Ext Rare WWII WARD (Women's Air Raid Defense) Wing Badge from Hawaii
Processing...

Ext Rare WWII WARD (Women's Air Raid Defense) Wing Badge from Hawaii

Code: hfww20020ward


SOLD!!! No Longer Available!

Product Description

•••••

Update: SUNDAY 12/08/24: SEASON'S GREETINGS from FLYING TIGER ANTIQUES & Vintage Historical Artifacts!!! !!

Wishing HAPPY HOLIDAYS & SEASON'S GREETINGS to all our Clients, Old & NEW!!!

UPDATE: SUNDAY DECEMBER 8th 2024: The FLYING TIGER ANTIQUES Crew is IN THE OFFICE Shipping Out Orders and Listing NEW Artifacts Daily!!!

We are IN THE OFFICE, and we are busy PACKING All the Orders we Received Over the weekend, Thank you all VERY MUCH!!

Not Sure Which Historical Artifact to Order for that Special Someone?

Get them a Flying Tiger Antiques GIFT CERTIFICATE, available in ANY Amount, and let THEM Choose Their Favorite!

We will be IN THE OFFICE, through SATURDAY 12/21 and will ship all Orders Received by That Date on MONDAY 12/23!!

BUT, if You would like to Receive an Order by CHRISTMAS, Please place it by WEDNESDAY 12/18 for PRIORITY MAIL, and THURSDAY 12/19 for EXPRESS MAIL.

If you would like to PAY for a $100.00 or more Artifact with a CREDIT CARD, please Call or Email and I will get an invoice emailed to you ASAP, or Process the Purchase Myself!!

Meanwhile, we are busy packing orders and Pricing New Historical Artifacts for our Many COLLECTORS!!!

So, NOW is the TIME to ORDER that wonderful ARTIFACT that you've had your eye on, as it will SHIP within 24 to 48 Hours of Receipt of Payment, but USUALLY Same Day!

And DON'T FORGET: if funding your $100.00 or More Order from a Bank that offers ZELLE, ASK ABOUT our ZELLE DISCOUNT!!

That DISCOUNT also applies to PayPal GIFT (Fee-Free), Check, and Money Order purchases!!

Thank you for visiting. We hope you will find some vintage artifacts here on our site to add to your collection.

Happy Collecting, Ron & Kanae

ARTIFACT: This is a Extremely Rare WWII WARD(Women's Air Raid Defence) Wing Badge from Hawaii.

Women's Air Raid Defense (WARD) was a World War II civilian organization that worked with the military to provide air defense for Hawaii. It formed in December 1941 after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Women volunteered in order to allow men to be freed from air defense work to go onto combat roles. WARD was the only civilian organization employed by the military for the purpose to replace men in active duty. It was disbanded after the end of WWII.

The Women's Air Raid Defense (WARD) organization was started on December 26, 1941, when a small group of women in Honolulu met at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel. The meeting was led by Una Walker and Mrs. John Howard, who were military spouses and commanding general, Howard C. Davidson.The WARD would "relieve urgently needed men for combat duty" and allow the women to operate the air defense center. There was a call for 100 women and all slots were filled. Women chose to volunteer after experiencing the attack at Pearl Harbor on December 7. At first the women involved came from Hawaii, but later, women from the "mainland" were brought in.

Recruits for WARD were required to be between the ages of 20 and 34, without children and had to pass an Army intelligence test. Training classes were held at Iolani Palace and first started on January 1, 1942. WARDs would have two weeks of training before starting. WARD volunteers learned how to plot the positions of airplanes using radar, which was experimental at the time. After training, WARD started to work in shifts at Fort Shafter, staffing the air defense center 24 hours a day. Each WARD would work a six hour shift on and six off for eight days, after which they had 32 hours off. WARD recruits would plot the position of the aircraft on a large, gridded physical map of the Hawaiian Islands. WARD also worked with army officers who knew the locations of friendly aircraft and helped find lost planes. All of the women plotters were known by the code name, "Rascal" and the radar operator was coded "Oscar."

The organization was part of the 7th Fighter Wing, considered a detachment of Company A, Signal Aircraft Warning Regiment. Executive Order #9063 gave the organization powers to recruit and consider the volunteers civil servants for the federal government. WARD chief supervisors were under the command of Brigadier General Robert W. Douglas, Jr.The first chief supervisor of WARD was Mrs. R. T. Williams.She was followed by Catherine Coonley. Quarters were provided to the WARDs on Fort Shafter and the women moved into them on February 1, 1942. During the war, there were around 500 WARDs. They contracted to work a year at a time and were paid between $140 to $225 a month.

Other WARDs were established throughout the islands: Maui on July 30, 1942; Hilo on August 10, 1942 and Kauai on September 14, 1942.

WARD was detached from the Signal Corps on June 13, 1943 and named the WARD unit of the 17th Fighter Command and disbanded in 1945, after the end of World War II.

VINTAGE: Circa WWII.

SIZE: Approximately 2-7/8" x 1/2"

MATERIALS / CONSTRUCTION: Gold plated silver.

ATTACHMENT: Horizontal pin with drop in locking swivel catch.

MARKINGS: N/A

ITEM NOTES: This is from a homefront collection which we will be listing more of over the next few months. MAGEX19 LBBGEX05/19 SBBGEX03/11/23

CONDITION:  8+ (Very Fine-Excellent): The badge has only some light tarnish.

GUARANTEE: As with all my artifacts, this piece is guaranteed to be original, as described.