BACKGROUND: The U-Boat War Badge was instituted by Oberbefehlshaber der Kriegsmarine und Großadmiral, (Commander in Chief of the Navy and Grand Admiral), Erich Raeder on October 13^TH 1939 for award to all ranks of U-Boat personnel who had served on at least two sorties against the enemy or were wounded in action. The design of the badge was based on the 1918 Imperial U-Boat War Badge but replaced the Imperial crown with the national eagle and swastika. The badge was to be worn on the lower left breast of most uniforms.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Die struck, alloy construction badge with a gilt washed finish is in the form of a horizontally oval, embossed, laurel leaf wreath with a national eagle with out-stretched wings, clutching a canted swastika in it’s talons, superimposed to the top center, encompassing a cut-out, profile view of a submarine. The badge is nicely detailed and features veins to the laurel leaves, cut-out detailing to the submarine’s conning tower, flag, and the forward deck gun. The gilt washed finish is retained about 95% with small spots of wear to the base alloy. The reverse of the badge has a soldered, solid block type hinge, a thin, round, vertical pin and a soldered catch on a circular base plate all intact. The badge has no visible manufacturer’s markings but is most likely late production be Klein & Quezner. Nice badge.

GRADE ****1/4                             PRICE $450.00