Military Infantry Division Patches 5

Divisions either organized before or during World War I did not use the designation "infantry."  The re-designation of these divisions as infantry came sometime after World War I when the divisions' structure was reorganized to include specialists in a wide variety of functions.  A standard infantry division of the World War II era, for example, was designed for open warfare and, consequently, a pool of motor transport and artillery were assigned to them.  It was this combined-arms formation that gained permanent status.  Specialized combat or logistical support was provided by corps and army-level units.  Beside the infantry division, motorized and airborne divisions were formed as well as a light (truck) division, a light (jungle) division, and a mountain division.  The airborne division was initially a miniature version of the infantry division with the addition of a small antiaircraft battalion, one parachute, and two glider regiments.

Information extracted from the book "US ARMY PATCHES"  by Barry Jason Stein

USED BY PERMISSION

40th Inf Div

Worn from:  23 November 1918 - 22 May 1968.

Re-designated as the Fortieth Infantry Brigade.  Worn from:  22 May 1968 - 29 January 1974.

Re-designated  as the Fortieth Infantry Division.  Worn from:  29 January 1974 - Current.

The design alludes to California where the division was originally organized in 1917 at Camp Kearny.  The sun upon a blue field alludes to the sky and the Pacific Ocean.

Campaigns:  World War I, World War II (Bismarck Archipelago, Luzon, Southern Philippines), Korean War (Second Winter, Summer-Fall 1952, Third Winter, Summer 1953).

Decorations:  Philippine Presidential Unit Citation (streamer embroidered 17 October 1944 - 4 July 1945), Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation (streamer embroidered Korea 1952 - 1954).

40th Inf Div2

40th Inf Div3

40th Inf Div4

41st Inf Bde

Worn from:  28 December 1918 - 31 December 1945.

Re-designated as the Forty-first Infantry Brigade -- Second Design.  Worn from:  13 June 1969 - Current.

The Forty-first Division was the predecessor of this unit.  The division was organized from the National Guard of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Wyoming in September 1917 at Camp Greene, North Carolina.  It was known as the Sunset Division, and its members wore as their distinguishing device a sun setting over the blue waters of the Pacific.

Campaigns:  World War I, World War II (New Guinea, Luzon, Southern Philippines).

Decorations:  Philippine Presidential Unit Citation (streamer embroidered 17 October 1944 - 4 July 1945).

42nd Inf Div

Worn from:  29 October 1918 - Current.

The Forty-second Infantry Division is known as the Rainbow Division because personnel from twenty-six states originally formed the division when it was organized in September 1917 at Camp Mills, New York as the Forty-second Division.

Campaigns:  World War I (Champagne-Marne, Aisne-Marne, St.-Mihiel, Meuse-Argonne, Champagne 1918, Lorraine 1918), World War II (Rhineland, Ardennes-Alsace, Central Europe).

43rd Inf Div

Worn from:  21 March 1925 - 24 February 1941.

43rd Inf Bde

Worn from:  15 March 1923 - 15 June 1954.

Re-designated as the Forty-third Infantry Brigade.  Worn from:  17 August 1993 - Current.

The design of the insignia was originally approved for the Forty-third Division in 1923 (designated the Forty-third Infantry Division in 1942) and re-designated for the Forty-third Infantry Brigade in 1993.  The four lobes of the quatrefoil represent the four states from which the original division was composed:  Maine, Vermont, Rhode Island, and Connecticut.  The color red indicates that the states were originally English colonies.  The grape leaf indicates that the New England country was the Vinland of the Norsemen whose history goes back to the year 1000.

Campaigns:  World War II (Guadalcanal, Luzon, New Guinea, Northern Solomons).

Decorations:  Philippine Presidential Unit Citation (streamer embroidered 17 October 1944 - 4 July 1945).  Headquarters Company (Hartford) also entitled to:  Meritorious Unit Commendation -- Army (streamer embroidered Pacific Theater).

44th Inf Div

Worn from:  6 October 1921 - 30 November 1945.

Re-designated as the Fiftieth Armored Division.  Worn from:  15 June 1946 - 14 October 1946.

Re-designated as the Forty-fourth Infantry Division.  Worn from:  14 October 1946 - 6 October 1954.

The colors, flag blue and golden orange, were the colors of the House of Nassau under which the Dutch settled what is now New York and New Jersey.  The two figure fours back-to-back indicate the numerical designation of the unit.

Campaigns:  World War II (Ardennes-Alsace, Central Europe, Northern France, Rhineland).

45th Inf Div

Worn from:  3 August 1923 - 22 May 1939.

This early design of a gold swastika on a red four-sided background representing the four states which originally formed the division (Colorado, Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Arizona) was canceled prior to World War II.

45th Inf Div2

Worn from:  22 May 1939 - 9 September 1974.

Re-designated:  Forty-fifth Infantry Brigade.  Worn from:  9 September 1974 - Current.

The predecessor of the Forty-fifth Division was composed of Army National Guard troops from Colorado, Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Arizona.  Since these states were originally explored and settled by the Spanish, the insignia is in gold and red, the Spanish colors.  The thunderbird is an Indian symbol that means sacred bearer of happiness unlimited.  The patch's four sides represent the states from which the Forty-fifth Division emerged.

Campaigns:  World War II (Sicily, Naples-Foggia, Anzio, rome-Arno, Southern France, Rhineland, Ardennes-Alsace, Central Europe), Korean War (Second Winter, Summer-Fall 1952, Third Winter, Summer 1953).

Decorations:  French Croix de Guerre with Palm -- World War II (streamer embroidered Acquafondata), Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation (streamer embroidered Korea).

46th Inf Div

A blue six-pointed star upon a yellow square with point up all placed on a khaki disk.  The number of points on the star and the square suggests the division number.  Used unofficially by the Michigan National Guard in 1946 until their own insignia could be designed, this is the only known incident of anyone wearing a phantom division insignia.