Henry
Mayer's Port Moresby's Micro History: Insignia and Badges
The badges shown here are mostly American.The two pilots
wing one of which (silver) appears to be civilian were dug up
together with 6 other officer type (US Army Air Force) and lt badges,
coin, buttons
and buckles at Durand
Airfield.
The silver Paratrooper wings were found on the sea end
of jacksons airport runway around old australian fortifications. Like
quite a few of
the Captain, Lt bars and "eagle", buttons its australian made (for
the US Army)
The U.S. 135 wis badge belongs to the 135th medical regt (presumably
from wisconsin) which was based on the farm i grew up on 17 miles
outside Morseby below Sogeri plateau.
The officers eagle at l.h top was dug up on n.east side
of Jacksons less than a km from where the old dakotas were kept. I also
dug up a compass, 2x W/O
bars, 3 x 2nd Lieutenant bars, and two officer AAF badges. Like so many other
cases i was just in time as there is now a civil aviation housing estate
on this spot.
The two quartermaster badges were found at a former
q.m.c supply depot at gerehu (once called wallaby ordnance dump) suburb
.There are now houses and a
Pub built on this spot. All the artillery badges were found at 13 mile and eroded inscription
on a cement foundation, confirms that a artillery detachment was once
stationed there.
Four of the a.a.f w/o bars along with 80% of the a.a.f
badges come from Morata Hill near Wards Drome. Most (90%) of the Lieutenant, 2nd Lieutenant bars have been found at
Morata Hill and Durand Drome.
The three silver plated capt bars which have a dark
appearance due to having been exposed to flames sometime in the
past were dug up together at durand
along with buttons, coins, U.S. + AAF badge, vaseline lip-ice lotion
stick and the yellow rotted remains of a mae west vest at durand.
The two ordnance badges came from both durand and morata hill near Wards Drome. The star, Cavalry H.Q,US11, sword and most of the or eagle cap badges came from Durand Drome. The engineer, US98 and indian? crossed daggers badges and officers eagle
(at center) were found at 13 mile.