| The first United States Army shoulder sleeve insignia | | | | insignia worn by the Army were manufactured |
| was worn by members of the 81st Infantry Division. | | | | authentically, a distinctive insignia painting, and a |
| This is an important aspect from an insignia collectors | | | | manufactured drawing were furnished by the |
| viewpoint. This unit trained at Camp Jackson, South | | | | commander on a loan basis. These items were then |
| Carolina. Being that Camp Jackson was located on | | | | made available to the Insignia manufacturer. The |
| Wildcat Creek the wildcat was chosen to represent | | | | samples were Inspected by Quality Control to ensure |
| the divisions insignia in May of 1918. In September of | | | | they had the correct color, design, and detail. After |
| 1918 the division was preparing to disembark to | | | | the samples were approved the commander of the |
| France, as a member of the Inspector General's | | | | organization would place the order with the approved |
| Department questioned that division. Why were all | | | | manufacturer, only. Orders could be continually placed |
| personnel wearing an insignia with a wildcat on their | | | | with the approved manufacturer, but if the |
| left sleeve? | | | | manufacturer changed, the entire process would |
| The commander of the division explained the | | | | have to be repeated. |
| meaning of the wildcat insignia and this began the | | | | The wildcat insignia ended up using 7 different colors. |
| road of approval for shoulder sleeve insignia for the | | | | Each color represented seven different divisions. |
| United States Army. | | | | Shoulder sleeve insignia usually serve as unit insignia. |
| One could say, shoulder sleeve insignia has a 2 fold | | | | Unit insignia generally has a short history. Meaning, the |
| purpose or meaning. The meaning of shoulder sleeve | | | | size of the Army expands during war, and gets |
| insignia may be a personal one. To many, it may just | | | | smaller during peace. This causes the Unit Insignia to |
| be another item of the required uniform, but to | | | | be created and then discontinued. Modern shoulder |
| some soldiers it is something very different. "A unique | | | | sleeve insignia were used during the first World War, |
| insignia embodying a proud, personal sense of | | | | inter-war period, and the Second World War where a |
| participation in his organization, depicting the historic | | | | large number of new insignia designs were |
| past of which he attaches great pride and honor." | | | | implemented. |
| Insignia meant, strength, will, pride, a belonging, and | | | | U.S. Military insignia collectors in over 30 different |
| with this it became the norm for Military Uniforms | | | | countries have come to Saunders Insignia for |
| worldwide. | | | | collecting. We have also supplied museums and |
| Soon, after approval of the wildcat Insignia, from the | | | | American unit enactors in several countries with the |
| headquarters of the American Expeditionary Force, | | | | items they need to advance their programs. We |
| other divisions began wearing shoulder sleeve insignia. | | | | have supplied veterans families, active military |
| The insignia patches or badges also caught the publics | | | | individuals, active military units, and have provisioned |
| eye. The shoulder insignia were featured in a number | | | | several movies with the appropriate U.S. Army |
| of magazines, including the December 1919 issue of | | | | insignia. |
| the National Geographic. To ensure that the unique | | | | |