U.S. ARMY 442ND INFANTRY REGIMENT UNIT CREST (DUI)

The 442nd Infantry Regiment Distinctive Unit Insignia—DUI for short, or “unit crest” informally—was approved 22 May 1952. The taro leaf, also used on the coat of arms of the 100th Infantry Battalion (technically the 1st Battalion, 442nd Infantry Regiment), is commonly identified with Hawaii, the unit's home area. A Mississippi River steamboat is used as symbol for Mississippi in general and Camp Shelby—site of the unit’s activation 1 February 1943— in particular. “Go For Broke,” the unit motto, was actually adopted by the Regiment from a Hawaiian pidgin phrase used by gamblers to mean staking everything on a single roll of the dice in a game of craps.

A Distinctive Unit Insignia (DUI) is worn by all Soldiers (except General Officers) in units that have been authorized to be issued the device. It is worn centered on the shoulder loops of the Army Green Service Uniform (AGSU) and the blue Army Service Uniform (Enlisted only) with the base of the insignia toward the outside shoulder seam. Enlisted personnel wear the insignia centered on a shoulder loop by placing it an equal distance from the outside shoulder seam to the outside edge of the shoulder-loop button. Officers (except Generals) wearing grade insignia on the shoulder loops center the DUI by placing it an equal distance between the inside edge of the grade insignia and the outside edge of the button.

More guidance on wear of the DUI is found in DA Pamphlet 670-1, Section 21-22, "Distinctive unit insignia."

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In addition to the astonishing number of decorations its Soldiers were awarded for their heroic service during World War II, the 442nd Infantry Regiment is also remembered for its rescue of the “Lost Texas Battalion,” specifically the 1st Battalion, 141st Infantry Regiment assigned to the 36th Infantry Division. In late October 1944, Major General John Dahlquist, commander of the 36th Infantry Division, was pushing the unit forward in an effort to liberate more French territory from the retreating Germans, but the 1-141 unwittingly advanced at too fast of a pace, enabling the German forces to surround them. Despite receiving supplies being airdropped by the 405th Fighter Squadron, 371st Fighter Group, the men in the Battalion would soon succumb to the combination of cold weather, low rations, and German firepower.

After attempts by the other two battalions in the 36th Infantry Division had failed to break the German stranglehold, General Dahlquist called upon the 442nd Regimental Combat Team to make one final effort to reach the beleaguered battalion. After five days of combat from October 26 to October 30, the relief effort broke through the German defenses and were able to rescue 211 of the 275 Soldiers that had originally been trapped. In the process, however, the 442nd suffered more than 800 casualties. Eventually, the service of three members of the Regiment—Barney Hajiro, James Okubo, and George Sakato—would be recognized with Medals of Honor.


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