BACKGROUND: Prior to the war, (Circa 1935), the Luftwaffe, (Air-Force), had established the Marinefliegerverbände, (Naval Aviation Units/Formation), consisting of both air-borne and sea-borne units under the command of Befehlshaber der Marinefliegerverbände und Inspektor der Seeflieger, (Commander of the Naval Aviation Units and Inspector of Naval Aviation. Naval Aviation Units personnel consisted of regular Luftwaffe personnel and additional civilian personnel. The civilian personnel were not granted the status of soldiers or officials but were considered members of the Wehrmacht Gefolge, (Armed Forces Retinue), classified as civilian Angestellte, (Employees), holding positions equivalent to Officer’s and NCO’s and, Arbeiter, (Workers), holding positions equivalent to enlisted personnel. The Naval Aviation branch of service consisted of assorted types of units that included Seestaffeln/Bordfliegerstaffeln, (See Squadrons/On-Board Flight Squadrons), Küstenfliegerstaffeln, (Coastal Flight Squadrons), Flugbetriebsboote, (Flight/Air Service Vessels), Versorgungsboote, (Supply Vessels), and Seenotdienst, (Sea Rescue/Emergency Service), among others. The civilian personnel of the Naval Aviation Units were outfitted with navy blue uniforms including visor caps that were styled after merchant marine and Kriegsmarine, (War Navy), uniforms, with specific, identifying, insignia. The civilian, Naval Aviation Units personnel’s visor cap insignia was issued in both gilt and silver and it is speculated that the gilt insignia was intended for personnel holding "Officer’s" or nautical positions while the silver insignia was intended for personnel holding "Enlisted" or technical positions.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Roughly 55mm tall and 140mm wide, Luftwaffe Maritime personnel’s visor cap insignia. Featuring two, diagonally angled, crossed anchors surmounted by a canted swastika and flanked by extended horizontal wings. Machine embroidered on a dark blue/black wool backing. Rare Luftwaffe Maritime personnel’s visor cap insignia.