Originally constituted as the 327th Infantry and assigned to the 82nd Division in August 1917, the 327th Infantry Regiment wound up being involved in two of the most famous incidents of the First and Second World Wars—helping relieve the “Lost Battalion” in World War I and staunching the final German offensive with a determined, hold-at-all-cost stand at Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge in World War II.
During those two wars, the 327th Infantry Regiment took part in seven campaigns and garnered a Presidential Unit Citation for its fighting at Bastogne, two French Croix de Guerre awards, and a Belgian Fourragere. Unit awards were not given in World War I, but seven of the Regiment’s Soldiers were honored with Distinguished Service Crosses.
The 327th is one of the very few Army units to have earned official credit for participating in all 17 named campaigns of the Vietnam War. Its 1st and 2nd Battalions arrived in Vietnam in 1965, and the 2nd did not leave until 1972. During that time, the Regiment had been awarded two Presidential Unit Citations, a Valorous Unit Award, and a Meritorious Unit Commendation.
The unit was given its current designation of 327th Infantry Regiment on 1 October 2005. It now consists of two Battalions, both assigned to the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division.
♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
On the 327th Distinctive Unit Insignia (DUI), or unit crest, a palmetto tree represents the state of South Carolina where it was organized in 1921. The red bend comes from the coat of arms of Lorraine in France, and the three fleur-de-lis represent the unit’s campaign credits during World War I. “Honor And Country” is the unit motto. First approved when the unit was designated the 327th Infantry Regiment, Organized Reserves in 1928, the insignia was redesignated for the 327th Infantry on 13 February 1958, about ten months after it was made a Regiment in the Combat Arms Regimental System.
Also known as a unit crest or DUI, the Distinctive Unit Insignia is worn by all Soldiers (except General Officers) in units that have been authorized to be issued the device. It is worn centered on the shoulder loops of the Army Green Service Uniform (AGSU) and the blue Army Service Uniform (ASU, Enlisted only) with the base of the insignia toward the outside shoulder seam.
Full guidance on wear of the DUI is found in DA Pamphlet 670-1,
Section 21-22, "Distinctive unit insignia."