AAF Officers Uniforms Missing Wings?

[Konig]

Hi all...

I am posting this thread as there seems to be a gap in the literature regarding AAF Officers uniforms that are missing Qualification - Wing Badges. There seems to be a lot of old officers uniforms that are missing their wings badges and I was wondering why this is the case. Many times you can see where it was pinned but it was removed? Other times there is no evidence of the wings having ever been attached?



What is going on here?...Did some AAF Officers simply not earn their qualification badges but earned campaign ribbons??? Or were they not issued with them...??? (I've heard of some bombardiers not being issued their wings but surly this cannot be across the board) Or where they removed by collectors after the war (Which I find hard to believe given that a set of wings and the uniform together would be better than just the set of wings?

Any help would be appreciated here as there appears to be very little literature on the subject of Officers Uniforms with missing wings.

Thanks

[FLYBOYJ]

Konig;

Not every AAF officer was a pilot. There were many officers in support roles, intelligence, logistics, etc. Additionally, depending on the uniform, the individual would sometimes opt not to display his ribbons.

Now if you're looking at old uniforms and see that a badge was physically removed, that's another story.

[Airframes]

Also on old uniforms, the 'owner' might have removed the 'wings', which were of significance, having been 'awarded', and then disposed of the uniform. I disposed of my original 'Dennison' smock some years ago (wish I hadn't!) but retained the para wings, as these were the ones presented to me and worth retaining, if only as a reminder of the achievement. At the time, the smock was just an old garment, and it was given to a friend who collects militaria.

[Maxrobot1]

Many U.S aircrew only owned one wings pin. They treasured it and transferred it from uniform to uniform.
Replacement or duplicate badges could be purchased and I have seen some 3/4 size badges probably for shirts but the original Sterling Silver set presented upon graduation held a special significance to the wearer.
Many officers had more than one coat also.