Approved for the 498th Support Battalion on 30 June 1975, this Distinctive Unit Insignia—also called a unit crest of DUI—is currently worn by personnel in the 498th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion. The insignia highlights the organization’s role as a Support unit in several ways, most notably with the use of red and buff (gold) colors: these are traditionally used in the heraldry for Support units.
The gold chevron is a symbol of support commonly used for Support organizations, and the three circles with wavy blue and white lines (“fountains” in heraldry) commemorate the unit’s participation in three overseas wars—World War II, Korea, and Vietnam—prior to the approval of this insignia. “We Can Handle It” is the Battalion’s motto.
Originally constituted in the Regular Army as Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment (HHD), 98th Quartermaster Battalion on 1 May 1936, the unit was activated in July 1942 as HHD, 98th Quartermaster Bakery Battalion; it reverted to its original designation in September 1943. During World War Two, it took part in two campaigns in the Pacific Theater during World War II (New Guinea and Luzon) and was the recipient of a Philippine Presidential Unit Citation.
The Battalion would begin its Korean War service with a different designation—HHD, 98th Quartermaster Service Battalion—but on 1 December 1951 it was once again given its original designation as HHD, 98th Quartermaster Battalion. While serving in Korea, the Battalion would participate in nine of the ten campaigns of the Korean War, garnering a Meritorious Unit Citation (embroidered KOREA 1954) and two Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citations for service between 1950 and 1953.
In Vietnam, the Battalion—redesignated as 98th Supply and Service Battalion—took part in seven campaigns and was awarded a Meritorious Unit Commendation for it service over the course of the entire calendar year of 1967. Inactivated on 1 September 1968 while still in Vietnam, the unit subsequently received the designation HHD, 498th Support Battalion when it was reactivated at Fort Hood (now Fort Cavazos) on 10 January 1975. It would begin an eleven-year inactivation on 15 September 1992 while stationed in Germany that would end in October 2003 when the Battalion was reactivated in Korea. On 17 October 2006, the unit was redesignated as HHC, 498th Support Battalion, which today is the 498th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion. I
As of March 2021, the Battalion is a subordinate of the 501st Sustainment Brigade and is stationed at Camp Carroll, South Korea.