BACKGROUND: The original "Flying Tigers" were stationed in Free China and consisted of an American Volunteer Group (AVG), put together by then retired USAAF, Captain Claire L. Chennault. In the span of their seven month operation they participated in more than fifty battles over China, Burma, Thailand and French Indo China destroying at least 299 Japanese planes with another 153 unconfirmed. They never recorded a single defeat and only lost a total of 12 fighter in combat. The nickname "Flying Tigers" was derived from the shark-tooth design that was painted to the nose of their aircraft. The AVG was disbanded on the 4th of July, 1942, and was replaced first by the China Air Task Force and then the 14th Air Force "Flying Tigers", that was activated on the 1st of November, 1943, and commanded by the now General Claire L. Chennault. Of Note: Orange and blue were the colors of the Army Air Force and the star was the symbol that was used to mark aircraft in the early stages of the war.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: A felt, theater made bullion badge measuring approximately 7cm in diameter. The badge depicts the image of an orange, white and black, winged tiger, beneath the American five-pointed, silver-white star with a red circle to its center on a blue background.