SD diver badge

[Anjoucollector]

Good afternoon,

could you help to identify precisely this US badge ?

Thank you

Laurent

[sailorbear]

Hi, I believe it is for Salvage Diver. I have several of these in my collection marked with (2) which I believe is Second Class Diver, (M) Master Diver, (SD) Salvage Diver and and a plain one with no designation which I don't know what it represents, I think there is also (UDT) for Underwater Demolition Team. I believe these badges are no longer worn in the US Navy.

Regards

Tony

[enfant perdus]

Scuba Diver, for wear on the whites

A helmet with no numbers or letters would be pre-1944. In that year marks were added for Diver 2nd Class (2) and Salvage Diver (S), necesitating a mark for Diver 1st Class (1). Master Diver (M) was, I believe, previously established. Later marks added would be Deep Water (D) and Scuba Diver (SD). All were gradually made obsolete from the early 70s.

[sailorbear]

Originally Posted by enfant perdus

Scuba Diver, for wear on the whites

A helmet with no numbers or letters would be pre-1944. In that year marks were added for Diver 2nd Class (2) and Salvage Diver (S), necessitating a mark for Diver 1st Class (1). Master Diver (M) was, I believe, previously established. Later marks added would be Deep Water (D) and Scuba Diver (SD). All were gradually made obsolete from the early 70s.

Interesting! Always great to learn more! US diving insignia can be confusing, the current USN diving insignia of metal badges or woven examples of them, worn on the chest have no numerical or letter designation on the badge which consists of a US Navy mark 5 diving helmet with a sea horse either side, with Master Diver being represented by a reef knot and Diver Medical Technician by a caduceus (the badge being in white metal for ratings and yellow metal for officers) First class diver is a helmet with dolphins either side but no symbol on the helmet and second class diver just a plain helmet. Scuba Diver is represented by a divers head wearing an oval face mask and twin hose regulator in white metal (the same device is used by US Air Force divers in chrome and by US Coast Guard in gold). The designation "S" in the US forces is used for Salvage Diver on a diving helmet by the US Army only. Good to learn of the earlier use of diving insignia by the USN though! Everyday is a school day as they say!

[Anjoucollector]

Thank you for this very precise identification

LAURENT