MEDDAC Fort Irwin, US Army
MEDDAC FORT IRWIN, US ARMY
Official blazon
Distinctive Unit Insignia. Description: A gold color metal and enamel device 1 3/16 inches (3.02 cm) in height consisting of a blue oval, its upper half surrounded by the upper portion of an opened book with white pages, maroon edges and gold binding, the lower half of the oval surrounded by a branch of laurel on the left and oak on the right all in gold separated by a bar of crimson with white ends concave on top and convex on the bottom; upon the blue oval three gold five-pointed stars enarched above a sun symbol with ten rays composed of the upper half of a Philippine sun in gold conjoined with the lower half of a Chinese sun in white and charged in center with a maroon fleur-de-lis.
Origin/meaning
Some highlights of the military-medical career of General Frank W. Weed are symbolized in the design. The colors white and maroon are traditional to the Army Medical Department. The background of the central oval is blue to denote overseas service, represented by the symbols thereon as follows: the three stars above the Philippine sun indicate three tours of duty as surgeon and medical officer in the Philippines; the lower half of the sun symbol relates to the sun on the flag of the Republic of China, representing the General's service in Tientsin, China in 1914; the fleur-de-lis at center represents World War I service in France with the Office of the Chief Surgeon, AEF. The Distinguished Service Medal (symbolized by the branch of laurel) was awarded to General Weed in 1923 in recognition of his World War I service in the U.S. and France, and the oak branch refers to the oak leaf cluster, DSM awarded him in World War II. The crimson and white bar at bottom center refers to the Legion of Merit he received for his work as Commanding General of Letterman General Hospital during World War II. The opened book at top commemorates the General's efforts as assistant editor and editor-in-chief of the medical history titled "Medical Department of the U.S. Army in the World War" in fifteen volumes regarded by many as a monumental work.
The Distinctive Unit Insignia was originally approved for Weed Army Hospital on 29 January 1970. It was redesignated for the US Army Medical Department Activity, Fort Irwin, on 4 August 1980.
Literature: Image from Olompvo on Pinterest. Information from The Institute of Heraldry, US Army.
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