# Did WWII glider pilots get wings? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 21, 2017, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-wwii-glider-pilots-get-wings/789499 "2017-06-21T02:36:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![chacoguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/50afbb/32.png) [@chacoguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chacoguy)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2017, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-wwii-glider-pilots-get-wings/789499/1 "2017-06-21T02:36:13Z")
On their uniforms? ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2017, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-wwii-glider-pilots-get-wings/789499/2 "2017-06-21T02:39:20Z")
Sure, with a really cool glider in the middle. [https://www.google.com.sa/search?q=us+army+glider+badge&safe=strict&rlz=1C1CHZL\_enSA708SA708&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiP-sOQ9M3UAhXKIsAKHUyqC0oQ\_AUICigB&biw=1392&bih=708&safe=high](https://www.google.com.sa/search?q=us+army+glider+badge&safe=strict&rlz=1C1CHZL_enSA708SA708&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiP-sOQ9M3UAhXKIsAKHUyqC0oQ_AUICigB&biw=1392&bih=708&safe=high) Which brings to mind the move to have Drone Wings. Their ought to be a design contest. ---
**Author:** ![Goosie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@Goosie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Goosie)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2017, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-wwii-glider-pilots-get-wings/789499/3 "2017-06-21T02:46:19Z")
Yes they did have wings. In the 1960’s the father of one of my friends let us see his WW2 uniform, and he had glider pilot’s wings on them. He flew CG-4A gliders in Europe and participated in D-Day. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2017, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-wwii-glider-pilots-get-wings/789499/4 "2017-06-21T11:47:38Z")
> [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](#): > > Sure, with a really cool glider in the middle. [us army glider badge - Google Search](https://www.google.com.sa/search?q=us+army+glider+badge&safe=strict&rlz=1C1CHZL_enSA708SA708&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiP-sOQ9M3UAhXKIsAKHUyqC0oQ_AUICigB&biw=1392&bih=708&safe=high) > > Which brings to mind the move to have Drone Wings. Their ought to be a design contest. Too late. “Drone” wings (properly RPA = Remotely Piloted Aircraft wings) already exist: [U.S. Air Force aeronautical rating - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Air_Force_aeronautical_rating#RPA_Pilot_ratings) The image link that Paul provided mostly finds the rounded wings worn by troops who were trained to ride into combat aboard gliders. That was still a very ballsy thing to do, but is different from the OP’s question which was about the badge for guys who flew the gliders into combat. For the OP and others, this page [Obsolete badges of the United States military - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obsolete_badges_of_the_United_States_military) has the whole history of obsolete US military badges. The section on the USAAF has all sorts of cool ones: balloon pilot, airship pilot, aerial gunner, bombardier, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2017, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-wwii-glider-pilots-get-wings/789499/5 "2017-06-21T12:57:13Z")
Obviously the design committee went home early. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2017, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-wwii-glider-pilots-get-wings/789499/6 "2017-06-21T13:25:55Z")
> [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](#): > > Sure, with a really cool glider in the middle. [us army glider badge - Google Search](https://www.google.com.sa/search?q=us+army+glider+badge&safe=strict&rlz=1C1CHZL_enSA708SA708&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiP-sOQ9M3UAhXKIsAKHUyqC0oQ_AUICigB&biw=1392&bih=708&safe=high) > > . So ---- they get wings. They just don’t get propellors.