WWII Submarine Combat Insignia badge. The Combat Insignia badge was instituted by the Navy in 1943 to recognize submariners of all ranks who had participated in successful combat patrols (usually designated as a patrol during which one or more enemy ships was sunk). The badge itself was the award for the first successful patrol, and a gold star was awarded and added to the badge for each additional successful patrol. This example has three gold stars so represents four successful patrols, a high number! The badge is unmarked and uses clutch pins (the clutches are missing), so it was probably produced late in the war, or slightly after for a WWII veteran. Condition II