U.S. ARMY 307TH ENGINEER BATTALION UNIT CREST (DUI)

The Distinctive Unit Insignia (also called a DUI or unit crest) of the 307th Engineer Battalion was originally authorized for the 307th Engineer Battalion on 13 April 1942. Just six months later, on 21 October 1942, it was redesignated for the 307th Airborne Engineer Battalion, Organized Reserve. Nearly sixteen years elapsed before it was redesignated, once again for the 307th Engineer Battalion, on 19 August 1958 with an amended motto. This marked the last time it would be redesignated, but it was followed by three amendments to the wording of either the description or motto, first on 30 April 1963 (changed the wording of the description), then on 29 February 1968 (changed the motto), and lastly on 5 September 1972 to change the motto again.

Scarlet and white, branch colors of the Corps of Engineers, are the only two colors used for this insignia. The chief, or upper third of the shield, is in a pattern called a vaire, with the three piles (triangular shape, point down) representative of the building problems encountered and the piles of wedges used in driving and building; the piles have wavy sides that are emblematic of the sea which the unit crossed on its way to earning battle honors in the Lorraine 1918, St. Mihiel, and Meuse-Argonne campaigns, with the fleur-de-lis on each pile denoting a campaign in France. “I Maintain The Right” is the unit motto.

Guidance on wear of the DUI is found in DA Pamphlet 670-1, Section 21-22, "Distinctive unit insignia" and 21–3(d) and (e), "Beret" and "Garrison Cap," respectively.

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The 307th Engineer Battalion began its existence as a Regiment, the 307th Engineers, that was constituted on 5 August 1917 in the National Army and assigned to the 82nd Division. After taking part in the above-mentioned WWI campaigns, the unit was demobilized in May 1919 but then reconstituted in June 1921 in the Organized Reserves under its original designation and assigned again to the 82nd Division.

In January 1942, the Regiment (not counting the 2nd Battalion) was reorganized and redesignated as the 307th Engineer Battalion, an element of the 82nd Division (later 82nd Airborne Division). During World War II, the Battalion would fight in six campaigns, earning a coveted Arrowhead device for three of the streamers by participating in an assault landing. It was also a recipient of the Presidential Unit Citation (embroidered HOLLAND), a Belgian Fourragere for being cited twice in the Order of the Day of the Belgian Army, a Military Order of William (Degree of the Knight of the Fourth Class) for action a Nijmegen, and a Netherlands Orange Lanyard. (Note: additional decorations were awarded to individual companies of the Battalion; view them by clicking here.

Allotted to the Regular Army in 1948, the Battalion has been deployed on numerous occasions in defense of the country, including two Armed Forces Expeditions (Dominican Republic and Greanda), Southwest Asia (often called the First Gulf War, and two both Afghanistan and Iraq in the War on Terror. After being inactivated and relieved from assignment to the 82nd Airborne Division in June 2006, the Battalion’s HQ and HQ Company were reactivated 15 September 2010 at Fort Bragg, with a Support Company concurrently constituted and activated.

But its affiliation with the 82nd Airborne was renewed when it was assigned to the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division on 16 June 2014 (the Support Company formed four years earlier was inactivated and replaced by newly activated lettered Companies). As of Autumn 2023, it serves as the 307th Brigade Engineer Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division.