The 24th Infantry Division Shoulder Sleeve Insignia, or unit patch, was originally approved for wear on 9 September 1921 while the unit was still designated as the Hawaiian Division; it was also known by the designation “Hawaiian Cadre.” A taro leaf is a well-recognized symbol of Hawaii, making the insignia instantly recognizable, and it was retained when the Division was reorganized and redesignated the 24th Infantry Division in October 1941.
Having served with distinction in three major conflicts (World War II, Korean War, First Gulf War) and also having earned honors for its peacetime service in 1994 (Army Superior Unit Award), it likely came as something of a shock to the 24th Infantry Division’s personnel to learn the unit was to be inactivated in February 1996.
Just thee years later, though, the Division was activated for one last period of service—or at least its Headquarters and Headquarters Company was. To better integrate active and reserve components, the Army chose to activate the HQ units of both the 24th Infantry Division and the 7th Infantry Division to train Army National Guard units, a mission the 24th carried out at Fort Riley, Kansas until the Army introduced new training organizations for Army Reserve and National Guard units. With its services made redundant under the new system, the 24th Infantry Division was inactivated for the final time on 1 August 2006.
Related Items24th Infantry Division Combat Service ID Badge (CSIB)24th Infantry Division Unit Crest (DUI)