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2nd Battalion, 38th Infantry “Spearhead” Badge


rd12
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I've not been able to find any information about award criteria for these 2-38 Skull badges. They are fairly hard to find so I don't think they were in use for a very long time because not too many of them seem to have been made. The 38th Infantry was in Korea from 1950 until 1958 so these date from sometime in this period. After the cease fire infantryman patrolling along the DMZ were not eligible for the CIB even if they were in an engagement. This badge ( like the 7th Infantry Div Order of the Bayonet ) could have been used at the unit level to reflect combat action since a CIB could not be awarded. That's just a guess though. Some are marked NBICo JAPAN and some are unmarked. All that I have seen are clutch back.

 

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The 2-38 Spearheaders metal badges seem to be the only Battalion badges that exist. Have never seen one for any of the other battalions of the 38th. Have never found any information as to why they existed (award like 7th ID Bayonet badge, unit insignia, etc).

 

Yes, that is a "unit/name tape" patch. Have seen one for the 23rd IR made the same way, but w/ a tomahawk in lieu of the skull-spear design. Their use in general became popular in the 50s. Pretty sure there is a thread about these here on the Forum.

 

Note the GI in the photo on the left (post #7) has the design painted onto his helmet.

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