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ARTIFACT:
This is a Beautiful, Chinese Made, fully enameled and profusely backmarked, ID / Member Badge for early components, most likely Officers only, of the USAAF 14th Air Force, from early 1943. This badge came from a small family grouping, so although I cannot pinpoint his service, it came from a Lt. Colonel Julian Richards Vidmer, a WWI pilot, who served in some capacity early on in the 14th Air Force.
I was surprised that it was not made for the CATF, The China Air Task Force, as that is the “direction” the badge faces, but it is marked to the 14th AF, and has to be from VERY early in that unit’s organization, circa March 1943.
Although this badge is numbered 17, prior to seeing it, I had only ever seen one of these badges, which was in my collection for many years. It was #155, so we have to assume there were that many made, although questioning CBI collectors, and even DI collectors, over the past 10+ years, no one had seen another. Even if 200 were produced, that is a far smaller number than an AVG Flying Tigers Badge.
Larger than a typical “Patch Type” DI, measuring approximately: 1 3/16” in diameter, it really stands out on its own. One other interesting note, on the later run badge, #155, the red dot in the star was flush, on this badge it is domed, protruding slightly from the badge.
The back reads:
美国陸軍：Beautiful Land Army (Beautiful Land is the term China used for the United States)
第十四航空隊：14th Air Force
天泰祥: Tian Taixiang (Probably the manufacturer, but could also be a location, and the dialect could be leading to an incorrect translation)
The badge is from the estate of Lt. Col. Julian Richards Vidmer, 7 Oct 1898 - 1978.
VINTAGE:
Early 1943.
SIZE:
Approximately: 1 3/16" in diameter.
MATERIALS / CONSTRUCTION:
Enamel plated nickel.
ATTACHMENT:
Horizontal safety-style pin.
MARKINGS:
17
ITEM NOTES:
This is from a United States Army Air Forces collection which we will be listing more of over the next few months. MAEJK21 LAFGEX01/07/24 SAFGEX01/08/24
CONDITION:
8+ (Excellent): The badge shows minor wear, and much of the enamel detail remains intact, overall, it is in excellent condition.
GUARANTEE: As with all my artifacts, this piece is guaranteed to be original, as described.
