RK Luftwaffe Ground Assault Badge – Rudolf Karneth

Product Description:  This RK Luftwaffe Ground Assault Badge is a great example of a rarely found badge. It is made of fine zinc. The front of this badge retains virtually all of the original finish, with strong original darkening and a pleasant, light patina. The separately applied eagle retains full detail, as does the outer oak leaf wreath. The reverse of this badge also has virtually pristine original finish. It’s maker marked below the hinge, with the initials “R.K.” indicating manufacture by the firm of Rudolf Karneth. The hardware is textbook for this maker, with the hinge and catch plates still held in place with the original crimps. The banjo pin is functional, and the three aluminum rivets for the eagle are nice and tight. There is no sign of repair. This RK Luftwaffe Ground Assault Badge is a scarce and sought-after variant. This one is in excellent plus condition, and would be tough to upgrade.

Historical Description: In the early days of WWII, the German Air Force had few units intended to serve as infantry. As the war progressed, and especially after the disastrous first winter on the Eastern Front, more and more Luftwaffe personnel were being engaged in ground combat on the front lines. To recognize the combat experience of these soldiers, Luftwaffe chief Hermann Goering introduced the Luftwaffe Ground Assault Badge on March 31, 1942. The badge had been designed by Sigmund von Weech and featured a Luftwaffe eagle and swastika emblem atop a wreath, within which was a storm cloud striking the earth with a bolt of lightning. Those Luftwaffe soldiers who had previously been awarded German Army ground combat badges such as the Infantry Assault Badge, General Assault Badge or Panzer Assault Badge, were to exchange them for the new Luftwaffe badge. To earn this badge, Luftwaffe soldiers had to survive three ground combat actions on three separate days, be wounded in a ground combat action, or to have earned another decoration in such an action. Luftwaffe soldiers killed in ground combat were to receive the award posthumously. Personnel who could receive this award included paratroopers, members of the Luftwaffe Field Divisions, assault gun crews, and even Flak crews tasked with using their anti-aircraft guns against ground targets. On some of these badges, mostly early versions, the Luftwaffe eagle is a separate piece, riveted on. Later in the war, the eagle was most often integral to the badge.

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