Original Item: Only One Available. This is an excellent unissued condition example of a very scarce Airborne Paratrooper Flag Armband. This type of armband was typically used by U.S. Paratroopers, for example in North Africa (1942), during the D-Day invasion in Normandy (June 1944) and during Operation Market Garden (September 1944). The armband was typically fixed to the uniform jacket arm with safety pins.

This is the third type of Arm flag, which was printed as an armband on a kind of sturdy paper stock resembling wallpaper, called oilcloth. This is a semi-waterproof material also called "lacquered cloth" and "American Cloth". It has punch holes and originally came with two safety pins, although this example is missing both. This example measures 17½ x 4”.

Condition is simply extraordinary. This flag shows no signs of ever having been used or attached to a uniform. There is no wear at all to the flag, just some age toning and cracking in the finish. This one is in amazing unissued condition, and has never been folded! The punched holes are all in good shape, with 3 of the holes still retaining their inserts. There is some brown staining on both sets of holes but the armband is otherwise perfect.

This type was issued for the Southern France, Holland and Rhine jumps and was worn as an armband or cut or folded and pinned to the sleeve. 509th PIR troopers during Operation Dragoon wore their flags on the left sleeve.

There are two variations of this type of armflag, and you will mostly find both described as printed on oilcloth. This is true for the second type, which has a hemmed edge all around, but which is otherwise identical in pattern and size.

Comes ready for further research and display. Don’t miss it!