Great Japan Air Defense Association: Undescribed variation of Merit Badge

[JapanX]

As we know Air Defense Association issued badges for its members in the following classes

• Supporting member badge
  

• Regular member badge
  

• Special member badge
  

• Merit badge
  

Of course the most interesting and beautiful badge among this group is Merit (Meritorious) Member Badge (this badge described in Paul Murphy and Steven Ackley book “In the name of Living God”, page 44 as Meritorious Member Badge). I think that this badge had two grades.

Let’s talk about that.

[JapanX]

Pre 1943 specimens have higher quality (they are made in semi-noble alloy (judging by the patina) and have hot enamel) than later ones (they are made in aluminum alloy and painted).

Early badge obverse/reverse

[JapanX]

Enamel quality close up

[JapanX]

Later badge obverse/reverse (please pay special attention to the pin!)

Edited April 4, 2012 by JapanX

[JapanX]

Another example of later badge

Edited April 4, 2012 by JapanX

[JapanX]

Both (early and later) badges are found in grey navy blue boxes with green cushions.

Here we have several examples of such boxes.

Box 1

Edited April 4, 2012 by JapanX

[JapanX]

Box 2

[JapanX]

And now something different – same badge, but with different colors (decorative elements between rays change their color from yellow to red), different color of the box and different inscriptions on the box and on reverse of the badge.

[JapanX]

Box cover

Edited April 4, 2012 by JapanX

[JapanX]

In the box

[JapanX]

Obverse/reverse

[JapanX]

Another badge obverse/reverse

[JapanX]

Box covers comparison

[JapanX]

Reverse inscriptions comparison

[JapanX]

Well I think that this “red” badge is higher class of merit badge.

Two additional kanji (on top of right column) means Special.

So Merit badge with red enamel must be Special Merit badge

Cheers,

Nick

Edited April 4, 2012 by JapanX

[Paul L Murphy]

I agree, this is a higher class of Special Meritorious Member badge. A very nice find, I have never seen one of these before.