Civil War Infantry Insignia

A Brief of History of the 82nd Airborne Division

The origins of the 82nd Airborne Division of the United States Army go back to the time of World War I when the 82nd was Infantry and use of paratroopers in battle was 25 years and another world war in the future. The 82nd Infantry Division was activated in August 1917 at Camp Gordon, Georgia. During World War I, the division was employed in three major World War I campaigns. The division counted among its troops representatives from every state in the Union and became known as “All Americans”. The insignia of the 82nd Division is a dark blue circle on a square red field. On the blue circle, two white A’s appear side by side.

On March 25, 1942, the 82nd Infantry Division was activated to fight under the commandership of General Omar Bradley in World War II. On August 15, 1942, the 82nd was restructured to form the 82nd Airborne, the first airborne division in the United States Army. Their superb training had prepared them to be chosen for this honor. The day after this activation, the paratroopers with the 82nd Airborne were divided up between the 82nd and the 101st Airborne Divisions. A blue crest with the word “Airborne” in white letters was added above the 82nd Division insignia.

In October 1942, the base home of the 82nd Airborne Division changed to Fort Bragg, North Carolina. The first mission the division was assigned was the invasion of Sicily. On July 9, 1943, paratroopers dropped onto the island but were scattered over a wide area by an evening storm. Despite this, the Division gained 150 miles in five days. As the Division took the island of Sicily, 23,000 enemy soldiers were captured.

On June 5, 1944, the 82nd Airborne was the first sent into the Battle of Normandy. For 33 straight days of battle, the Division had no replacements and no relief but did not surrender any ground taken by the Allied forces. The 82nd was the first combat group to come into Naples, Italy. To recognize their contribution, the United States and French governments awarded the Division the Presidential Unit Citation, the Fourrangere of the Croix de Guerre, and two Croix de Guerre.

In September 1944, the 82nd Airborne Division was part of the campaign known as Operation Market Garden in Holland. After 56 days of combat, the Division captured and secured the bridges over the Maas and Waal Rivers. Finally, in December 1944, the 82nd Airborne was sent to fight in Belgium’s Ardennes Forest during the Battle of the Bulge. By the time World War II ended, 2000 troops of the 82nd Airborne Division had been killed in battle and an additional 6000 had been wounded. They had fought six campaigns over 442 days.

Since World War II, the 82nd Airborne Division has been sent on other missions. It was deployed to the Dominican Republic during that nation’s civil war as part of Operation Powerpack. The Division served for 22 months from January 1968 in Vietnam. During the 1970’s, the Division was sent to Korea, Turkey, and Greece. In 1983, the 82nd participated in Operation Urgent Fury in Grenada and in 1988, Operation Golden Pheasant which drove the Sandinista troops from Honduras and back to Nicaragua. In December 1989, during Operation Just Cause, the 82nd Airborne secured Panama’s Torrijos International Airport.

In the last two decades, the 82nd Airborne Division has been deployed to Kuwait (August 1990) in Operation Desert Shield, to Kosovo in the Balkans (summer 1999), to Afghanistan in Operation Enduring Freedom and to Iraq for Operation Iraqi Freedom. The 82nd Airborne Division has truly earned the right to be called “America’s Guard of Honor”, a nickname it was given in 1945 after the honorable service rendered during World War II. Among the distinguished members of the 82nd Airborne were Senator Strom Thurmond and Representative Patrick Murphy.

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Military insignia etc

ORIGINAL CIVIL WAR INFANTRY HAT INSIGNIA, NO RESERVE $9.99

KEPI CIVIL WAR – INFANTRY BRASS INSIGNIA 1st PATTERN PERIOD CORRECT $4.95

ORIGINAL CIVIL WAR ERA ENLISTED MAN – M0DEL 1858 – 2 ND INFANTRY HAT INSIGNIA $21.50

DUG U.S. INFANTRY HAT INSIGNIA -CIVIL WAR- FOUND AT CAMDEN, ARKANSAS $15.50

Brass Infantry Hat Insignia, Civil War $3.50

Civil War Infantry Embroidered Hat Patch Horn Insignia $3.50

CIVIL WAR BRASS INFANTRY HAT INSIGNIA HORN $5.55

Civil War Reproduction CSA collar insignia 2nd LT Infantry…ships FREE in US! $7.99

Civil War Reproduction CSA collar insignia 1st LT Infantry…ships FREE in US! $8.99

Civil War Reproduction CSA collar insignia Capt Infantry…ships FREE in US! $9.99

NEW CIVIL WAR INSIGNIA UNION INFANTRY OFFICER PATCH $2.95

CIVIL WAR 8TH INFANTRY OFFICERS SMALL HUNTING HORN KEPIE/HAT PATCH INSIGNIA $450.00

U.S. Civil War Mounted Infantry Trumpet Small Hat Cap Kepi Badge Patch Insignia $5.95

U.S. Civil War Mounted Infantry Trumpet Large Hat Cap Kepi Badge Patch Insignia $6.50

Civil War Reproduction Brass Infantry Hat Insignia $3.99 …

Civil War Bullion Embroidered Infantry Hat Insignia – LARGE $7.99 …

Civil War Reproduction Embroidered Infantry Hat Insignia – SMALL $6.99 …

Don Troiani’s Regiments & Uniforms of the Civil War $31.39 In the world of historical painting, Don Troiani stands alone, universally acclaimed for the accuracy, drama, and sensitivity of his depictions of America’s past. His Civil War paintings and limited edition prints hang in the finest collections in the country and are noted by collectors from around the world. Now, in Don Troiani’s Regiments and Uniforms of the Civil War, the artist turns his brush…

An Illustrated History of Uniforms from 1775-1783: The American Revolutionary War $19.09 A definitive analysis of the weapons, equipment, deployment, tactics and motivation of these national forces, as well as fascinating detail of day-to-day life for the soldiers that fought the battles…