If you have been reading this blog for a while (hey, we started in 2008!), you know that I had written a number of unit histories for MilitaryVetShop.com. Unfortunately, that site is no longer available, so I thought I would start posting them here on the blog. I think that the "story behind the patch" is not only important to those who wore that shoulder sleeve insignia but will also be interesting to those who are not associated with the unit. Here's what I said about it back in 2008:
"The patch we’re talking about is the shoulder insignia worn on the uniform. A soldier wears the patch of the unit they are assigned to on their left shoulder, and the unit they have been in combat with on their right. The reason that the patch that a veteran had on his shoulder is so important is that each of those colorful patches has a story behind it. When you become a part of a military unit, you become part of its history, part of the story behind the patch."
I hope you enjoy these. I will add more to the list as they get posted.
Index of Unit Histories:
- Army Aviation Branch
- U.S. Navy Aircraft Carriers
- Military Assitance Command, Vietnam (MACV)
- 1st Armored Division, Old Ironsides
- 1st Aviation Brigade, Golden Hawks
- 1st Cavalry Division, The First Team
- 1st Infantry Division, The Big Red One
- 1st Marine Division, The Old Breed
- 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment, Toujours Pret
- 2nd Armored Division, Hell On Wheels
- 2nd Infantry Division, Second to None
- 2nd Marine Division, Follow Me
- 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, Brave Rifles
- 3rd Armored Division, Spearhead
- 3rd Infantry Division, Rock of the Marne
- 4th Infantry Division, The Ivy Division
- 7th Infantry Division, The Bayonet Division
- 8th Infantry Division, The Pathfinder Division
- 9th Infantry Division, The Old Reliables
- 10th Mountain Division, Climb to Glory
- 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, The Blackhorse
- XVII Airborne Corps, The Sky Dragons
- 18th Engineer Brigade, "Swords up! Stay Sharp!"
- 23rd Infantry Division, Americal
- 24th Infantry Division, The Victory Division
- 25th Infantry Division, Tropic Lightning
- 44th Medical Brigade, "Ready, Reliable, and Relevant"
- 82nd Airborne Division, All American
- 99th Infantry Battalion (Separate), Norwegian-American
- 101st Airborne Division, Screaming Eagles
- 173rd Airborne Brigade, Sky Soldiers
- 187th Infantry Regiment (Airborne) Rakkasans
- 503rd Parachute Infantry Regiment
- 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment
