The 40th Infantry Division’s ACU Patch, or shoulder sleeve insignia, has the same design as the Division’s
Combat Service Identification Badge (CSIB), but unlike the CSIB it is also available as an "ACU Patch" in two subdued color schemes: the now-defunct UCP (Universal Camouflage Pattern) and OCP (Operational Camouflage Pattern). The “sun in splendor” in the insignia represents not only the sunny California weather, but also the Guard’s service to the citizens of California.
The motto of the division is “Duty Honor Courage” was on display when the 40th Infantry saw its first combat in December of 1917 where its soldiers—or, to be more precise, the soldiers it trained and equipped—fought as replacements for eight other army divisions. It wasn’t until WWII that the 40th saw action as a cohesive unit. More about the combat service of the 40th Infantry Division can be found our page devoted to the division's unit crest, or DUI (see link below).
For the 40th Infantry, its service to its country is not limited to foreign war zones. As early as 1927, the division was called upon to quell an inmate riot at the Folsom State Prison in Folsom, California. Under the designation of the 40th Armored Division, the entire unit was called out in response to the Watts Riots of 1965, and in 1992 it was once again called upon to restore order during the riots that erupted in response to the acquittal of four police officers in the beating of Rodney King.
California has the distinction of having the greatest in number and diversity of natural disasters of any state in the country. Whether the emergency involves hurricanes, earthquakes, fires, or flooding, California calls upon the 40th Infantry Division to aid its citizens and provide stability during these crises. California Governor Peter Wilson called on the 40th after the 1994 Northridge Earthquake, and the division’s rapid response helped get emergency services up and running just a few hours after the event. In 1997, the unit was deployed in response to the calamitous flooding on New Year’s Day in 1997.
For the soldier who wears this ACU Patch, the sun represents the ever-ready nature of the 40th Infantry Division, and in 2018 the unit showed how much its training and preparation paid off when it was deployed to Afghanistan. It was the first combat deployment for the Division Headquarters since 1952, and it proved that the Division has embraced its role as an operational force totally integrated with the active-duty Army.
Related Items
40th Infantry Division Unit Crest (DUI)
40th Infantry Division Combat Service ID Badge (CSIB)