WWII NAZAI GERMAN LUFTWAFFE BADGE LOT FLAK GROUND

WWII Luftwaffe Badge lot to include 1) WWII NAZI GERMAN LUFTWAFFE GROUND COMBAT BADGE WW2. Nice quality, two piece, solid backed, die struck zinc construction badge is in the form of vertically oval, oak-leaf wreath with a Luftwaffe style eagle clutching a canted, swastika in one talon, superimposed to the top center, encompassing a cut-out, burnished cloud and downward striking lightning bolt. Eagle is attached to the wreath by a dome headed rivet which is visible to reverse. Complete with original hinge, pin and catch assembly. Maker makered to G. H. Osang of Dresden. In late 1941 the first Luftwaffe ground combat units were hastily formed to help replace the massive loss of men on the Eastern front, followed by the formation of the Brigade Meindl consisting of five Luftwaffe Field Battalions in February 1942. As a result of the formation of these new ground combat units Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring established the Luftwaffe Ground Combat Badge on March 31ST 1942, for award to all Luftwaffe personnel who had distinguished themselves in ground combat. Certain criteria had to be met for award of the badge with the main criteria being three separate ground combat actions. Of Note: Since the Luftwaffe had excess personnel on September 17TH 1942 Göring announced the formation of new Luftwaffe field divisions also to replace the massive lose of men on the Eastern front. Due to the lack of training and poor performance in the field, of the twenty-two divisions formed, seventeen were either destroyed or disbanded before the end of the war. Also Of Note: On introduction of the Ground Combat Badge, Luftwaffe personnel who had been awarded the Infantry, Panzer or General Assault badges previously, were required to exchange them for this badge. Prior to the introduction of this Ground Combat Badge, Flak personnel who had utilized their Flak guns against land or sea based targets three times were awarded the Flak War Badge. These personnel also exchanged their Flak War Badge for the Ground Combat Badge. 2) FLAK ARTILLERY WAR BADGE. Two piece, die struck zinc construction, solid backed badge is in the form of a vertically oval, oak-leaf wreath with a separate, Luftwaffe style eagle, clutching a canted, swastika in it’s talons, affixed to the top center. The wreath encompasses the cut-out, profile of an 88mm anti-aircraft gun with the gun barrel extending beyond the edge of the wreath. The badge features nice detailing including cut-outs to the swastika’s arms and feathering to the eagle’s wings and tail. The reverse of the badge has a crimped, soldered, hinge, a thin round vertical pin and catch on a circular base plate all intact. The Flak Artillery War Badge was introduced by Hermann Göring on January 10TH 1941, for award to air defence crews including searchlight and sound detection personnel. Originally the Flak Artillery War Badge was awarded to personnel for both aerial and ground target victories until the introduction of the Luftwaffe Ground Assault Badge on March 31ST 1942, after which the Flak Artillery War Badge was only awarded for successful aerial target victories. Bestowal of the award was originally rendered on a point structure system with sixteen points required to be presented the badge, although the criteria was modified during the war. Of Note: The Flak arm is often viewed as a secondary arm of service within the Luftwaffe when in fact during the war between half and two thirds of all Luftwaffe personnel served in it.