WWII Wing/Insignia Purchasing

[stratasfan]

I'm not sure if this is the right place for this post, but I couldn't find anywhere else that seemed better. After spending the past months looking at hundreds of wings, I've found out that there are basically two kinds - issued and privately purchased. My question: All the privately purchased wings, badges, and insignia (i.e. Amico, Bell Trading Co., Juarez, Balfour, AE Co., etc.) . . . how did you buy them? Stores? Catalogues? Peddlers outside the Army camps? My sister and I are really wondering. If they were catalogues, is there a place to see an old catalogue? Or did private jewelers buy wings, badges, and insignia to sell to soldiers?

 

I tried searching to find the answer, but couldn't get any results, so I thought I would ask the pros! It is something you don't really think about. Until we were sitting in the chiropractor's office, admiring the Juarez wings on my winter coat, and we started wondering how the original flyer ever bought them!

[268th C.A.]

Alot of the wings were simply purchased at the base or post store (PX). Nicer wings were avalible from local Jewlers who purchased them from the manufactures reps. The same way they purchase jewerly today. David

[5thwingmarty]

There were catalogs too, but the ones I have seen seemed to show general types of wings available but not necessarily wings from a specific manufacturer. I have a couple of such catalogs but they are in boxes due to a recent move and I have no idea which box at the moment. I think I posted scans from one of them at some time here on the forum that showed bullion wings could be ordered here in the U.S.

 

It is my understanding that at some point, it was decreed that the issue wings could not be marked to show which manufacturer made them, but privately issued wings could. That is why some almost identical wings can be found where one indicates the manufacturer and others may just be marked as to the metal type (sterling, coin silver, 1/20 10 C GF).

[Gumshoe]

I remember when i was a kid, my Navy Pilot dad was flying out of Los Alamitos. He bought a set of wings for me out of a pull the plunger, old cigarette/candy-style machine. The machine was in the hall outside the PX. I still have the wings. They were a PB Vanguard.

 

<------ Dad VS-23

[cwnorma]

There is no short and easy answer to this question. Insignia was available in the Post Exchange (PX/BX), from the Quartermaster, from local jewelers, department stores, and tailor shops around the bases. Beyond that the waters get even muddier. Sometimes the Quartermaster would purchase items from commercial sources to augment supplies, and sometimes commercial firms could purchase official surplus for sale. Mail order was another venue. In the parlor of most Visiting Officer's Quarters (VOQ) you could find catalogs and magazines that sold insignia.

[bobgee]

CWNORMA answers your question very well. Keep in mind that during WWII there were hundreds of thousands of rated aviators. There were 197,000 rated aerial gunners, alone. Most had more than one set of wings. Manufacturers were all vying for their business and these badges that we collectors find fascinating today were very common back then and were sold anywhere there was likely to be a market. Because many if not most were made of then-inexpensive sterling silver, hundreds of thousands have found their way to melter-smelter making them a lot less common today than they were back in the day. I admire your zeal in pursuing info and actual pieces for your collections. You're doing great. KEEP 'EM FLYING! Bobgee

[stratasfan]

Thanks for all the thoughts and input! This is a question that my sister and I have been discussing periodically. I love the story of the pull-the-plunger machine! Would never have thought of that. Also makes sense about issue wings not having the maker mark. I know someone posted photos of Bell Trading Co. wings and some are marked and some not. Boy, I would have loved to have seen that many wings for sale!

 

I would love to find some in person one time. So far I've only succeeded in getting and looking at wings online. But I am happy with my set of Gunner wings and air crew wings. Of course, I am wanting to add. Right now I am looking at pilot and bombardier wings. Boy, I never thought there could be so many different details on plain pilot wings! Once you really start looking, there are lots of things to notice. It reminds me of identifying fingerprints. Start matching little details.

 

I just love information and seem to be incapable of just jumping in for a quick plunge. I jump in and stay for a while, soaking as much in as I can!