Posted on May 31, 2014
Have you ever seen anyone wearing a Glider badge?
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Have you ever seen anyone wearing a Glider badge? How many Soldiers could you ask before receiving the correct answer without the help of a search engine?
Posted in these groups: 
Badges
Military History
Badges Military History
Posted 10 y ago
Responses: 491
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I am a WW11 VETERAN who was commissioned in 1949 and assigned to the 82d Airborne Division Engineer Battalion that required Airborne training which at that time included Glider training . I am proud and grateful for having had the opportunity to serve our Country for29 years'. I am 91 years old.
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1SG Mitchell Smith
Col, my absolute pleasure meeting you. After that many years and a WW11 vet we can only SALUTE and Gods speed!
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Cpl Delray Graves
My grandfather that raised me was a WWII Veteran. Best man I’ve ever known. You were in great company sir! Thank you for making our country the finest on earth!
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This is a Glider badge from World War II, although the U.S. Army did "use glider-borne troops in military exercises as late as 1949" (Wikipedia article). The only man I ever met (c. 1973) that was awarded the Glider badge was LTC Billy R. Eidson (now deceased). LTC Eidson was the original commander of the 4th SF Support Battalion, 20th SFG(A) when it was organized, effective OCT72 and served in that capacity until sometime in 1974. Former enlisted, he was a big, daunting and scary man!
SGT (Join to see), 1LT John Martin, CPT (Join to see), CPT Jacob Swartout, SGT Ben Keen, MSG Martin C. , SFC (Join to see), SPC Michael Griggs, SFC Michael Hasbun, SGT Richard H. CPT (Join to see) 1SG Mark Flowers
CW5 Jack Cardwell SFC Mark Merino LTC Roger Gaines CPT Len Griffin SGT Robert Pryor
SGT Eric Knutson, this is the only soldier I ever met that had been awarded a glider badge.
SGT (Join to see), 1LT John Martin, CPT (Join to see), CPT Jacob Swartout, SGT Ben Keen, MSG Martin C. , SFC (Join to see), SPC Michael Griggs, SFC Michael Hasbun, SGT Richard H. CPT (Join to see) 1SG Mark Flowers
CW5 Jack Cardwell SFC Mark Merino LTC Roger Gaines CPT Len Griffin SGT Robert Pryor
SGT Eric Knutson, this is the only soldier I ever met that had been awarded a glider badge.
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LTC Stephen C.
MAJ Karen Wall, I lived in New Orleans (well, Slidell really) for 2.5 years, but it was long before the WWII museum was built. I hope to get back there and see it someday!
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James Alverson
Out of all the awards and accommodations my father in law Command Sergeant Major Guy Mitchell received he was most proud of his glider badge. Not until I researched the history of the glider badge I did not understand why he wished to be buried with it. Now I know, American warriors that wear that badge are the original bad asses. The very best of the very best owns this badge.
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COL Samuel Hinton
I only saw one soldier wearing that badge. He was the Commander of the Base Hospital at Fort Campbell, KY in the late 70's. He was in a glider unit in Europe in WWII and they were in action there. He was asked to help the Fort Campbell Museum staff when they restored an old glider that was found in a barn in KY or TN. I don't recall all the details of his glider days, but he proudly wore the badge.
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SSG Ken Steinhoff
My Grandfather before going into the Army for WW11 use to make the shipping crates for the Glider, and he told me that that Crates were more sturdier then the glider. It must have took a lot of guts to ride one of them and I have 98 jumps. And from I what I know the Glider did not get any extra pay for it.
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While serving at Kunsan AFB in Korea (62-63), my squadron commander, a captain, wore a set of pilot wings with a big "G" in the middle. said he was a glider pilot during WWII. I'll always remember it because, one night he was talking to Airman Zeleski, who was slightly intoxicated,when Zeleski pointed to the wings and asked him if that meant he was God.
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Sgt Thomas Proctor
Just a little addition. I can remember as a small child near the end of WWII standing in the yard at dusk and seeing whole squadrons of C47's, each towing a glider, fly over headed South. I still live in the same little town of Fremont, North Carolina, which is about 10 miles east of I-95, about midway between Virginia and South Carolina and about 65 miles N. of Bragg. I guess they were headed to Ft. Bragg on a practice run.
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My Father was in the 472nd FAPGB, 11th Airborne in the Phillipines in WWII. Here's the banner from the unit's last reunion. They participated in the Los Banos raid, freeing 2200 civilian POWs.
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MCPO Chuck Feeney
I would also say that I have met about 40 men, WWII Veterans, at their unit reunion who all wore the glider badge. Around 1987-88 my Dad asked me to stop by his reunion in dress blues (proud Dad of a Navy Master Chief). The funny part is that the guys who "flew" in gliders, thought I was the crazy one for spending 20 plus years in submarines. It's all a matter of perspective.
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LCDR (Join to see)
I can see the point the glider pilots were trying to make, Master Chief!! However, to each his own, and I am happy there are people who like to serve in the "silent service". My hat is off to you, sir!
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Jim Croft
Three of those Los Banos POW's that were rescued were my grandmother Selma Croft and her son William and her daughter Patty Jean who is the only one that is still living thanks to your father and his comrades! God bless them.
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These Glider wings were earned and worn by Flight Officer Clarence M Stroud, US Army Air Corps, WWII.
One of his two proud sons
One of his two proud sons
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CAPT Randy Stroud
CSM Charles Hayden need to write it all down come to think of it I am still Carrying our own hist carrying our oral history from this award. Need to write that down also.
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CSM Charles Hayden
CAPT Randy Stroud ALL of my grandchildren have read my 20 page family history. (In my presence).
My regret is that their mother only verbalized her tales of growing up in small town Vermont.
My regret is that their mother only verbalized her tales of growing up in small town Vermont.
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LTC Stephen C.
CAPT Randy Stroud, the website Together We Served is a great place to chronicle your father’s service history. I did my own profile and I also did one for my father.
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CSM Charles Hayden
LTC Stephen C. Colonel. your TWS profile page is extraordinarly well done and makes me envious!
You are to be commended for having saved so many of your records for history.
Once my retirement checks started arriving regularly, I discarded the voluminous copies of orders from yesteryear.
Thankfully, I did retain orders returning me from Korea and relieving me from assignent to the 17th Group, USAR.
My retirement orders remain ‘sorta’ private.
You are to be commended for having saved so many of your records for history.
Once my retirement checks started arriving regularly, I discarded the voluminous copies of orders from yesteryear.
Thankfully, I did retain orders returning me from Korea and relieving me from assignent to the 17th Group, USAR.
My retirement orders remain ‘sorta’ private.
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When I was stationed at Fort Bragg, we would often times have former paratroopers visit and be present at Memorial services. On special occasions they would come in to watch field exercises. I was privileged enough to meet a few who were with glider units in World War II.
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Cpl Michael Mead
Cpl Michael Mead Not being a dick or anything just that once you've earned the title it's yours for life. Just as I will forever be a Marine. Just no longer on active duty.
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On a side bar for this, just a thought (please think this through) The glider is a very low vis item at night, with no sound on approch, and will deploy a group intact to a certain point. I would be surprised if it has any radar cross section either. I will admit that for large scale ops this would be a very bad idea, but for Spec Ops troops to use to get in closer and never need to get one of our planes in position over enemy territory. no markings on them, canvas burns and they can even (if desired) bring a sand buggy with them for egress. Spec Ops is unconventional warfare, just because it is an old trick does not mean that it would not work. I can see a FEW possible uses for them, maybe we should consider bringing them back for a limited use?
Peoples thoughts please
Peoples thoughts please
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SGT Eric Knutson
CW2 (Join to see) - not saying otherwise, the point I was making was that a glider can ALSO deliver a dune buggy, or some ATV's as well. I am long out of that game myself, but the point was for thinking in available lines
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CW2 (Join to see)
SGT Eric Knutson they're droppable w/GPS guided chutes. 75th jumps with pocket motorbikes strapped to the individual soldier if necessary
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SGT Eric Knutson
CW2 (Join to see) - ok, like I said, I have been out for a really long time, so other techniqes have come available, but at the same time, I also trained for a no electronic spectrum battlefield, so I am automaticly wary of GPS and other things that rely on electronics.
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CW2 (Join to see)
SGT Eric Knutson and thats fine, and why I'm letting you know we have methods that far surpass what a glider would provide.
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And until the Army went to the beret in 2001, we still wore the glider patch on our garrison caps.
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SGT Eric Hawkins
I will look for some. I'm not sure if I have any pictures of me with my garrison cap on. Honestly, I took the patch off and let my daughter wear it in a school program years ago. Lol
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SSG Edward Tilton
SPC Robert Coventry - IT WAS WORN LIKE THAT
I just found this picture while cruising the web, I don't have any other info
I just found this picture while cruising the web, I don't have any other info
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I would guess that glider badges were awarded in WWII - that's without Googling it. Somewhere along the line, during my time in the 82d, I heard stories about WWII gliders.
So, you'd probably have to ask a lot of Soldiers to get the real deal. I doubt anyone on active duty now is authorized to wear a glider badge. I'll caveat that by saying that I obviously could be wrong. One guy you could ask is Harold Billow. He may not have earned the badge, but I'll bet he knows about it:
https://www.rallypoint.com/answers/event-overview-harold-w-billow-united-states-army-world-war-ii-veteran-malmedy-massacre-survivor
So, you'd probably have to ask a lot of Soldiers to get the real deal. I doubt anyone on active duty now is authorized to wear a glider badge. I'll caveat that by saying that I obviously could be wrong. One guy you could ask is Harold Billow. He may not have earned the badge, but I'll bet he knows about it:
https://www.rallypoint.com/answers/event-overview-harold-w-billow-united-states-army-world-war-ii-veteran-malmedy-massacre-survivor
Event Overview: Harold W. Billow, United States Army, World War II Veteran, Malmedy Massacre...
Dear RallyPointers, Last night I had the honor of being in the presence of Harold W. Billow, United States Army, World War II Veteran, Malmedy Massacre Survivor. (Reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malmedy_massacre) Harold is 92 years old, and sharp as a knife. He told an amazing story of his ordeal, and moved the crowd many times. He also managed to make us all smile and laugh. Quite an amazing guy. Harold Billow was a member of Battery...
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LTC Stephen C.
SGM Douglas Vidakovich, this article (I realize it's Wikipedia!) indicates that glider training ceased in 1949 after a training incident resulted in numerous deaths.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glider_Badge
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glider_Badge
The Glider Badge was a qualification badge of the United States Army. According to the U.S. Army Institute of Heraldry, the badge was awarded to personnel who had "been assigned or attached to a glider or airborne unit or to the Airborne Department of the Infantry School; satisfactorily completed a course of instruction, or participated in at least one combat glider mission into enemy-held territory.[1] The badge was authorized on 22 July...
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