Star and Indian Head Insignia of the 2nd Infantry Division, AEF

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Photo No. 30: If you look closely at the lower edge, you will notice that the square is not sewn down snugly like a patched repair would have been. It has instead been loosely tacked onto the sleeve using approximately five to six stitches per side.

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The AEFs First Divisional Insignia

The first divisional insignia to be worn by members of the AEF was worn by the troops of the 81^st Infantry Division. Made up of draftees and recruits from North Carolina, South Carolina, and Florida, the 81st Division was initially called the ‘Stonewall Division’ in honor of the Confederate General Thomas ‘Stonewall’ Jackson. However, that nickname was later changed to the ‘Wildcat Division’ to reflect the image of the SSI that the division had adopted.

 

Photo No. 31: General Pershing reviews the men of the 81^st, all of whom are wearing the Wildcat SSI, whose authorization he initially denied. The inset is an illustration of that division’s insignia as seen in a 1919 dated newspaper.

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Camp Jackson, where the troops of the 81^st Division trained featured a small creek named after one of the states woodland predators … the Carolina Wildcat. At some point the men began to wear crude cloth badges in the form of a wildcat’s head on their sleeves to enhance the unit’s esprit de corps. This emblem is said to have been designed by Corporal Dan Silverman of Company I, 321^st Infantry Regiment. In May of 1918, a profile of the feline’s body with its back raised in anger was selected over that of the wildcat’s head by the division commander, Major General Charles J. Bailey, because he felt that it better represented the fighting spirit of the men he oversaw.

 

Photo No. 32: The head of an actual Carolina Wildcat is displayed next to the SSI that General Bailey selected as the trademark for the 81^st Division. In this case, the black color represents the 306^th Engineer Regiment.

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Bailey was so proud of the emblem that he directed the insignia to be sewn onto the service coats of every man in his command before the division embarked for France. The unusual wildcat emblem did not go unnoticed as the division passed through the port of embarkation at Hoboken, New Jersey. In fact, it caused the port commander to dispatch a missive to Washington questioning its authorization. However, by the time word filtered back that the wildcat logo was not authorized; the division had already put out to sea.

 

In august of 1918, as the division debarked in the French port city of Le Harve, the wildcat emblem’s authorization was again reported, only this time it was to GHQ. A number of jealous protests made by other organizations in the AEF, accusing the 81^st Division of wearing a non-regulation sleeve insignia soon followed. As a result, GHQ directed Bailey to have the offending insignia removed. In defiance, Bailey authorized its continued use. No doubt, after a terse discussion with the 81^st Division’s CO about how the chain of command in the AEF worked, General Pershing ultimately approve the Wildcat insignia on 19 October 1918, just one day after he had ordered the Adjutant General to send an order to every AEF Division, Corps, and Army alerting them to the fact that a distinctive insignia for each unit was being contemplated.

 

Photo No 33: Because it was already in use, the 81^st Division insignia was the first unauthorized and authorized divisional insignia to be worn in the AEF. The Wildcat emblem was manufactured in seven colors. These examples from left to right are: white – 161^st Infantry Brigade, light blue – 162^nd Infantry Brigade, and red – 156^th Artillery Brigade. The remaining colors were: orange – 306^th Field Signal Battalion, green – 306^th Sanitary Train, and buff – 306^th Supply Train.

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Photo No.34: Thus far, the 5^th Infantry Division seems to be the only AEF combat division that has left behind photographic evidence of a SSI being worn before the signing of the Armistice. Note the 5^th Division’s red diamond insignia on the shoulder of the major or lieutenant colonel in this October 1918 dated photograph.

 

If any forum members have period photographs of AEF shoulder patches or British style battle blazes being worn in combat, please post them.

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Photo No. 35: Further proof that the red diamond SSI was very likely worn in combat is the fact that their German opponents dubbed the men of the 5^th Division Die Rote Teufel or “Red Devils” due to the ferocity of their attack during the St. Mihiel offensive. Surely they won that title because they were already wearing red diamond emblems on their sleeves like this officer in a dugout.

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A Distinctive Insignia

for Each AEF Division and Corps

Due to favorable reports received about the use of battle blazes in the 2^nd Division, and with the 81^st Division, and possibly other units within the AEF already wearing unauthorized SSI, as well as the positive effect that wearing a unit SSI would have on the morale of the troops, Pershing directed the Adjutant General to request all Armies, Corps and Divisions to submit a design suitable for consideration to be its official insignia on 18 October 1918. The pertinent portion of the communiqué read as follows:

 

Each division will adopt and procure immediately some distinctive cloth design which will be worn by every officer and man of the division on the left arm, the upper part to be attached to the shoulder seam. Report will be made to these Headquarters by telegram as to the designs adopted in order that there may be no duplication. Approval of design will be made by telegram from these Headquarters.

 

GHQ, AEF General Orders (number unknown), October 20, 1918

The directive emphasized that each insignia must be made of cloth and that its design should be relatively simple to facilitate supply. Each organization was instructed to submit its design without delay.

 

In late October as the 2^nd Division was moving up to the Meuse River, Lejeune responded to GHQs demand for an insignia design on 21 October 1918. He began by making a case for the star and Indian head insignia, emphasizing that it had already been in use for nine months, and that it had been heartily accepted by the entire division. He also asserted that the star and Indian head logo had:

Already been painted on all the transportation of the division, and that steps had already been taken to procure insignia of this design for issue to each officer and enlisted man in the division…

 

Along with a paper mockup of the planned insignia, the CO went on to describe what he had in mind:

 

The proposed plan for the design for this division involves the placing of a white star bearing an Indian head on a cloth background, six different colors of cloth to be used to designate the different organizations…

 

In closing the missive, Lejeune put forward that the proposed design be approved by GHQ as soon as possible, so that:

 

The insignia could be used before the division goes into the line again.

Excerpts from a letter by General Lejeune to General Pershing, October 21, 1918

Photo No. 36: Upon reporting to the AEF, Brigadier General John Archer Lejeune, USMC was posted to command an infantry brigade of the 32^nd Division, after which he assumed command of the 2^nd Division’s 4th Marine Brigade. On 28 July 1918, he received a second star and was placed in command of the entire 2^nd Division. He remained in that capacity until August 1919 when the division was demobilized. During the final month of the conflict, Lejeune was an ardent lobbyist for the star and Indian head emblem to be approved as the official insignia for the 2nd Infantry Division.

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In his zeal to get the star and Indian head approved, General Lejeune made it known to GHQ that approval of the insignia should be telegraphed to him at the earliest possible date so that the SSI could be worn by his command during the Meuse-Argonne offensive. Unfortunately final approval didn’t arrive until 6 November 1918. By which time it was impossible to fabricate, issue, and have the insignia sewn onto service coats before hostilities ended. A 2^nd Division General Order, dated 14 November 1918, announced that the prescribed star and Indian head would be comprised of a white five pointed star, 3.5 inches in diameter, having the head of an American Indian in red, wearing a blue war bonnet embroidered onto the center of the star. The Indian head was to be facing forward when worn on the left shoulder. The orders also specified the different geometric shapes and colors that were to be used by the various organizations within the 2^nd Division.

 

2^nd Division

Star & Indian Head

Background Shapes & Colors

Each unit within the 2^nd Infantry Division was to place the recently adopted star and Indian head insignia on a different shape and different color background so that each organization could be identified at a glance. The prescribed shapes and colors were as follows:

 

Photo No. 37: 2^nd Division Headquarters – Star and Indian head on a black, shield shaped background.

 

Upper left: Probably German made, this insignia is comprised of an appliqué Indian head with embroidered details, and an embroidered miniature 3^rd Army insignia beneath the star. The use of gold trim, or soutache, a French word meaning “narrow braid”, bordering the star and the shield is often associated with German made shoulder patches.

 

Lower left: Also thought to be German made, this patch is comprised of a hand painted Indian head on a star and shield that are both made of leather.

 

Right: This post war studio portrait of General Lejeune, the commanding officer of the 2^nd Infantry Division in 1919, depicts him wearing a forest green service coat adorned with an embroidered 2^nd Division HQ SSI.

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Photo No. 38: This beautifully embroidered Indian head appears to be almost identical to the one worn by General Lejeune in the above photo.

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Photo No. 39: 1^st Field Signal Battalion – Star and Indian head on a red, shield shaped background.

 

Left: This Doughboy’s insignia features a hand painted Indian head.

 

Doughboy photo courtesy of the John Adam-Graf collection

Right: Two appliqué style patches, one on velvet and the other on felt.

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Photo No. 40: 2^nd Headquarters Troop – Star and Indian head on a yellow, shield shaped background.

 

Upper left: There’s no way to be certain, but this style of Indian head looks to be of the post war commercially made variety.

 

Lower Left: Also post war, most likely made in the 1920s.

 

Right: This well armed Doughboy’s insignia is made up of a yellow felt shield with a regulation style Indian head.

 

Doughboy photo courtesy of the John Adam-Graf collection

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Photo No. 41: 2^ndHeadquarters Train and MP Company – Star and Indian head on a blue, shield shaped background.

 

Left: This pair of patches, one machine embroidered and the other appliqué are both thought to be post war commercially made examples.

 

Right: The insignia on the left shoulder of the soldier in the portrait is the artist’s interpretation of the SSI shown at upper left.

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Photo No. 42: 4^th Machine Gun Battalion – Star and Indian head on a purple, shield shaped background.

 

The variations shown here are from left to right: hand painted, appliqué, and machine embroidered on velvet, felt, and felt shield shaped backgrounds.

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Photo No. 43: 2^nd Trench Mortar Battery – Star and Indian head on a purple, vertical oval shaped background.

 

Left: This image was created in Photoshop from a circular shaped 23^rd Infantry Regiment, Machine Gun Company insignia comprised of a regulation Indian head on purple felt. The materials are authentic; however, the oval shape of the background is not.

 

Right: The trench mortar crew is wearing pentagon shaped 9^th Infantry Division insignia. This is because in addition to the 2^nd Trench Mortar Battery that was attached to Division HQ, each Infantry Regiment’s HQ Company had its own trench mortar section. The trench mortar men attached to HQ Company wore the insignia of the parent unit. In this case it’s that of the 9^th Infantry Regiment, HQ Company.

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Photo No. 44: 2^nd Engineer Regiment – Star and Indian head on an Engineers’ Castle shaped background as follows:

• 1^st Battalion – Red
• 2^nd Battalion – Yellow
• Headquarters Company – Black
• Supply Company – Green

Unlike divisional infantry and artillery regiments, divisional engineer regiments were comprised of just two battalions, not three. Hence there was no blue third battalion insignia.

 

Left from top to bottom: These three 2^nd Engineer Regiment Indian heads are hand painted on velvet, hand painted on cotton or silk, and appliqué with embroidered and soutache details on felt.

 

Right: This engineer’s castle appears to be red and bears an appliqué style Indian head.

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Photo No. 45: 2^nd Engineer Train – Star and Indian head on a green, Engineers’ castle shaped background.

 

Left: Hand painted Indian head on a leather star and green castle as used by each regiment’s Supply Company and by the 2^nd Engineer Supply Train.

 

Right: This detail of a German made pillow case was embroidered “2^nd Engrs, 1917-1919, Supply Co” around the edges. Keen observers will notice that this style of Indian head also appears on many of the SSI that follow. This fact would make it safe to say that all of the patches bearing this particular type of Indian head were German made.

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Photo No. 46: 2^nd Sanitary Train – Star and Indian head on a green, Greek cross shaped background.

 

From left to right: An appliqué Indian head embellished with embroidery on a cross cut from a German field grey uniform; another appliqué Indian head detailed with soutache on green felt, and a regulation style Indian head on felt.

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Photo No. 47: 2^nd Supply Train – Star and Indian head on a green, shield shaped background.

 

Left: Another post war machine embroidered Indian head that is similar to the one depicted in photo number 40, on green felt.

 

Right: Hand painted Indian head, also on green felt.

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Photo No. 48: 3^rd Infantry Brigade Headquarters: US Army – Star and Indian head on a black, hexagon shaped background.

Left: Regulation Indian head on black velvet, followed by a reproduction comprised of an appliqué Indian head on a black felt background.

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Photo No. 49: 9^th Infantry Regiment – Star and Indian head on a pentagon shaped background as follows:

• 1^st Battalion – Red
• 2^nd Battalion – Yellow
• 3^rd Battalion – Blue

Left: All three examples feature a regulation style Indian head all on felt backgrounds. Note that both the yellow and blue felt background cloths have the centers cut out so that they “frame” the Indian head. Photographic evidence suggests that this practice was unique to the 9^th Infantry Regiment.

 

Right: A rather stoic looking 2^nd Division Doughboy bearing one of the most commonly encountered variations of the appliqué style Indian head.

 

Doughboy photo courtesy of the John Adam-Graf collection

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Photo No. 50: 9^th Infantry Regiment (continued) – Star and Indian head on a pentagon shaped background as follows:

 

• Headquarters Company – Black
• Machine Gun Company – Purple
• Supply Company – Green

Left: Another variation of the appliqué style Indian head.

 

Doughboy photo courtesy of the John Adam- Graf collection

Right: From top to bottom, these Indian heads have been hand painted, and appliqué constructed with embroidered details. Note the soutache border, and “raised” or padded appliqué Indian head at the center.

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Photo No. 51: 23^rd Infantry Regiment – Star and Indian head on a circle shaped background as follows:

• 1^st Battalion – Red
• 2^nd Battalion – Yellow
• 3^rd Battalion – Blue

Left: From top to bottom, Indian heads that are hand painted regulation and hand embroidered. All of which are sewn onto felt background cloths.

 

Right: This decorated lieutenant from the 23^rd Infantry Regiment has affixed an appliqué style Indian head to his service coat.

 

Photo courtesy of the John Adam-Graf collection

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Photo No. 52: 23^rd Infantry Regiment (continued) – Star and Indian head on a circle shaped background as follows:

 

• Headquarters Company – Black
• Machine Gun Company – Purple
• Supply Company – Green

Left: This Doughboy’s left sleeve bears two gold war service chevrons, a red discharge chevron that has been sewn on upside down, and a 23^rd Infantry Regiment, whose Indian head is of either the hand embroidered or appliqué variety.

 

Right: Hand painted and appliqué best describe the method used to make the Indian heads on this trio of 23^rd Infantry SSI. They are stitched onto a felt, a velvet, and yet another felt background cloth respectively.

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Photo No. 53: 5th Machine Gun Battalion – Star and Indian head on a purple, hexagon shaped background.

 

Left: A returning Doughboy with an Indian head painted onto his steel helmet.

 

Doughboy photo courtesy of Portraits of War.wordpress.com

Right: These Indian heads have been hand painted, appliqué constructed, and machine embroidered on felt background cloths.

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Photo No. 54: 4^th Infantry Brigade Headquarters: USMC – Star and Indian head on a black, horizontal oval shaped background.

 

Left: 1^st Lieutenant Claggett Wilson wears the black, horizontal oval insignia of the 4^th Marine Brigade. In addition to the SSI, Wilson’s service coat also includes two war service chevrons, two wound chevrons, a French Croix de Guerre medal and a French Army General Staff brassard.

 

Right: This image was also created in Photoshop. The background is that of the 2^nd Artillery Brigade SSI shown in photo number 60. The regulation Indian head was borrowed from a 23^rd Infantry Regiment, HQ Company insignia. Below the Photoshopped SSI is the emblem of HQ 4^th Marine Brigade as painted onto a steel helmet.