I Corps America's Corps, US Army
I CORPS AMERICA'S CORPS, US ARMY
 (Shoulder Sleeve Insignia) |
 (Distinctive Unit Insignia) |
 (Corps Colour) |
Official blazon
Shoulder Sleeve Insignia. Description: On a black disc, 2 1/4 inches in diameter, a white circle 2 inches in diameter and 1/4 inch in width.
Distinctive Unit Insignia. Description: A gold color metal and enamel device 1 1/8 inches in height overall consisting of an ultramarine blue volcano discharging a silver gray and red cloud of smoke and lava, superimposed by a gold "I", all upon a black annulet enclosing a white annulet with a central black disc. Crossing the base is a gold scroll inscribed "AMERICA'S CORPS" in black letters.
Origin/meaning
Shoulder Sleeve Insignia: A white circle was used as a corps badge by an organization designated I Corps during the Civil War. The white circle was selected as the identifying device for the current I Corps.
Distinctive Unit Insignia: The black disc with white ring is a direct representation of the I Corps shoulder sleeve insignia. The volcanic mountain symbolizes the unit's World War II history in Australia, New Guinea, the Philippines, Japan and later service in Korea and at Fort Lewis - all within the Pacific geological "Ring of Fire." The blue on the mountain symbolizes the I Corps infantry composition and its relation with the Pacific Ocean. The flame and smoke refer to the I Corps' hardening in the fire of combat in WWI, WWII, and Korea. The numeral "I" refers to the unit designation and that I Corps was the first Army Corps into combat in two wars. The gold signifies the high worth of the unit. The motto "America's Corps" is in reference to I Corps' large Reserve Component base, with units located throughout the United States.
The shoulder sleeve insignia was approved by the Adjutant General, American Expeditionary Forces on December 3, 1918 and approved by the War Department on June 17, 1922. The current insignia was approved on October 31, 1988. The original distinctive unit insignia for I Corps was approved on June 8, 1942. It was a blue disc with white star, a white Ionic column rising from a white pediment and a motto scroll with "Aspire." A new insignia was authorized on May 21, 1970 which was a hexagon elongated vertically and divided by a wavy black diagonal band with ten silver stars, between dark blue at the top with a yellow fleur-de-lis and a white star and a light blue area in base bearing a Korean Taeguk. A third design was approved on September 14, 1982 and cancelled on October 31, 1988 was a duplicate of the shoulder sleeve insignia.
Literature: Images from Wikimedia Commons. Information from The Institute of Heraldry, US Army.
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