The 511th Infantry Distinctive Unit Insignia celebrates the organization’s Airborne heritage and exploits with a shield divided into blue and green for sky and earth, divided by nebuly (the heraldic symbol for clouds). A white wedge is a stylized rendering of a parachute, recalling the organization’s original designation as “parachute infantry” and also symbolizing and offensive wedge penetrating into enemy territory as a visual representation of the motto “Strength From Above.” In the green area, the shining sun is for service in the Philippines, the crossed
kris and war club allude to service in New Guinea, and the red torii gate is for service in Japan.
Originally approved for the 511th Airborne Infantry Regiment on 28 November 1951, this insignia was redesignated for the 511th Infantry on 6 September 1963.
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. DUIs are not worn on the Dress variations of either uniform, however.
Full guidance on wear of the DUI is found in DA Pamphlet 670-1,
Section 21-22, "Distinctive unit insignia."♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
The 511th Infantry Regiment was originally formed at Camp Toccoa, Georgia in January 1943 as the 511th Parachute Infantry and was assigned to the 11th Airborne Division. After extensive training in both the United States and in New Guinea, the Regiment was deployed to the Philippines where it fought in two campaigns, Leyte and Luzon.
It was during the latter that the Regiment performed its first combat jump on Tagaytay Ridge and played a key role in the liberation of some 2,000 prisoners during the raid at Los Banos, a Japanese internment facility south of Manila. During the mission, the Regiment’s B Company actually performed a parachute jump directly into the prison camp.
Following the war, the Regiment performed occupation duty until 1949, and in the mid-1950s, following redesignation as the 511th Airborne Infantry Regiment, served in Germany as the replacement for 5th Infantry Division as part of Operation Gyroscope before inactivation in July 1958. The Regiment was briefly activated from 1993 to 1995 (under the designation 511th Infantry) and again from 1997 to 2005, but it was not deployed into a combat zone again before its inactivation in July 2005.