The various balloon pilot badges of the

United States Armed Forces The United States Armed Forces are the Military, military forces of the United States. U.S. United States Code, federal law names six armed forces: the United States Army, Army, United States Marine Corps, Marine Corps, United States Navy, Na ...

are military badges created between 1918 and 1922. The badges recognized qualified airship/dirigible and

observation balloon An observation balloon is a type of balloon that is employed as an aerial platform for gathering intelligence and spotting artillery. The use of observation balloons began during the French Revolutionary Wars, reaching their zenith during World ...

pilots. Such badges were issued by the

U.S. Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of the United Stat ...

and the

U.S. Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is one of the six United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Tracing its origins to 1 ...

as the "Balloon Pilot Badge" and "Airship Pilot Badge." Additionally, the

U.S. Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest displacement, at 4.5 million tons in 2021. It has the world's largest aircraft ...

issued the "Balloon Pilot Insignia" (occasionally referred to as the "dirigible pilot insignia").

United States Army and Air Force

Originally known as the Aeronaut Badge, the Balloon Pilot Badge was created in 1918 and awarded to pilots of military

s. The badge consisted of a balloon centered on a standard

Pilot's Badge An aviator badge is an insignia used in most of the world's militaries to designate those who have received training and qualification in military aviation. Also known as a pilot's badge, or pilot wings, the aviator badge was first conceived to re ...

and was issued in two degrees. The senior degree of the Aeronaut Badge was denoted by a star centered above the winged balloon. The Aeronaut Badge was awarded under the authority of the

United States Army Air Service The United States Army Air Service (USAAS)Craven and Cate Vol. 1, p. 9 (also known as the ''"Air Service"'', ''"U.S. Air Service"'' and before its legislative establishment in 1920, the ''"Air Service, United States Army"'') was the aerial warf ...

and the

United States Army Air Corps The United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) was the aerial warfare service component of the United States Army between 1926 and 1941. After World War I, as early aviation became an increasingly important part of modern warfare, a philosophical ri ...

until the mid-1930s. The badge was then redesignated the Balloon Pilot Badge and, during the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

(WWII), was issued by the

Army Air Forces The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...

. Like its predecessor, the Balloon Pilot Badge was issued in junior and senior degrees. USAAF - Balloon Observer Badge

The Army Air Forces also issued a Balloon Observer Badge for those who served as co-pilots and support crew on board military balloon craft. In 1921 the Army authorized the "Airship Pilot Badge" to specifically recognize airship pilots (as opposed to other types of

lighter-than-air A lifting gas or lighter-than-air gas is a gas that has a density lower than normal atmospheric gases and rises above them as a result, making it useful in lifting lighter-than-air aircraft. Only certain lighter-than-air gases are suitable as lift ...

craft). The badge was similar to the Balloon Pilot Badge, replacing the central observation balloon with the side-profile of the RN-1, a French-built airship. Due to the aircraft technology advances of the 1940s, balloon aeronautics became militarily obsolete by the 1950s. The Airship Pilot Badge was discontinued in 1940 and the Balloon Pilot Badge was discontinued by the nascent U.S. Air Force in the 1950s; however, the slightly modified version of the basic balloon pilot badge is still issued by the U.S. Air Force Auxiliary's

Civil Air Patrol Civil Air Patrol (CAP) is a Congressional charter, congressionally chartered, federally supported Nonprofit corporation, non-profit corporation that serves as the official civilian auxiliaries, auxiliary of the United States Air Force (USAF). CA ...

United States Navy

The Balloon Pilot Insignia (sometimes referred to as the balloon pilot badge, dirigible pilot insignia, or dirigible pilot badge) was a military decoration of the U.S. Navy and

U.S. Marine Corps The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines or simply the Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is responsible for conducting expeditionary ...

that was issued to those service members who received training and qualification as dirigible pilots. The badge first appeared in Navy Uniform Regulations in 1922, during which time the Navy was experimenting with

craft, as opposed to conventional,

fixed-wing aircraft A fixed-wing aircraft is a heavier-than-air aircraft, such as an airplane, which is capable of flight using aerodynamic lift. Fixed-wing aircraft are distinct from rotary-wing aircraft (in which a rotor mounted on a spinning shaft generate ...

.Evolution of Naval Wings
, Naval History and Heritage Command, last accessed 17 January 2013Complete Guide to United States Marine Corps Medals, Badges and Insignia World War II to Present
Medals of America, last accessed 17 January 2013 The Balloon Pilot Insignia was issued well into the 1970s, with occasional awards, on a case-by-case basis, to the end of the 20th century. The 1978 U.S. Navy Uniform Regulations removed the Balloon Pilot Insignia from the authorized list of aviation breast insignia. Although the insignia is considered obsolete, it may still be found on various insignia and badge charts promulgated through U.S. Navy instructions and publications. The Balloon Pilot Insignia appears as a "half-wing" version of the

Naval Aviator Insignia A naval aviator is a commissioned officer or warrant officer qualified as a crewed aircraft pilot in the United States Navy or United States Marine Corps. United States Coast Guard crewed aircraft pilots are officially designated as "Coast Guard ...

. Its design was based on early versions of the Observer Badge.

References

{{Reflist United States military badges

United States Army and Air Force

United States Navy

See also

References