Tonomachi Posted December 2, 2018 Share #1 Posted December 2, 2018 I purchased this pendant awhile ago on eBay and wasn't sure which South American country it represented. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tonomachi Posted December 2, 2018 Author Share #2 Posted December 2, 2018 A couple of months ago I was surprised to find a similar pendant at the flea market from a silver jewelry vendor. The rear hallmark of MEXICO 925 TAXCO gave me my answer as to which countries' airborne troops were wearing these pendants. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tonomachi Posted December 2, 2018 Author Share #3 Posted December 2, 2018 Back Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tonomachi Posted December 2, 2018 Author Share #4 Posted December 2, 2018 I did a little checking and confirmed that these pendants were worn by members of the Mexican Airborne forces as this pendant looks to be patterned after this obsolete beret badge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Queen Posted December 2, 2018 Share #5 Posted December 2, 2018 Very cool. Have never seen one before. Especially like the one that is named. What is the time frame on these? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tonomachi Posted December 2, 2018 Author Share #6 Posted December 2, 2018 That I don't know. What I found on the Internet was that the Mexican military decided to create a company of airborne troops in 1946 and sent their soldiers to Fort Benning, Georgia for training. I believe they were company size until they increased to battalion size in 1964. In 1969 they increased their size to a brigade. Their beret badge is different from the one in Post #4 but I have no idea when they made the switch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Queen Posted December 5, 2018 Share #7 Posted December 5, 2018 Interesting. The history seems quite similar to that of the Brazilian Paratroopers (trained at Benning, mid 40's). In 1944 Captain ROBERTO DE PESSÔA was sent to Fort Benning to complete partrooper training there. After returning to Brazil, in October of 1945, he set up a "core training for Paratroopers" course within the Army's Physical Education School. This course would evaluate additional volunteers whom would be sent to Benning for training. In December 1945, 22 officers and sergeants were sent to Benning, and a group of 13 more were sent in March of 1946 (all passed the basic parachute course). The volunteers returned to Brazil in May of 1946 and established Brazil's first military parachute school. Here is De Possa wearing the US jump wings and Brazilian Paratrooper patch (most like produced in US in 1946) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Queen Posted December 5, 2018 Share #8 Posted December 5, 2018 The patch (IMO) from that time period. There was another one of these on ebay that last couple of months but not sure if it ever sold. The only two I have seen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Queen Posted December 5, 2018 Share #9 Posted December 5, 2018 Later patch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tonomachi Posted December 12, 2018 Author Share #10 Posted December 12, 2018 I've never seen the bullion SSI for sale but I did pick up these early pieces for sale on eBay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vintageproductions Posted December 12, 2018 Share #11 Posted December 12, 2018 The patch (IMO) from that time period. There was another one of these on ebay that last couple of months but not sure if it ever sold. The only two I have seen. Here's one I have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Queen Posted December 12, 2018 Share #12 Posted December 12, 2018 Nice one Bob. The construction is slightly different but similar to mine. Would guess they were made around the same time period (would you agree mid/late 40's?) Surprised it took so long for the one on eBay to sell for $100 (if it did sell). Unfortunately I did not save a pic of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vintageproductions Posted December 12, 2018 Share #13 Posted December 12, 2018 You know Eric I am not sure on the history. It has age to it. This and about four hundred other foreign jump wings were in a huge wall display we purchased. The person who owned it had no history as he had bought it our of another building. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Queen Posted December 14, 2018 Share #14 Posted December 14, 2018 Thanks Bob. I am not sure either but based only on the materials and construction, I would GUESS it is most likely from the late 40's. Interesting that all of these (made like this in bullion) that I have seen (3) have a metal base plate and were attached to the sleeve with a pair of prongs which went through the jacket material and were bent over. They are missing on yours but you can see where they were. I think this is one of those cases where the item is super cool (appearance, history), is most likely pretty rare, but there is next to no collector interest in because I would guess most people don't know what they are. I paid $37 from mine from Bill Scott, the one that was recently on ebay sat for months at $100. Compared to other things, I would think these would be worth A LOT more. Just one of those things I guess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulR Posted December 15, 2018 Share #15 Posted December 15, 2018 Beautiful thread. Ive learned a lot. Please keep it coming. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Queen Posted December 15, 2018 Share #16 Posted December 15, 2018 Dennis, from the photos your cap badge seems to be made with materials/construction consistent with mine and Bob's shoulder patch. I would bet they were made at the same time by the same company. Does the cap badge also have a metal base plate under the wool? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vintageproductions Posted December 15, 2018 Share #17 Posted December 15, 2018 Here is the rest of the insignia that came with the patch. Found them because I was looking for my Mexican airborne pendant..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vintageproductions Posted December 15, 2018 Share #18 Posted December 15, 2018 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Queen Posted December 19, 2018 Share #19 Posted December 19, 2018 I found a pic of the one recently offered on eBay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vintageproductions Posted January 8, 2019 Share #20 Posted January 8, 2019 Dennis & Eric- Finally found my Mexican airborne pendant. It's about an inch and a half and very heavy. Silver content is marked 925 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Queen Posted January 8, 2019 Share #21 Posted January 8, 2019 Cool piece. I wonder where that fits in time wise compared to the OP's pieces. Completely different design. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Queen Posted January 16, 2019 Share #22 Posted January 16, 2019 A couple more photos of the Brazilian patch in wear (reference photos from eBay, not mine) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Queen Posted January 16, 2019 Share #23 Posted January 16, 2019 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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