The 864th Engineer Battalion, nicknamed “Pacemakers,” was originally constituted as the 864th Engineer Aviation Battalion in the Army of the United Sates on 14 December 1942 and activated on New Year’s Day, 1943. It was deployed to the Pacific Theater and took part in three campaigns (New Guinea, Bismarck Archipelago, and Luzon) before its inactivation in June 1946, garnering a Philippine Presidential Unit Citation for its exceptional service.
In February 1949, the Battalion was allotted to the Organized Reserve Corps (Army Reserve after 1952) and underwent a couple of activations/inactivations before it was withdrawn from the Army Reserve and allotted to the Regular Army and activated in September 1955. Redesignated as the 864th Engineer Battalion on 15 May 1956, the unit would take part in thirteen campaigns during the Vietnam War, earning two Meritorious Unit Commendations (MUCs) and a Republic of Vietnam Civil Action Honor Medal, First Class.
During 1990 and 1991, it took part in all three campaigns of the Southwest Asia conflict, commonly called the First Gulf War, and was awarded another pair of MUCs. The Battalion deployed to Kuwait in March 2003 to support both Operation Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom, followed by deployments to Afghanistan three times between 2005 and 2011, earning three Meritorious Unit Commendations and a Valorous Unit Award (the latter for service between July and September 2005).
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The 864th Engineer Battalion Distinctive Unit Insignia, commonly called a unit crest of DUI, was originally approved for the 864th Engineer Aviation Battalion on 15 March 1956 and was redesignated for the 864th Engineer Battalion on 30 November 1956. Its predominant colors are scarlet and white, branch colors of the Corps of Engineers, and employs them in a counterchanged (alternating) color scheme.
A white, vertical winged strip with a sea lion wielding a sword superimposed in its center suggests a landing strip and thus the organization’s original Aviation mission; the sea lion is taken from the coat of arms of the Philippines to commemorate the Presidential Unit Citation it received from that country. ALIQUID EXPECTAVIT, the unit motto, is Latin for “Anything Expected.”
Distinctive Unit Insignias are 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.