswehr. I know a lot of German soldiers, wearing their U.S. Army Marksmanship Qualification Badges with pride.

Today I was - one more time - confronted with the legend posted here before. I never payed any attention to this legend but ended up with a lively debate about the origin of the Army Marksmanship Qualification Badge design's origin today. As far as I could find out online the today's design of the badge was approved 1921, three years after the ending of WW I. And yes the award looks somewhat similar to an Iron Cross.

My dialog partner, Herr Oberleutnant "has read somewhere" that the design of the U.S. Army Marksmanship Qualification Badge traces back to the former (WW I) enemy's main symbol, the Iron Cross. It was choosen for the design of this badge to represent the target.

My online research came out with nothing specific so I would like to ask the Forum's community here. Any new findings regarding the Marksmanships Badge's design since the last post here in 2011?

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An interesting question.

 

I checked all of the references I have, and looked around on line, too. I could not find any clues as to why the cross patee was selected.

 

I have sent an e-mail to The Institute of Heraldry asking about the design choice.

 

I will post any answer I might receive from TIOH.

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I heard back from TIOH this morning. Here is their response:

 

"We have no correspondence on the original approval of designs for the marksmanship badges, so I do not know why the cross patee was

selected for the design."

 

The mystery continues.

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That's what I'm wondering. If TIOH doesn't know why a particular design was chosen, then who DOES know? The answer is out there somewhere, we just have to figure out where!

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