Offered for sale is a very nice original Army Flak Badge.

THE ARMY FLAK BADGE WAS AUTHORIZED ON JULY 18, 1941 BY THE ARMY COMMANDER IN CHIEF. THIS BADGE WAS TO BE AWARDED TO INDIVIDUALS IN ARMY (HEER) ANTI-AIRCRAFT UNITS. LIKE THE AIRFORCE (LUFTWAFFE) FLAK BADGE THERE WAS ONLY ONE LEVEL TO THIS AWARD. THE AWARD WAS WORN ON THE LEFT BREAST AND WAS SILVER IN COLOR. THIS AWARD ALSO FEATURED THE 88MM GUN WITH THE ARMY EAGLE ON TOP.

UNLIKE THE LUFTWAFFE AWARD THIS BADGE WAS AWARDED FOR SHOOTING DOWN AIRCRAFT ONLY. SINCE MOST FLAK BATTERIES WERE LUFTWAFFE CONTROLLED THIS WAS A FAIRLY RARE WAR BADGE TO BE ISSUED. WHEN ENGAGED AGAINST GROUND TARGETS, THE CREW OF AN ARMY FLAK BATTERY WOULD BE AWARDED THE GENERAL ASSAULT BADGE. TO RECEIVE THE ARMY ANTI-AIRCRAFT BADGE THE CREW HAD TO GET CREDIT FOR TAKING PART IN THE SHOOTING DOWN OF FIVE ENEMY AIRCRAFT. BATTERY COMMANDERS WERE ALSO AUTHORIZED THE AWARD ONCE HALF OF HIS SUBORDINATES HAD QUALIFIED FOR THE BADGE.

THE KNOWN MAKERS OF THE ARMY FLAK BADGE INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING COMPANIES:

HERMANN AURICH-OF DRESDEN. TWO TYPES OF BADGES ARE ATTRIBUTED TO THIS FIRM, BOTH FEATURE THE CLASSIC CRIMPED IN CIRCULAR HINGE. ONE FEATURES HE WELL KNOWN "HA" INITIALS AND THE OTHER VERSION APPEARS TO BE "LM" INITIALS.

WALTER & HENLEIN-OF GABLONZ.

C.E. JUNCKER-OF BERLIN. THIS FIRM MADE SEVERAL VARIATIONS OF THE BADGE BOTH MARKED AND UNMARKED.

G.H. OSANG-OF DRESDEN.

RUDOLF SOUVAL-OF VIENNA.

L 56 MARKED...FUNK & BRUNINGHAUS OF LUDENSCHEID

(by flakbadges.homestead.com)

This rare original badge is in very good condition and a genuine Third Reich artifact, offered with a full money-back guarantee for authenticity.