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 13TH 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, solid backed, alloy construction badge with a bright, fire gilted 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 swastika’s arms, the submarine’s conning tower, flag, and the forward deck gun. The solid reverse has a soldered, solid block type hinge, a broad, tapering, vertical pin and a soldered catch all intact. Nice!