United States Army 8th Infantry Division Insignia Patch, OD Subdued

United States Army

S8th Infantry Division Insignia Patch, Subdued

Organized in January 1918, the 8th Infantry Division lost a large portion of its troops when then-commander Major General William Graves was transferred to Siberia with 5,000 Soldiers in August 1918, with only two Regiments (8th Infantry and 319th Engineer), one Brigade (8th Field Artillery), and one Brigade HQ actually arriving in France before the Armistice had been declared.

During World War II, on the other hand, the Division took part in four campaigns, including action in the bloody fighting of the Battle of Hurtgen Forest and liberating a Nazi concentration camp at Neuengamme in May 1945. It was during this war that the units motto was born: when deputy commander Brigadier General Charles Canham was asked for his credentials while accepting the Germans surrender of the garrison at Brest, Canham pointed to his troops and announced, These are my credentials.

The origin of the unit nickname Pathfinder, however, is far more mundane. The Division was originally formed at Camp Fremont in California, named after famed explorer John Charles Fremont. Because Fremont had been given the nickname Pathfinder, the Soldiers thought it only fitting that the Division formed at a camp named after him should also adopt his moniker, leading to the addition of a golden compass needle pointing north on the insignia.

This patch is from Original USGI surplus stock from 1989 with a merrowed edge

8th Infantry Division SSI Insignia Patch, Olive Drab(OD) Subdued, with merrowed edge