1st US Army

1ST US ARMY

(Shoulder Sleeve Insignia)

(Distinctive Unit Insignia)

Official blazon

Shoulder Sleeve Unit. Description: On a background equally divided horizontally white and red, 3 1/4 inches in height and 2 1/2 inches in width at base and 2 1/8 inches in width at top, a black block letter "A", 2 3/4 inches in height, 2 inches in width at base and 1 5/8 inches in width at top, all members 7/16 inch wide, all enclosed within a 1/8 inch Army Green border.

Distinctive Unit Insignia. Description: A gold color metal and enamel device 1 1/4 inches in height overall consisting of a black enamel capital letter "A" bearing three gold stars on the top cross bar and five gold on the center cross bar, in front of and interlaced with a gold fleur-de-lis. The vertical petal is charged in base with a red enamel arrowhead behind and extending above the letter "A" and the tops of the two outside or flanking petals above the cross bar extending over the vertical legs of the letter "A". The lower ends of the outside petals curve under and over the lower ends of the vertical legs of the letter "A" and are joined together by a gold arched scroll inscribed "First In Deed" in black enamel letters. The areas within the letter "A" above the center cross bar are white enamel and the areas below the cross bar are red enamel.

Origin/meaning

Shoulder Sleeve Insignia: The red and white of the background are the colors used in flags for Armies. The letter "A" represents "Army" and is also the first letter of the alphabet suggesting "First Army."

Distinctive Unit Insignia: The basic design was suggested by the authorized shoulder sleeve insignia of the First Army. The Interlaced fleur-de-lis represent wartime service in France and alludes to the initial organization of the Headquarters Company as the Headquarters Troop, First Army at La Ferte-sous-Jouarre, France 10 August 1918. The three stars at the top of the letter "A" are for Lorraine 1918, St. Mihiel and Meuse-Argonne campaigns in which the First Army participated in World War I. The five stars on the center cross bar are for the Normandy, Northern France, Rhineland, Ardennes-Alsace and Central Europe campaigns in which the First Army participated in World War II, the red arrowhead referring to the assault landing on the Normandy beaches. The motto "First In Deed" is based on the numerical designation, purpose and achievements of the First United States Army.

The Distinctive Unit Insignia was approved on 27 January 1969. Shoulder Sleeve Insignia A black letter "A" was approved as the authorized insignia by the Commanding General, American Expedition Force, on November 16, 1918 and approved by the War Department on May 27, 1922. The background was added on November 17, 1950.

Literature:Images from Wikimedia Commons. Information from The Institute of Heraldry, US Army.