Ground Combat Badge by G. H. Osang

German WWII > Awards and Medals > Luftwaffe Awards > Ground Combat Badge

Here we have a Erdkampfabzeichen der Luftwaffe by G. H. Osang! The Luftwaffe Ground Combat Badge was authorized on April 1st 1942 and could be awarded to all soldiers, NCO's and officers who accumulated at least three different fighting days on which they fought with bravery. It is a two piece badge, constructed out of a die struck zinc base that has been silver washed and blackened, with a die stamped buntmetall silver washed eagle fixed with a single rivet. The oval shaped obverse features black clouds with a lightning bolt/downward pointing zig-zag arrow coming out of it into mountains, this is all below a Luftwaffe eagle clutching a swastika within one of its talons and is all surrounded by an oak leaf wreath that is tied together at the bottom. The full back reverse is correctly maker marked "G. H. Osang" (Dresden). The hardware on this has been replaced. When, where and by whom I have no idea. What I can say it that it was not by me or not even recent. It could be period. The eagle shows beautiful detail! It measures approximately 2 3/16 inches tall by 1 11/16 inches wide. See page 28-29 of weber's "The Luftwaffe Ground Combat Badge". Cool!