The Golden Eagles - USAAF Officers Cap Badges

The Army Air Forces were created in June 1941 to provide the air arm a greater autonomy in which to expand more efficiently, to provide a structure for the additional command echelons required by a vastly increased force, and to end an increasingly divisive administrative battle within the Army over control of aviation doctrine and organization that had been ongoing since the creation of an aviation section within the Army Signal Corps in 1914.

The AAF succeeded both the Air Corps, which had been the statutory military aviation branch since 1926, and the GHQ Air Force, which had been activated in 1935 to quiet the demands of airmen for an independent Air Force.

Officers in the USAAF wore the Service Cap which was also known by the Americans as the 'Crusher'. The US bomber pilots wore their service caps on missions over Europe and, in order to accommodate the needs of wearing headphones, they removed the inner wire stiffener from the crown which gave their caps a crumpled and crushed appearance (also known as a '50 mission crush'), hence their nickname. Nothing better expresses the individuality of a USAAF re-enactor than the character of his 'crusher'.

The service cap was finished off with the 'Great Seal of America' brass coloured cap badge. The Golden Eagle.

There were over 40 different USAAF WWII Badge manufacturers from several countries including USA, UK, Australia and Germany (yes, Assman in Germany towards the end of the war), so the variation of design was huge.

We now offer three types of USAAF Officers Cap badge - New, lightly Aged and Aged condition. Ideal for your crusher or service cap regardless of its condition.

Top Badge is original. The bottom badges are our very high quality reproductions.

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