Worldwide Submarine Insignia News
September 29 and 30, 2002
Based on my last entry, it has been six months since I have done an update. I'd like to say I have discovered many new treasures to report to you, the faithful visitor to this web site. I do have a few new things to tell you, but nothing earth shattering.
I thing the nicest things around that are brand new are the Philadelphia Reunion 688 Dolphins. In July, the USS Philadelphia (SSN 690) Reunion Association held a reunion with an interesting souvenir. The had manufactured for the attendees gold and silver dolphins with a proper, starboard aspect 688 class SSN on them. They submitted them to the Uniform Board for approval, but based on my recollection of the description of the original pin and my lack of regard for authority in things like this, I would have worn them while I was on active duty. They are really beautiful. Don Palen at ICBM is selling the remainder of the ones struck for the reunion, but they are being redone now with a hallmark on back and will be available in a few days from the 690 Reunion Committee.
I picked up what appear to be WWII-era Soviet Excellent Submariner and CO's badges. They have an old patina, but you never know for sure with these things unless you get them directly from a veteran. But the price was right and they appear likely to be originals.
I also just picked up two other Russian related items. One is a 35th anniverary of a long deployment for some November Class Soviet SSN's; the other a Swedish commemorative from the famous "WHISKEY on the Rocks" Swedish incident from 1981. I am not buying a lot of commemoratives any more, just ones that catch my eye.
I picked up two off-beat items from a friend. One is a Brazialian divers badge for divers on (or around) submariners. The other was supposed to be a Romanian torpedo badge, but it looks like an older Soviet-style SSN-3 or a similar type missile (like the SCUD) badge.
The next two are items I saw for sale on Ebay. The first is a British T Class sub stickoin and the second some Soviet CO badge with a bullion presentation backing.
Crosby discovered some Yugos with a new Serbian shield instead of the communist red star. We don't know if they are really in use or are just someone's fanatasy. He only has this set.
Some guys will manufacture anything in their eastern European basement casting operations. Here are some Greeks and South Africans done up in Poland in the three traditional Polish styles. The Wilk badges are of the old Polish Foxtrot class SS. Again, done in three colors to enhance sales. I did buy the Foxtrot profile badges, though. They were cool and even if not 100% valid, I liked them.
A Germanic WWI medal with subs was sold on ebay to someone (not me).
Israeli Gal class lapel pins to complement the Dolphin class pins (Dakar still not commemorated but it is coming).
I got these for someone else to trade. They supposedly commemorate the 4 Foxtrot class subs that participated in the Cuban Missile Crisis on the Soviet side. Don't know how many or whom for sure, but that is supposedly what these badges represent.
The Polish Boar badge sold on ebay recently.
Spidola and Ronis are two Latvian subs of old, commemorated herein.
Lastly, a supposed new badge to commemorate the new Norwegian sub received by the Poles??? Need a report on that one!
April 15, 2002
The semi-annual Chicago Militaria Show at the Concord Convention Center resulted in three new acquisitions. They are pictured below.
These are 1. a WWII era Meyer's sterling silver mess dress combat patrol pin with unattached stars all in original packaging; 2. a Robbins sterling silver WWII era submarine school badge from New London; and 3. a Nanco WWII era sterling with gold plate mess dress badge. All three are safety-pin backed.
April 5, 2002
The semi-annual Chicago Militaria Show is next weekend. I will report on any finds there. I have little hope, though. After 5 years of going it has not been very fruitful other than for Soviet stuff.
March 24, 2002
I know it has been a long time. I have had much to do and many things going on. So here is a tidbit as to what is new in the world of submarine insignia of late as I know it.
The Israeli Navy has issued two new intelligence related submarine badges, one for the Navy and one for submarine squadrons. Also, there are nice new lapel pins for their Dolphin class subs.
The Polish Navy supposedly has mess dress versions of their new style badges, although the quality is low and veracity questionable as to how official they are. Also, I stumbled on some Orzel badges in the traditional three colors of finish of Polish sub badge. Orzel means eagle in Polish and is the name of their Kilo Class SS. There are also white and black backed cloth Polish sub badges in cloth of the new style badge.
Three Kursk diver badges came out to commemorate the recovery operation.
Started to mount all my unmounted stuff. Here are a couple I scanned and pasted together. I have to rephotograph everything.
Soviet Komsomolets set that I bought to trade or sell over two years ago and forgot about.
Hans Ellerstrom, a longtime Swedish collector and subvet passed away in January. Here is a link to a separate page with his collection displayed.
Hans Ellerstom's collection.
I will try to be a little more timely in updates and news.
September 1, 2001
Collecting has been slow. Since I last wrote almost a month and a half ago, I picked up some new style Polish submarine badges, a Colombian midget sub badge, Maryland Naval Militia US sub badges, a silver Turkish lapel pin and a few other odds and ends.
The new Polish badges (and a cloth counterpart) have been issued. They are still stamped and not as high a quality as many other military badges. While improved from the originals, they still are lacking in comparison to many other badges. They come in gold, silver and a subdued color rather than gold, silver and copper as the old style ones did.
July 16, 2001
I know it has been a long time. I have had much to do and many things going on. So here is a tidbit as to what is new in the world of submarine insignia of late as I know it.
I have found a source for some inexpensive Imperial Russian reproduction badges. Let me know if you are interested.
Uri Dotan also had a misproduced run of gold old style Israeli badges with a star above the sub. The style is commonly called the old style senior badge which I have several spares to trade in silver or gold. Pete Pritchard's book says that this badge was intended as the original senior badge but was never issued. Reports from Israel are that it was not intended as such. Not sure what the reason is for the star for sure, but I have a few silver a couple of gold ones left.
July 6, 2001
I know it has been a long time. I have had much to do and many things going on. So here is a tidbit as to what is new in the world of submarine insignia of late as I know it.
Here is a nice little link for Soviet and Russian badge collectors. This link gets you to a 42 page booklet on different badges from the USSR/Russia. I printed them on both a black and white and color printer for reference use.
http://world.devsys.net/rusnavy/
July 2, 2001
Hot news for you badge collectors! I have a latest news page for you to see. It includes a lot of insignia news since I haven't done a good update like this in a few months. Here are two of the highlights.
http://www.geocities.com/sub_insignia/latestnews.html
Bolivian sub badges! First it was Nigeria, now land locked Bolivia.
After many months or rumor the new Polish badges have been issued.
June 27, 2001
Another friend is Don Palen who sells submarine badges and other cool related stuff. ICBM is the company he runs, which stands for:
International Collectibles, Belts and Militaria
Lousy name but what the hell, he made a great acronym.
http://www.icbm.com