US 79th Fighter Squadron DUI

[Lubo]

Hey guys,
What do you think in regards of era, or country of manufacture? It's definitely foreign made! Very high quality made, gilt metal, great patina, enamel!

[39inf]

Dui

Pin setup makes me think it is German-make.

[Lubo]

Don't look post war German to me, it's more sophisticated, more like an earlier production!
The Pin set up is more like a jewelry made than like regular (cheaper) issue!

[Gary Cain]

That pin and catch system is classic German.

Don't look post war German to me, it's more sophisticated, more like an earlier production!
The Pin set up is more like a jewelry made than like regular (cheaper) issue!

[pfrost]

I could be wrong, but it looks like the 7th FS was Pacific based, fighting in Japan and Korea, and probably didn't get to Europe until well after the KW.

I suspect that this was a locally US jeweler made item from early in WWII. Those type of "T-hinge" pins show up on higher end jewelry items as well.

[Kurt A.]

Ok. I see a "FS" and a "79" on this pin. But, beyond those intuitive clues, how was this identified as ""79th Fighter Squadron"? I can't find it in any of my references.

[RonR]

Wikipedia...

79th Fighter Squadron (79 FS)

In 1943, the 79th converted to the p38 Lightning, flying out of Northhamptonshire, England, performing duty as bomber escorts and conducting fighter sweeps over Germany.

The 79th remained at English bases throughout the war, supporting both the Normandy Invasion and the Allied drive into Germany.

The squadron returned to the states and was inactivated on 19 October 1945.

[pfrost]

Opps... I misread the post. thought it was 7th not 79th FS (fighter squadron). My bad.

[Lubo]

Hi guys, Gary, there's nothing "classic German" about the set up of the badge IMO!
Kurt, I see what you mean, I feel the same way, I just spoke the obvious, and also it came from a WWII pile of stuff!
It's 3/4 in and it's very, very high end done!
That's why we're here, more eyes - the better, hopefully someone will pop up with something!
Regards,
Lubo

[Kurt A.]

Hi guys, Gary, there's nothing "classic German" about the set up of the badge IMO!
Kurt, I see what you mean, I feel the same way, I just spoke the obvious, and also it came from a WWII pile of stuff!
It's 3/4 in and it's very, very high end done!
That's why we're here, more eyes - the better, hopefully someone will pop up with something!
Regards,
Lubo

Lubo-
It just doesn't "look" like a DUI to me.
Kurt

[pfrost]

To me, this does look a bit like the early aero squadron pins that were worn during WWI. But I don't think that they were using the term fighter squadron at that time. The 79th aero squadron was only active for about a year in 1918. It could be a later reunion piece.

[tredhed2]

Any type of HM?