United States Army Air Forces Warning: You are not logged in. Your IP address will be publicly visible if you make any edits. If you log in or create an account, your edits will be attributed to your username, along with other benefits.Anti-spam check. Do not fill this in! ===Badges, insignia, and emblems=== {{see also|United States military aircraft national insignia}} AAF uniforms were subject to Army Regulations, specifically AR 600-35 and AR 600β40, authorizing the wearing of badges, insignia, and emblems on the uniform. The vast size of the service saw the wearing of many custom-made variants of authorized badges, insignia, and emblems, and numerous examples of unauthorized insignia and emblems appeared throughout the forces, particularly in combat units overseas. ====Badges==== {{Main article|Obsolete badges of the United States military}} To denote the special training and qualifications required for air crew and technical personnel in the USAAF, in most categories known as being [[U.S. Air Force aeronautical rating|rated]], the following [[Military badges of the United States|military badges]] (known familiarly but ubiquitously throughout the service as "wings") were authorized for wear by members of the Army Air Forces:<ref>Bowman (1997), p. 156. Reproduction of relevant page from ''The Officer's Guide'', July 1943.</ref> {| class="wikitable" |[[Gunner Badge|Aerial Gunner Badge]] |[[File:USAAF Aerial Gunner Badge.png|150px]] |[[Aircrew Badge|Army Air Forces Aircrew Badge]] |[[File:USAAF Aircrew Badge.png|150px]] |- |Airship Pilot Badge |[[File:USAAF Airship Pilot Badge.png|150px]] |[[Balloon Pilot Badge]] |[[File:BallonPilot.jpg|150px]] |- |[[Observer Badge|Balloon Observer Badge]] |[[File:USAAF - Balloon Observer Badge.jpg|150px]] |[[Bombardier Badge]] |[[File:BombardierBadge 2.jpg|150px]] |- |[[Flight Engineer Badge]] |[[File:FlightEnginneerbadge.jpg|150px]] |[[Flight Nurse Badge]] |[[File:USAAF Flight Nurse Wings.png|150px]] |- |[[Flight Surgeon Badge (United States)|Flight Surgeon Badge]] |[[File:USAAF Flight Surgeon Wings.png|150px]] |Flight Surgeon Dentist Badge |[[File:USAAF - Flight Surgeon Dentist.JPG|150px]] |- |[[Auxiliary Pilot Badge|Glider Pilot Badge]] |[[File:GliderPilot2.jpg|150px]] |[[Obsolete badges of the United States military|Instructor Badge]] |[[File:USAAF - Civilian Flight Instructor.jpg|150px]] |- |[[Auxiliary Pilot Badge|Liaison Pilot Badge]] |[[File:LiaisonWings.jpg|150px]] |[[Navigator Badge]] |[[File:NavigatorBadge-old.jpg|150px]] |- |[[Observer Badge]] |[[File:ObserverBadge.jpg|150px]] |[[United States Aviator Badge|Pilot Badge]] |[[File:USAAF Wings.png|150px]] |- |[[Auxiliary Pilot Badge|Service Pilot Badge]] |[[File:USAAF Service Pilot Badge.png|150px]] |[[Observer Badge|Technical Observer Badge]] |[[File:Technical Observer.jpg|150px]] |- |[[Women Airforce Service Pilots Badge]] |[[File:WASPbadge.jpg|150px]] |[[Women Airforce Service Pilots|WASP Pilot Badge, Older Version]] |[[File:USAAF Wings WASP Pilot Class 43-W-2 1943.jpg|150px]] |- |[[Army Air Force Technician Badge|Army Air Forces Technician Badge]] |[[File:USAAF - Tech Badge BW.jpg|70px|center]] |[[Marksmanship badges (United States)|Distinguished Aerial Badges]]<ref>[http://emersoninsignia.net/files/Download/AerialDistinguished.pdf Distinguished Bomber and Aerial Gunner Badges] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140527213320/http://emersoninsignia.net/files/Download/AerialDistinguished.pdf |date=27 May 2014 }}, U. S. Army Insignia, William K. Emerson, retrieved 25 January 2013</ref><ref>[http://www.ww2wings.com/wings/btw/us/us.shtml U.S. Army Air Corps β Between The Wars], Aviation Wings and Badges of World War II, retrieved 25 January 2013</ref> |[[File:Former US Army Distinguished Aerial Badges.png|150px]] |} These aviation qualification badges were typically worn in full three-inch (76 mm) size on service or dress uniforms, but two-inch versions (nicknamed "sweetheart wings") were also authorized for less-formal shirt wear. Most aviation badges were made of sterling silver or were given a silver finish, and various devices were used to attach them to uniforms. These included the traditional pin and safety catch and, later, clutch-back fasteners. Most USAAF badges of World War II became obsolete, having been superseded by later designs or with their aeronautical rating discontinued, and were not authorized for wear on the uniform after 1955. ====Identification patch for flying personnel in combat areas==== In order to recognize and differentiate combat aircrews from other airmen in Europe, on 29 March 1943 the European Theater Headquarters of the U.S. Army created an ultramarine blue cloth patch 1" Γ 3.25" to be sewn on the service coat behind the aviation badge. According to General Order 18 Hq ETOUSA the patch was to be worn by personnel of the Army Air Forces who held currently effective aeronautical ratings or who were authorized to wear the aviation badge for air crew members, during the time such personnel were currently assigned to combat flight duty. The patch was to be promptly removed when the individual ceased to serve in such capacity or left the theater.<ref>National Archives, Headquarters, European Theater of Operations, U.S. Army, General Order 18, 29 March 1943</ref> ====Insignia of ranks and grades==== The rank structure and insignia of the U.S. Army Air Forces was that of the United States Army of World War II. =====Officer===== {|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" ! 11th Grade ! 10th Grade ! 9th Grade ! 8th Grade ! 7th Grade ! 6th Grade ! 5th Grade ! 4th Grade ! 3rd Grade ! 2nd Grade ! 1st Grade |- | |[[File:US-O11 insignia.svg|90px]] | [[File:US-O10 insignia.svg|135px]] | [[File:US-O9 insignia.svg|100px]] | [[File:US-O8 insignia.svg|65px]] | [[File:US-O7 insignia.svg|32px]] | [[File:US-O6 insignia.svg|70px]] | [[File:US-O5 insignia.svg|60px]] | [[File:US-O4 insignia.svg|60px]] | [[File:US-O3 insignia.svg|60px]] | [[File:US-O2 insignia.svg|22px]] | [[File:US-O1 insignia.svg|22px]] |- ! [[General of the Army (United States)|General of the Army]] ! [[General (United States)|General]] ! [[Lieutenant general (United States)|Lieutenant General]] ! [[Major general (United States)|Major General]] ! [[Brigadier general (United States)|Brigadier General]] ! [[Colonel (United States)|Colonel]] ! [[Lieutenant colonel (United States)|Lieutenant Colonel]] ! [[Major (United States)|Major]] ! [[Captain (United States O-3)|Captain]] ! [[First lieutenant|First Lieutenant]] ! [[Second lieutenant|Second Lieutenant]] |- | GA | GEN | LTG | MG | BG | COL | LTC | MAJ | CPT | 1LT | 2LT |} =====Warrant===== {|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" ! 2nd Grade ! colspan=2|1st Grade |- | [[File:US-Army-Warrant Officer (1941) 03.svg|30px]] | [[File:US-Army-Chief Warrant Officer (1941).svg|30px]] | [[File:US-Army-Flight Officer (1941).svg|30px]] |- ! [[Chief warrant officer|Chief Warrant Officer]] ! [[Warrant officer (United States)|Warrant Officer]]!! [[Flight officer|Flight Officer]] |- | W2 | W1 || FO |} =====Enlisted===== {|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" ! colspan=2|1st Grade ! 2nd Grade ! colspan=2|3rd Grade ! colspan=2|4th Grade ! colspan=2|5th Grade ! 6th Grade ! 7th Grade |- | [[File:US Army WWII MSGT.svg|60px]] || [[File:US Army WWII 1SGT.svg|60px]] | [[File:US Army WWII TSGT.svg|60px]] | [[File:US Army WWII SSGT.svg|60px]] || [[File:US Army WWII T3C.svg|60px]] | [[File:US Army WWII SGT.svg|60px]] || [[File:US Army WWII T4C.svg|60px]] | [[File:US Army WWII CPL.svg|60px]] || [[File:US Army WWII T5C.svg|60px]] | [[File:US Army WWII PFC.svg|60px]] | No Insignia |- ! [[Master sergeant|Master Sergeant]]!![[First sergeant|First Sergeant]] ! [[Technical sergeant|Technical Sergeant]] ! [[Staff sergeant|Staff Sergeant]]!! [[Technician third grade|Technician Third Grade]] ! [[Sergeant]] !! [[Technician fourth grade|Technician Fourth Grade]] ! [[Corporal#United States Army|Corporal]] !! [[Technician fifth grade|Technician Fifth Grade]] ! [[Private first class|Private First Class]] ! [[Private (rank)|Private]] |- | M/Sgt. || 1st Sgt. | T/Sgt. | S/Sgt. || T/3. | Sgt. || T/4. | Cpl. || T/5. | Pfc. | Pvt. |} ====Emblems==== {{commons|Wing emblems of the United States Air Force}} {{commons|Group emblems of the United States Air Force}} {{commons|Squadron emblems of the United States Air Force}} The first [[shoulder sleeve insignia]] authorized for Air Corps wear was that of the General Headquarters Air Force, approved 20 July 1937.<ref>[http://www.airforce-magazine.com/MagazineArchive/Documents/KittyHawkChronology/Kitty1903-79.pdf Up from Kittyhawk Chronology 1903β1979]. airforce-magazine.com. Retrieved 9 October 2012.</ref> This sleeve insignia, which consisted of a blue [[triskelion]] superimposed on a gold circle, was retained after GHQ Air Force became Air Force Combat Command on 20 June 1941. The triskelion represented a stylized propeller that symbolized the three combat wings of GHQ Air Force.<ref>Rottman (1998), p. 54.</ref> On 23 February 1942, the GHQ AF patch was discontinued and the service-wide AAF sleeve insignia ("Hap Arnold Emblem") approved. The patch was designed by a member of Gen. Arnold's staff, James T. Rawls, and was based on the [[V sign#Victory sign|V-for-Victory sign]] popularized by [[Winston Churchill]].<ref name="rawls">{{cite web| url = http://www.afhso.af.mil/questions/topic.asp?id=1945| title = How did Air Force shoulder sleeve insignia develop?| publisher = Air Force Historical Studies Office| access-date = 11 October 2012| archive-date = 17 November 2016| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20161117103413/http://www.afhso.af.mil/questions/topic.asp?id=1945| url-status = dead}}</ref> The wearing of sleeve insignia was authorized for members of numbered air forces based overseas on 2 March 1943, and for air forces in the United States on 25 June 1943. From that date forward, the "Hap Arnold Emblem" was worn only by personnel of units not assigned to a numbered air force. AR 600β40, "Wearing of the Service Uniform", subsequently limited sleeve insignia to the 16 air forces and the AAF patch. The [[Quartermaster Corps (United States Army)|Quartermaster Corps]], responsible for the design and supply of all authorized insignia, resisted further designs for the AAF until 28 July 1945, when command arcs (arc-shaped tabs, see example above in ''Command structure'') were authorized for wear above the AAF insignia by members of the various support commands.<ref>[http://www.angelfire.com/md2/patches/airforcearcs.html United States Army, Second World War, Air Force Command Arcs], angelfire.com, by Howard G. Lanham, retrieved 3 April 2020</ref> As all 48 states then part of the Union were contained within the [[contiguous United States]], the term "Zone of the Interior" for the First through Fourth Air Forces' areas of assignment was World War II's term for what is called "CONUS" by today's [[United States Department of Defense]] in the 21st century. <gallery class="center"> File:First_Air_Force_-_Emblem_(World_War_II).jpg|[[First Air Force]]<br />Northeast United States<br />(Zone of the Interior) File:2daf-wwii-svg.svg|[[Second Air Force]]<br />Northwest United States<br />(Zone of the Interior) File:3daf-wwii.jpg|[[Third Air Force]]<br />Southeast United States<br />(Zone of the Interior) File:4thaf-wwii.jpg|[[Fourth Air Force]]<br />Western United States<br />(Zone of the Interior) File:Fifth_Air_Force_-_Emblem_(World_War_II).svg|[[Fifth Air Force]]<br />Philippines<br />Australia<br />Southwest Pacific File:Sixth_Air_Force_-_Emblem_(World_War_II).jpg|[[Sixth Air Force]]<br />Caribbean Islands<br />Panama<br />South America File:Seventh_Air_Force_-_Emblem_(World_War_II).svg|[[Seventh Air Force]]<br />Hawaii<br />Central Pacific File:Eighth_Air_Force_-_Emblem_(World_War_II).png|[[Eighth Air Force]]<br />Europe File:Patch9thusaaf.png|[[United States Air Forces Central Command|Ninth Air Force]]<br />Middle East<br />North Africa<br />Europe File:Tenth_Air_Force_-_Emblem_(World_War_II).png|[[Tenth Air Force]]<br />India<br />Burma File:Eleventh Air Force - Emblem (World War II).svg|[[Eleventh Air Force]]<br />Alaska File:Twelfth_Air_Force_-_Emblem_(World_War_II).png|[[Twelfth Air Force]]<br />North Africa<br />Mediterranean File:Thirteenth Air Force - Emblem (World War II).jpg|[[Thirteenth Air Force]]<br />South Pacific File:Fourteenth_Air_Force_-_Emblem_(World_War_II).jpg|[[Fourteenth Air Force]]<br />China File:Patch 15th USAAF.png|[[Fifteenth Air Force]]<br />Mediterranean File:Twentieth_Air_Force_-_Emblem_(World_War_II).png|[[Twentieth Air Force]]<br />India/China<br />Mariana Islands </gallery> Summary: Please note that all contributions to Christianpedia may be edited, altered, or removed by other contributors. 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