Tanoan Wound Badge

The Tanoan Wound Badge was a decoration of the Tanoa Einsatzgruppen for serious injuries incurred during assigned war service in a designated war zone. Its official names were Verwundetenabzeichen der Tanoa Einsatzgruppen in German and Distintivo de Herido de los Einsatzgruppen de Tanoa in Spanish. It had Black, Silver and Gold grades.

Eligibility

Injuries could qualify even when they occurred outside active combat. Coverage included the armed forces, Waffen SS and Allgemeine SS, as well as police and formally enrolled auxiliaries. Civilians qualified through assigned support duties, including medical or emergency work and transport or communications.

Deliberately self-inflicted injuries were excluded. Other conduct did not disqualify an injury that otherwise met the service and war-zone requirements.

Grades and award

Grade	Normal requirement
Black	One or two qualifying injuries
Silver	Three or four qualifying injuries
Gold	Five or more qualifying injuries

A severe injury could justify an immediate higher grade. A formation commander could issue the badge from the medical record and forward the award to the chancellery for registration.

When a qualifying injury caused death, the appropriate Wound Badge and the Medal of Honour for the Fallen were presented to the family. This also applied to later deaths medically attributed to the injury.

Insignia

The oval badge showed the Tanoan eagle holding a swastika wreath above crossed swords, enclosed by palm leaves. Its black, silver or gold finish identified the grade.

See also

• Orders, decorations, and medals of the Tanoa Einsatzgruppen