WWII Pin-back DUI Please Help ID?

[devincu]

I picked this DUI up the other day and I was wondering if someone could ID it for me? I know the enamel is chipped but someone said they thought it was an Airborne DUI.

 

Thanks

Devin

[devincu]

Back

[patches]

Wow I think that's the original 401st Infantry DI from the 1930s, the 401st Infantry was a part of the 101st Division.

 

Here's it's crest

 

[devincu]

Wow I think that's the original 401st Infantry DI from the 1930s, the 401st Infantry was a part of the 101st Division.

 

Here's it's crest

 

401_crest.gif

 

Thank you Patches...So its a 30's Era DI not WWII era?

[patches]

 

Thank you Patches...So its a 30's Era DI not WWII era?

Yeah, 1930s-early 40s, as it's pin back, late 30s-early 40s I would think. Don't know when it first came out, maybe mid 1920s. Also don't know when it stopped being used. The 401st Infantry was reclassified/redesignated as a Glider Infantry Regiment in 1942, and unlike the other Infantry Regiments of the 82nd and 101st Divisions so reclassified, the 325th, 326th, 327th Infantries (sic), the 401st Infantry did not retain their DI for wear.

 

This DI is listed as the 401st Glider Infantry, but there a talk some where in another topic that it wasn't worn, can't remember the exact details.

 

[devincu]

Yeah, 1930s-early 40s, as it's pin back, late 30s-early 40s I would think. Don't know when it first came out, maybe mid 1920s. Also don't know when it stopped being used. The 401st Infantry was reclassified/redesignated as a Glider Infantry Regiment in 1942, and unlike the other Infantry Regiments of the 82nd and 101st Divisions so reclassified, the 325th, 326th, 327th Infantries (sic), the 401st Infantry did not retain their DI for wear.

 

This DI is listed as the 401st Glider Infantry, but there a talk some where in another topic that it wasn't worn, can't remember the exact details.

 

index.jpg

 

Yeah I cant find any info on this DI and if it were a true 401st Glider Infantry Regiment insignia you would think it would be all over the web.

 

Thanks again,

Devin

[patches]

 

Yeah I cant find any info on this DI and if it were a true 401st Glider Infantry Regiment insignia you would think it would be all over the web.

 

Thanks again,

Devin

Yes this unit has a complex history after March 1944. The site explains it good.

It also shows that despite it being no longer a separate entity, it was still referred to as the 401st.

 

http://www.pararesearchteam.com/401/401-GIR.html

 

Your DI itself is a good one, as my old War Department contact tells me it was adopted 25 April 1925, with the manufacturer being Whitehead and Hoag W&H C.O. He sites Bob Capistrano a leading Unit Crest authority, by adding that W&H C.O. 401st were restriked years later and were in White Brass, rather than yours which is in the original pre WWII Yellow Brass.

 

The DI for the 1925 adopted 401st Inf/GIR was not worn after 1941-42 for some reason as witnessed by this unit foto of a Company 401 GIR (can't see the Company letter on Guidon) at Camp Claiborne Louisiana in sometime in 1942, if it was worn we would see it on either the caps or the lower lapels of the EMs or both.

 

YOU MUST CLICK ON IMAGE FOR THE CLEAR CLOSE UP ENLARGED VIEW.

[KurtA]

Nice DUI (even with a chip). Another characteristic suggesting early manufacture is the "drop-in" catch (rather than side entry).

[patches]

Here's one more unit foto from Claiborne 1942. F Company, again no DIs to be seen.

 

YOU MUST CLICK ON IMAGE FOR THE CLEAR CLOSE UP ENLARGED VIEW.

 

[patches]

BUMP