Combat Medical Badges, WWII and Post War

[WarRelics]

 

Let me begin by saying that Combat Medical Badges are not my area of interest and knowledge. Having said that I am interested in learning more about them. To briefly lay the background for the Combat Medical Badge, it was adopted in January 1945 to to recognize medical personnel who served during combat in WWII, much like the Combat Infantry Badge awarded to infantry men. According to Army regulations anyone holding the rank of colonel and below were eligible for the award. To receive it the recipient had to provide medical services while simultaneously engaged by the enemy. The badge was awarded retroactively to 6 December, 1941. I am including photos of 2 badges I have seen listed for sale. The first badge I’m sure is a WWII period badge. It is marked sterling and has a pin back attachment. There is no hallmark on the back of the badge. I have included a photo below it of MOH recipient Desmond Doss wearing one. Badge two is a clutch back version also marked sterling. It doesn’t have a hallmark. This is one I’m not sure as to whether it’s from the same period or not. I am aware that the Army began to use clutch back insignia during the war. Like a lot of items of this type, the only sure fire way to know would be be to receive it from a veteran or a estate. 

Badge # 1

[WarRelics]

Badge # 2

 

[WarRelics]

Just to clarify, like the Combat Infantry Badge, the Combat Medical Badge is still awarded today by the Army. An additional badge titled the Combat Action Badge was created in 2005 to be awarded to Army personnel (other than special forces, those with a medical MOS or infantry men,) engaged or engaging with the enemy. This award was established in May 2005 and is retroactive to 18 September 2001. I have included a image of the Combat Action Badge for reference.

[Old Marine]

I hope you don’t mind me adding these 4 badges to your post.

 

The first badge top left is the Expert Field Medical Qualification Badge.  This is a very recently made badge

The second badge bottom left is the Combat Medic Badge, also recently made

The third badge top right is the Combat Medic Badge Second Award, this is an older badge, pinback marked sterling.

The fourth badge bottom right is the Combat Medic Badge Third Award.  That badge is on a card dated 8/69

 

 

[WarRelics]

I don’t mind at all. I don’t think of this thread as exclusively mine. I was hoping someone else would jump in and share their experience and images with these badges. Great looking collection of badges! Hopefully more members who have an interest in them will join the thread. Although I tend to lean toward all things WWII all Combat Medical Badges from their beginning to the present are welcome to be shared. 

[doyler]

One on a 71st Div uniform I own, Most likely German made as the DIs are German made. Unmarked and the Red Cross is enamel. 

[collectsmedals]

I only have one Combat Medical Badge in my collection. It is on an unfortunately un-named Staff Sergeant's Ike Jacket from the 121st Infantry Regiment of the 8th Infantry Division. 

[WarRelics]

The badge is certainly unique on the Ike jacket you own collectsmedals. I have 4 in my collection and am interested in learning more about them. One is from WWII while the other 3 are more recent issue. With out a doubt the men who were awarded them certainly deserved to be recognized then and now. Both the older and newer ones I’ve seen are solid flat backs. I’m not familiar with them but I know that they made hollow back parachute wings so it stands to reason that there were hollow back combat medical badges made. Very nice badges and groupings collectsmedals and doyler. In the next few days I’ll post some of mine.

[WarRelics]

I’m posting pictures of the Combat Medical Badges in my collection. 
These first two pictures are of the oldest of the four badges. It has an Amico hallmark with sterling incised on the back. The attachment is pin type. This would be a type common to WWII or immediately post war. It fits the description of a wartime badge but there is no way to know for sure without receiving it from a veteran or their estate. 
Badge #1  1st Award, Amico

 

[WarRelics]

The rest of my Combat Medical Badges are newer and represent the first award as well as additional ones. 
Badge #2  First Award, unhallmarked 

 

[WarRelics]

 

Badge #3  Second Award, Vanguard 

 

 

 

[WarRelics]

Badge #4  Third Award, KREW

 

[Dogsbody]

Some very nice CMB's featured here.

Here is a post war one and it is a bit crudely made. I haven't been able to find out what time frame this can be attributed to. I will post some more (older ones) but first have to take some proper pictures.

 

 

 

[USARV72]

Just one of each, to much stuff.

[triplecanopy]

To add to this display of CMB's, here is the post war Assmann & Sohne marked CMB. The German maker Assmann is noted for its quality and detail. The marking is A 260. Assmann also made a 2nd Award CMB which is marked A 261.

I do not have an example of the 2nd Award, but I am looking.

[triplecanopy]

A couple more CMB's: The top one is a 2nd Award CMB with a hallmark that I can't recall.

The other is a 1st Award CMB made by the Robbins Co. of Attleboro, Mass.

[WarRelics]

Very nice badges everyone! I’ve tried to find a match for the hallmark on CMB second award in the previous post without success. Maybe someone will recognize it and let us know what it is.

[Dogsbody]

A few more.

 

First a Sterling marked one with no maker's mark.

 

 

 

NS Meyer. This is a two piece 'affair'.

 

 

Next a completely unmarked one.

 

 

I also have a German made one by Assmann & Söhne and one made by Robbins Co. but since triplecanopy already posted some nice examples I won't be adding them here.

 

 

[triplecanopy]

Very nice. Let's keep this going. As a suggestion, someone could compile a list of known makers to help collectors.

EFMB's and CMBs are under appreciated in my opinion. They deserve special recognition just like the men who earned them.

[bldrhouse]

LOTS OF INFO HERE:  https://www.hrc.army.mil/TAGD/Combat Medical Badge CMB

[WarRelics]

Very nice examples of these badges indeed! Lots of history and service there. 

[WarRelics]

To add one more to the thread I received this one yesterday with a Antalya hallmark and wanted to share it. I have seen on the forum that Antaya was in business from 1948 to 1990. I believe that this badge is from the late Vietnam War because of the silver content. In 1968 the silver content changed from sterling to 1/20 silver filled. I don’t know at what point the switch was made from 1/20 silver to the sta-bright finish and given that the company was in business until 1990 I could be wrong in my conclusion. Maybe someone who has more experience can weigh in.

[WarRelics]

To keep things going on this thread here is a WWII period unhallmarked CMB that I have just acquired. 
 

[digi-shots]

Here’s one that I got from a  326th medical grouping.  The badge has an extra cut out at the bottom of the staff.. you see it better from the back image, right below the sterling mark.

 

 

 

[digi-shots]

Here’s a marked mini version.. no idea when it was made..  it may have some age.
 

 It would have been easier to just make it a single clutch back.