US Army 1905th Engineer Aviation Battalion DI Unit Crest Clutch Back NS Meyer

Description

This sale is for a rare, original, and obsolete NS Meyer/ Meyer Insignia, distinctive unit insignia (DUI/DI) crest for the 1905th Engineer Aviation Battalion. Based on the NS Meyer Hallmarks, this DI dates to about 1952, when the design was approved by the US Army Institute of Heraldry. It is regulation size (about 1 inch by 1-1/8 inch).
The design for this crest was approved by the Army's Institute of Heraldry in 1952, but the unit had an extensive service history serving in the China-Burma-India Theater in WWII.  The unit's motto was "Earnest Endeavor," which appears on the crest. In 1950 the unit requested use if its WWII patch design which featured "Barney Bear," to be incorporated into its new crest (DI). "Barney Bear" had been licensed from the MGM Company for use in the crest. The Army Institute of Heraldry rejected the use of the "caricature," "Barney Bear," as inappropriate for wear on US Army uniforms, so the subsequent design incorporating a Malayan Bear and a Malayan Star-wreath for the unit's WWII service in Malaya was approved.
The unit was constituted 15 July 1942 as 1st Battalion, 924th Engineer Regiment, in the Army of the United States. Activated 1 October 1942 at Army Air Base, Richmond, Virginia. Re-designated 1905 Engineer Aviation Battalion, 2 June 1943 at Dow Field, Maine. It departed the New York Port of Embarkation 8 September 1943 and arrived in India 12 October 1943. The unit was at Ledo, India at the end of World War II and returned to the United States via the New York Port of Embarkation on 3 January 1946; then inactivated 4 January 1946 at Camp Kilmer, New Jersey. Allotted to the National Guard of California 24 May 1946; Headquarters and Headquarters and Service Company organized and Federally recognized 27 September 1948 at Alameda, California. Ordered into active military service 1 October 1950 at Alameda and reorganized 3 November 1950 as follows: 1810th Engineer Aviation Company re-designated Company A. 1811th Engineer Aviation Company re-designated Company B. 1812th Engineer Aviation Company re-designated Company C.
Following approval of the DI design, the unit was short-lived, making this a rather scarce insignia that doesn't come up often.