LW Direction Finder Operators Badge

On entering Luftwaffe service, EM/NCO personnel were assigned and trained for a specific trade or military mission. On completion of the training, personnel were issued a trade specialty badge worn on the lower left sleeve of the service tunic and the flight and field blouses as an identity insignia. The trade badges were introduced in May 1935 and additional badges authorized up to and during the war. The Luftwaffe had thirty-nine trade specialty badges. Some badges were piped with twisted grey or aluminum braiding for NCO's while others were piped with twisted gilt braiding to denote outstanding performance. When a gold piped trade badge was awarded it came with an award certificate.