That was a very interesting video!   It reminded me to my first trip to Normandy in the jeep with my dad in June 2004. We would drive over the D514 coastal road all the time, daily passing Omaha Beach and I remember one of the times we would stop there it was very quiet, with almost no-one around which is very uncommon around that time. We went to the Memorial obelisk of the 1st Infantry Division which is on top of the cliffs above Omaha Beach, and there was an American veteran, visiting with his daughter and grand-daughter. We got to talk with him, and he showed us where he landed and the route he took with his platoon up the cliffs, how they would get around and knock out some of the bunkers and where a few men of his unit were killed, all on a very casual tone.   He had a lunch booked with his family at a nearby restaurant, and we offered to drive him there in the jeep. He gladly accepted, so we drove him there with his family following in their rental car. He posed for some photo's, we exchanged addresses and he went inside.   His daughter then came to us and told us that this was the first time she heard the things he had just casually told us back at the beach, he had never talked about it before, to anyone in the family. She was absolutely flabbergasted, and so were we.   Afterwards we exchanged a few letters, and we sent him prints of the photo's below. Eventually the contact waned, but that is one experience I will never forget!                  

Found on ebay for $10. Sweetheart size. It looks like there was suppose to be a hallmark but it got smeared in the stamping process.

The First Badge of the American Veterans of Foreign Service. This is from the VFW history files at National HQ. In 1938 William Hamilton was asked to write what he knew of Henry Lawton Camp #1, AVFS Columbus, OH.    In the letter he desribes and includes a hand drawn picture of the Membership Badge that he designed, he goes on to say that due to the cost none were made except for the one he made himself and presented to the Camp... If only this was sitting in a collection somewhere, I'm sure it is lost to history.    Also included here is a newspaper clipping from 1900, with a description of the badge that loosly aligns with the picture drawn by Hamilton. The paper credits Hamilton with the design as well.   Bobby Welch National Historian Veterans of Foreign Wars    

Nice Blackington NA wing!   Looking at the pictures, I think I am more of the opinion that your initial assessment was correct.  It really does look like something was obliterated.  Who knows what it might have been?  Maybe his girlfriend's name?  Maybe some kid got ahold of it and scratched his or her initials?  In the 100 or so years this badge has been around, there is no telling where it's been.   Regardless nice early era wing and as Norm Flayderman used to say, "Shows great character!"   Chris

Hat is an American WW1 Officers Hat with Enlisted 12th Cavalry Hat badge on it. They whole thing looks period and I would have picked it up. 

I do not know the history of this UVL Color Bearer badge, based on the dimensions of the suspension bar and the pendant, I would speculate that the ribbon is not original to the piece.  Ribbon notwithstanding, this is the first time I have ever seen this design for either the bar, or the pendant.  

Filmed just a few days ago (19-20 April, 2025), the footage is absolutely fantastic. Two separate videos (Dives 06 & 07) at this youtube channel:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3BGZJB1sHYI&t=21812s&ab_channel=OkeanosRedux       

I did my first active duty assignment with 2/72 Armor at Camp Casey from April 2001 - April 2002. We were warned local thieves that could easily sneak into assembly areas to steal equipment. Please pardon the insensitive name, but for historical context they were known as, "slicky boy." I heard lots of stories of sensitive items being stolen including night vision equipment and weapons. It was said there were open-air markets where this stuff would be sold. The common belief was that if you had missing items that needed to be returned to CIF, you could go to this market to buy your replacements. I would say the odd looking person pulling the jet is intended to represent a thieving, "slicky boy."

Thanks... for some reason this clip is not playing on my computer. My Dad took movies of Iran, Cairo, Nairobi, Brazzaville, Lagos, etc during the war, too.

Incredible footage!