WW2 US Army Gilder Qualification Badge

The WW2 US Army Glider Qualification Badge is a military insignia awarded to personnel who completed glider training and served in U.S. Army airborne glider units during the Second World War. Introduced in 1944, the badge consists of a pair of stylized, outspread wings with a representation of a glider centered between them. The insignia was worn above the left breast pocket on the service uniform. This badge signified proficiency in glider operations, which involved unpowered aircraft used to silently deliver troops, equipment, or supplies behind enemy lines. Glider operations were an important component of airborne tactics during the war, with specialized units participating in major campaigns, including Normandy and Operation Market Garden. The badge was authorized for both officers and enlisted personnel who successfully completed glider training and participated in at least one combat glider mission. The Glider Qualification Badge was discontinued after the war as glider operations were phased out.