BACKGROUND: The Destroyer War Badge was instituted on June 4TH 1940 by Oberbefehlshaber der Kriegsmarine und Großadmiral, (Commander in Chief of the Navy and Grand Admiral), Erich Raeder, for award to destroyer crew members who had participated in the naval battle for Narvik, Norway, under the command of Kommodore Friedrich Bonte. Regulations of October 1940 extended bestowal of the Destroyer War Badge to include other destroyer, torpedo, and E-boat personnel involved in other naval battles who met a preset criteria. Of Note: Torpedo and E-boat personnel were no longer eligible for the Destroyer War Badge after the introduction of the E-boat Badge on May 30TH 1941.  

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Die struck alloy, slightly convex, solid back construction badge with gilt and burnished silver washes. The badge is in the form of a gilt washed, vertically oval oak-leaf wreath with a small national eagle with down-swept wings superimposed to the top center, encompassing the forward profile view of a burnished, silver washed destroyer and waves. The reverse of the badge has a crimped, soldered hinge, a thin round vertical pin and a soldered catch on an oval base plate all intact. The reverse of the badge is well marked with the stylized, embossed, manufacturer’s initials, "f.o.", indicating manufacture by Friedrich Orth of Vienna. One of the harder makers to find for the Destroyer War Badge.