Early USAF Flight Surgeon Wing

[Allan H.]

I recently acquired this Flight Surgeon wing. It is undoubtedly post WWII as the ing is Meyer marked with the M9 Letter number code which leads me to believe that this is a Korean War era wing. What has me scratching my head is that the USAF supposedly changed the flight surgeon wing to a smaller cadeusus on a shield rather than this pattern. Either way, I think that it is an interesting piece.

 

I look forward to all comments.

 

Allan

[Allan H.]

Apologies for the sideways photos. I have no idea what has caused it. Here is a better view of the markings.

 

Allan

[pfrost]

There seem to have been a fair amount of overlap between the USAF and USAAF in regards to wearing of these wings. Its always nice to see photographic proof, but this fine fellow is likely too young to have been a WWII flight surgeon (although it is possible) but is wearing a (more than likely) Vanguard-marked wing.  He isn't wearing an ribbons, and I have always felt like he may have been a recent graduate of medical school and joined the military sometime after the end of the KW.

 

I talked to an old mentor of mine when I was going to Grad school. He was in the USAF in Korea and told me that the medical staff wasn't typically assigned to a squadron or even a group.  More than likleley they would have had FS rated doctors in the base hospital doing more flying related type of medicine like approvals for flight duty or things like that.  Many of the day to day medical stuff would have been taken care of the regular medical staff.  In fact, he told me that being a FS was more akin to doing research or training with flying related problems... things like hypoxia or high altitude effects of flying rather than mundane stuff that could be taken care of by the medical staff at the hospital during sick call.

 

Some of these guys were also on reserve status and may not have been working for the USAF full time.  I am not sure exactly how that worked and could be wrong. But I suspect that they may not have had the same restrictions on wings that other USAF officers may have had.

 

[pfrost]

One other thing, I suspect that the 9M marking is actually somtehing done in the late 50's and early 60's.  I don't have the exact dates but the adoption of the Institute of Heraldry alpha/numeric code was well after KW.  One reason for that was there was so many old stockpiles of WWII insignia that there were very little need for the new manufacturer's to get involved (some companies even went bankrupt in this area between WWII and KW).  By the end of the the KW, much of the stock pile was gone and the new insignia for things like the USAF were being geared up, so the IofH decided to try to standardize things yet again.

Great wing and actually pretty rare (all things considered).

[pfrost]

This is a a pretty good thread about the Vanguard wing shown in the photo above. 

 

 

[Allan H.]

Patrick,

 

Thank you for all of your comments and the addition of the photos. You always do such a great job in your posts and responses. I really appreciate your taking the time to provide the group with information from your vast wealth of all things wings!

 

Allan

[pfrost]

Allan you are making me blush!! Lol. The fact is that I’m usually more wrong than right. But it’s a neat wing