Description
Product Description: This is a nice example of a two-piece construction Luftwaffe Ground Assault Badge by Osang. This Luftwaffe Ground Assault Badge is the desirable two-piece type, made of zinc, with a separately applied eagle. There are some traces of the original silver finish on the wreath and the eagle retains its fine detail. The cloud and lightning strike retain most of the original darkened finish. The tombak eagle on this Ground Assault Badge exhibits a nice silver appearance to the patina. The reverse of this Luftwaffe Ground Assault Badge is faintly marked “G. H. Osang Dresden” and exhibits hardware consistent with the maker. The hardware setup is textbook with a steel pin. This Ground Assault Badge remains intact and functions properly with no signs of repairs. A very nice example of a German World War II Luftwaffe Ground Assault Badge by a nice maker.
Historical Description: With the war progressing, and the need to fill frontline combat roles becoming increasingly difficult, the Luftwaffe was relied upon more and more to fill these positions. To recognize the combat experience of these soldiers, on March 31, 1942, Reichsmarschall Hermann Goering introduced the Luftwaffe Ground Assault Badge. The badge design is attributed to Sigmund von Weech. The badge features are a Luftwaffe eagle positioned above a storm cloud, with a bolt of lightning striking the ground. Luftwaffe soldiers who had previously been awarded German Army ground combat badges, such as the Infantry Assault Badge, General Assault Badge or Panzer Assault Badge, were immediately qualified and could exchange their previous badges for the new Luftwaffe badge. Criteria for the badge included: Luftwaffe soldiers having participated in three ground combat actions on three separate days, being wounded in a ground combat action, or to have earned another decoration in such an action. Luftwaffe soldiers killed in ground combat received the award posthumously. Personnel who could receive this award included paratroopers, members of the Luftwaffe Field Divisions, assault gun crews, and even Flak crews tasked with using their anti-aircraft guns against ground targets. On some of these badges, mostly early versions, the Luftwaffe eagle is a separate piece, riveted on. Later in the war, the eagle was most often integral to the badge. Most badges are produced of zinc, however, an exceedingly rare Tombak version exists in single digits today. These early badges were produced by C.E. Juncker of Berlin, and are highly sought after by all collectors.
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