XXIV Corps, US Army
US heraldry portal
This page is part of the  |
 |
 US heraldry:
|
 Ecclesiastical Heraldry of the USA:
 Military Heraldry: |
XXIV CORPS, US ARMY
 (Shoulder Sleeve Insignia) |
 (Distinctive Unit Insignia) |
Official blazon
Shoulder Sleeve Insignia. Description: On a shield 2 7/8 inches (7.30cm) in height and 2 1/2 inches (6.35cm) in width a white heart, a blue heart and a white heart superimposed one upon the other.
Distinctive Unit Insignia. Description: A gold color metal and enamel device 1 3/16 inches (3.02cm) in height overall consisting of a gold disc within an annulet divided horizontally the upper half of white enamel and the lower half of blue enamel and bearing a blue enamel heart (of the same shape as that on the authorized shoulder sleeve insignia of the XXIV Corps). The "Auricles" and the tip touching the inner periphery of the annulet surmounted saltirewise by an unsheathed Crusader's sword point up, blade of white enamel and hilt gold, and a red enamel stylized arrow, point up, within the blue heart, above a concentric gold scroll lined with red enamel and bearing the inscription "Honed in Combat" in red enamel letters.
Origin/meaning
Shoulder Sleeve Insignia: The design is an arbitrary design and is in the colors of the Corps.
Distinctive Unit Insignia: The design is based on the authorized shoulder sleeve insignia of the XXIV Corps. The gold disc, symbolic of the sun, alludes to the Pacific Islands and areas with which the XXIV Corps is associated. The encircling white and blue annulet refers to the white beaches and the blue water of the Pacific: Hawaii (the annulet also simulating the letter "O" for Oahu where the Corps was initially activated 8 Apr 1944) and the Philippines and Ryukyus campaigns in which the Corps participated during World War II. The red arrow refers to the assault landing at Leyte and the blue, white and red colors of the insignia refer to the Philippine Presidential Unit Citation awarded the Corps for the period of 17 Oct 1944 to 4 Jul 1945. The Crusader's sword is for service in Vietnam where the Corps was activated 15 Aug 1968 as the successor to the Provisional Corps, Vietnam. In allusion to the motto "Honed in Combat" the red stylized arrow may be likened to the "whetstone of combat" on which the sword has been and is being honed. The heart and the colors blue and white were suggested by the authorized shoulder sleeve insignia of the XXIV and in this instance the heart has been made blue, a color symbolic of loyalty and freedom, and attests to the "true blue" attributes of the Corps. The horizontal division of the annulet into white and blue was suggested by the flag base of all distinguishing flags authorized for Corps.
The Shoulder Sleeve Insignia was authorized on 15 August 1944. The Distinctive Unit Insignia was authorized on 6 February 1969.
Literature: Images from Wikimedia Commons. Information from The Institute of Heraldry, US Army.