USAAF Blue Wool Combat Box Patch worn behind the wings

USAAF blue combat box wool patch, these was worn behind the USAAF wings to signify active combat status.

In WW2 the United States Army Air Force (U.S.A.A.F.) introduced a directive for flight crew to wear a blue wool rectangle behind the pilot wings (or other qualification wings like navigator, bombardier, flight engineer or gunner wings). This was to signify that the person was on active combat service and it was to distinguish them from personnel not on combat missions, the blue rectangle was often called the blue combat box.

This seems to be worn throughout the UK based USAAF crews including the 8th Air Force, although not all active crew members wore they blue box on their dress uniforms.
It would have been worn on behind the wings on the left hand chest of the A class dress tunics on both the 4 pocket and short Ike jacket.

These are blue wool rectangles measuring approximately 9 x 3.5cm with a sewn edge, the pilots wings are not included the price is just for the blue wool combat patch.