Naval Aviation Observer (Navigation) Badge
The Naval Aviation Observer (Navigation) Badge was a short-lived military badge of the United States Navy that was issued between March 1945 and 1947. The badge recognized naval personnel who were trained as navigators on board naval aircraft.
Also known as the Naval Aviation Observer Navigator Wings, or simply as the Naval Navigator Badge, the Naval Aviation Observer (Navigation) Badge was phased out of the Navy by 1948 in favor of the Naval Aviation Observer Badge.
In 1966 a new insignia was instituted, and by 1968 the Naval Aviation Observer Badge for officers was replaced by the Naval Flight Officer insignia. The Naval Aviation Observer insignia was then modified and granted to non-pilot/non-NFO aviation mission specialists such as in-flight Meteorologists, but with a gold circle and a gold anchor. In this form the Naval Observer Badge is still in existence, but is rarely referred to by its original name and is more commonly known as the Flight Meteorologist Badge. In the Marine Corps the badge is awarded to in-flight aircraft support personnel under its original name as the Naval Aviation Observer Badge and retains the silver circle and silver anchor.
The Naval Navigation Observer Badge was later adopted by the United States Marine Corps and, in the modern age, is known as the Marine Aerial Navigator Badge.