ww2 Amico GF on Sterling Marine Paratrooper wing

[Cmr3]

Hi everyone,

 

I have a bunch of ww2 items from a marine that serviced and passed during WW2. his wife got all the stuff he took with him and some thing that he was wearing back after he passed. This wing is one of the items, I know he is a paratrooper marine becuase of all the paper work and pictures I have. I would like to know how rare it is considering I can seem time find it really any were. Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[Cmr3]

2nd picture

[Cmr3]

3rd picture

[tomcatter]

This is a very good pair of USMC Paratrooper wings, made by AMICO (American Insignia Company) during the 1940's.

As you can read from markings, they are made of silver 925 with 10k gold finish.

I think they are surely a nice addition for any US wings collector.

[B-17Guy]

The Amico badge in question is considered to be very uncommon,

as very few tend to be seen available on the collectors market and

is a legitimate WWII item.

When they do become available, they tend to sell quickly.

 

John

[CliffP]

 

You are lucky because that is a very nice, rare and highly desirable wing badge.

 

In the latter half of WWII, graduates of the USN Parachute Rigger School in Lakehurst, NJ were the first to be given these unofficial badges made by AMICO; however, later during the war members of the USMC 1st Parachute Battalion started wearing this same style badge made by AMICO in the Pacific Theater of War. They thought it looked more appropriate on their uniforms than the officially approved 1.5" wide U.S. Army type Basic Parachute versions they were allow to wear.

 

Nice find.

 

Cliff

[Cmr3]

Cool stuff!!! Thanks for the information. I also have the Purple Heart with Marine/Navy Type 1 box and I thought the trench art cuff bracelet pictured below was pretty cool.

[Tonomachi]

Beautiful hard to come by WW2 era Navy Rigger & USMC paratrooper wing. You mentioned having a number of photographs of the owner. Do you by chance have a photo of him wearing this particular style paratrooper wing and are willing to share this with everyone?

[Patchcollector]

Very nice.You don't see these too often.Like to see the whole group!

[B-17Guy]

Here is the cap size version, new in the box.

 

John

[Cmr3]

Beautiful hard to come by WW2 era Navy Rigger & USMC paratrooper wing. You mentioned having a number of photographs of the owner. Do you by chance have a photo of him wearing this particular style paratrooper wing and are willing to share this with everyone?

 

Here is a quick picture it looks like he is wearing it there. I have more pictures of him standing I'll post them later.

[Patchcollector]

I just noticed something that prompts me to ask about the "berries" on the wing.I recall someone stating that WW2 era Naval,USMC wings did'nt have the "berries" on them.

Obviously this wing was made during the war as this Marine died during the conflict.So my question is;does anyone know what year the "berries" began appearing on the wing?

[Cmr3]

Here is some more pictures of him wearing his uniform, I wanted to post some other pictures but they are to big in size and when I tried to put a direct link to photobucket it won't let me. Does anyone know anything about the Belt?

[Cmr3]

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[Patchcollector]

Nice stuff.You should probably also post this in the group section

[Tonomachi]

I just noticed something that prompts me to ask about the "berries" on the wing.I recall someone stating that WW2 era Naval,USMC wings did'nt have the "berries" on them.

Obviously this wing was made during the war as this Marine died during the conflict.So my question is;does anyone know what year the "berries" began appearing on the wing?

 

All variations of the WW2 era and post war era Navy/USMC paratrooper wings have berries. The only ones that do not have them are the South American look-a-likes for the countries of Honduras and/or Columbia.

 

Thanks for posting these fantastic historic photographs! My guess is that they were taken in late 1944 as Iwo Jima was somewhere during February of 1945.

[Patchcollector]

 

All variations of the WW2 era and post war era Navy/USMC paratrooper wings have berries. The only ones that do not have them are the South American look-a-likes for the countries of Honduras and/or Columbia.

 

 

 

 

Thanks for the info.Would that also include the Aviator(Pilot) wings?

[Tonomachi]

 

 

Thanks for the info.Would that also include the Aviator(Pilot) wings?

 

I don't collect aviator flight wings but I believe you are correct in that the early pre-WW2 era Navy/USMC aviator flight wings do not have these berries in the shoulders of the wings while the WW2 era wings do.

[Cmr3]

I know some people wanted to see the pictures of the whole group I have pictures of most of the items on my ebay listing. The only thing not pictured aside from some documents is a PH medal and two PH Certificates.I really want to keep the whole group together.

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/251587847932?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1558.l2649

[pfrost]

 

All variations of the WW2 era and post war era Navy/USMC paratrooper wings have berries. The only ones that do not have them are the South American look-a-likes for the countries of Honduras and/or Columbia.

 

Thanks for posting these fantastic historic photographs! My guess is that they were taken in late 1944 as Iwo Jima was somewhere during February of 1945.

 

I don't think that that is strictly true. To be sure, most WWII era wings have berries (and wings with berries are almost always from WWII and later), but there was some considerable overlap and variation in wings that would have been available. I have a group from a WWII pilot (got his wings in 1945 and never went overseas) who had aviator wings both with and without berries. It could be that there was some old stock of the earlier style wings being sold well into the post war period, and that is what he got. As a general rule of thumb, I wouldn't disagree that wings made without berries in the shoulder are typically from the pre-WWII time period, whilst all wings with berries are from the WWII period, but it isn't like there wasn't some overlap and manufacturing variations and ALL WWII wings had berries.

 

Patrick