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ORIGIN OF 2nd DIVISION PATCH
EDITOR'S NOTE: How a patch becomes adopted makes an interesting story, and especially so with the original patches of World War I. David A. Cameron recently received various mementos of his uncle who had served in the Marines in World War I, serving with the 2nd Division, 6th marine Regiment, 96th Company. Among the material were copies of a magazine published by the 2nd Division in 1919 at Neuwied-on-the-Rhine, titled "The Indian", and published weekly. From "The Indian" we are presenting a series of news items, taken from several issues, which go into the story of the adoption of the 2nd Division's Indianhead patch.
ORIGINATOR OF DIVISION INSIGNIA In reply to the request for the name of the truck driver responsible for the creation of the Second Division insignia, it was designed by Private Topaz and Corporal Reynolds of Company A, Second Supply Train. Topax is now with the Twenty-third Infantry.
HERE IS THE REAL STORY To the Editor of The Indian : Now that the Second Division holds such a prominent position in the allied armies from its splendid work in the recent war, probably it would not be amiss for me to give to the division, through the medium of The Indian, a correct history of the origin of the divisional emblem, viz., the star and Indian head. About the 25th of March, 1918, when the division was occupying the trenches in the Toulon-Troyon sectors, Lieut. Samuel T. Swift, Second Supply Trains, was ordered by the then motor transport officer, Second Division, and the commanding officer of the Second Supply Train (Lieutenant Colonel William F. Herringshaw) to proceed to the sector then occupied by the Twenty-sixth Division, for the purpose of bringing back to the Division a large convoy of Ford light delivery trucks. In reporting his observations of what he had seen in other motor organizations during his trip, he suggested that the Second Supply Train had not an official design, such as all of the similar organizations of allied armies had. Colonel Herringshaw immediately issued the following order:
Designs were submitted from the companies as stated in the order, and also from M. S. T. U. No. 303, with the result that the judges chose the Indian head for the first prize, and a five pointed star for the second prize. Colonel Herringshaw laid the star and Indianhead upon separate parts of his desk, and after a few minutes hesitation, he placed the separate Indian head over the star, and announced that the star and Indianhead combined, as he had placed them would hereafter be the official design of the Second Supply Train. It continued to be such until one day during the early part of June, 1918, the then divisional commander, Major General Bundy, had occasion to bring his automobile to the shops for some repairs, and ordered that the star and Indian head should be painted on his automobile. He also remarked that he was proud to have his car wearing the design of an organization within his division, that was functioning so brilliantly as the Second Supply Train was during the present (Chateau-Thierry) drivel. In due time, later on, came the divisional order authorizing it as the official divisional insignia for all motor and animal drawn vehicles in the division. Then came the additional order designating he various shields and backgrounds upon which the star and Indian head is superimposed, thus designating the various units of the division, and adopting it with these additional backgrounds as the divisional shoulder insignia, to be worn by the officers and men of the division. I know that the division will welcome through the columns of your breezy magazine the fact that Colonel William F. Herringshaw, now the assistant chief motor transport officer, U. S. Army, Washington, D. C., and at that time commanding officer of the Second Supply Train, is the originator of the divisional emblem, viz., the star and Indian head. Daniel J. Canty
(The following is from official records, not from "The Indian" magazine)
HEADQUARTERS, SECOND DIVISION,
France, November 14, 1918 ORDERS) No. 29)
1. The following design of distinctive insignia, to be worn on the left shoulder with the top of the insignia at the shoulder seam of sleeve of coat, has been approved for Second Division troops to comply with paragraph 1, G. O. No. 33, Hq. 1st Army A. E. F. and is published for the information of all concerned.
2. A five-pointed star, having the head of an American Indian facing to the left, in red and blue, stamped or embroidered in center of star. The star will be of such dimensions as to be exactly contained in a circle of three and one-half (3-1/2) inches in diameter. The star with Indian head will be superimposed on cloth backgrounds of various shapes to designate the several organizations.
3. The cloth background will be the following colors and shapes, the different shapes being of standard dimensions, in accordance with the accompanying drawings - particular attention being paid to accurately following those dimensions in order to insure correct superimposing of the white star.
4. Pending the receipt of the white star with the Indian head, organization commanders of this division will at once take the necessary steps to provide their troops with the cloth backgrounds as specified in this order. By command of Major General John A. Lejeune Hugh Matthews 2nd "INDIAN HEAD" DIVISION
MAJOR WORLD WAR I VARIATIONS
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