78th Training Division Lightning, US Army

78TH TRAINING DIVISION LIGHTNING, US ARMY

History: Activated 5 August 1917 as 78th Division. Organized 22 August 1917 at Camp Dix (New Jersey). Inactivated 9 July 1919 at the same location. Assigned 24 June 1921 to the Organized Reserve. Activated and reorganized at Fort Bunter (North Carolina) as 78th Infantry Division 15 August 1942. Designated a Replacement Pool Division between 2 October 1942 to 1 March 1943. The again the 78th Infantry Division, which was inactivated 22 May 1946 in Germany.

(Shoulder Sleeve Insignia)

(Distinctive Unit Insignia)

Official blazon

Distictive Unit Insignia:

"a gold color metal and enamel device 1 3/16 inches (3.02cm) in height overall, consisting of a white enamel alerion on a scarlet enamel disc centered upon a blue enamel equilateral triangle with notched sides, all in front of two white enamel lightning flashes in a V form contained at top and bottom by a continuous scarlet scroll inscribed below with the word "AUDACITER" in gold"

Origin/meaning

Meaning Distictive Unit Insignia: The white alerion on scarlet is from the arms of Lorraine Province in France where the organization served in three World War I campaigns. In World War II, the unit participated in the Ardennes-Alsace, Rhineland and Central Europe campaigns indicated by the three points, in the color blue for Infantry and for the area of the Rhine River. The white flashes and the red of the scroll allude to the Division shoulder sleeve insignia.

Literature:

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