2.8 by 3.5 inches
This Marine Corps patch has been listed in past issues of the
TP as the 4th Div. and also called by some collectors as the 4th
Marine Bob Wing. Well after long research I found it to be the
4th Marine Base Defense Air Wing. And was one of the first to be
authorized by the Commandant Gen. T. Holcomb on March 15,
1943 in a letter of instruction 372.
The 4th MBDAW was formed Aug. 22, 1942 at Ewa and
charged with providing alr defense for boser, search and patrol,
air-sea rescue, and shipping escorts. And because Its mission
had soon changed from defensive to offensive it
was
redesignated to the 4th Marine Air Wing, in Nov 1944 and the
Base Defense was dropped and they went to the regular Air Wing
type patch. At the time this patch was authorized the 4th
MBDAW was Commanded by Brig. Gen. Thomas J. Cushman.
