Deactivated since 2007, the 149th Armored Regiment was originally formed in the California National Guard as Troop C, Cavalry in August 1895. Though activated for Mexican Border service in 1916, easing tensions meant that its first deployment after being mustered into Federal Service would come during World War I. After being drafted, it was reorganized and redesignated as Company B, 145th Machine Gun Battalion; assigned to the 40th Division, the Company was awarded uninscribed World War I campaign streamer for providing replacement troops as part of the Sixth Depot Division.
During World War II, the unit was designated as Company C, 194th Tank Battalion and relieved from assignment to the 40th Division. Deployed to the Philippine Islands in early 1942, the Company surrendered to the Japanese on 9 April 1942; following the end of the war, it was awarded a Philippine Islands medal and inactivated in April 1946. It would go on to be redesignated nearly 10 times before its eventual deactivation in 2007. Its most noticeable reorganization and redesignation came in 1959 when it was finally designated as an Armor organization, the 149th Armor. In October 2005, it would become the 149th Armored Regiment, and in 2007 would be consolidated with the 340th Support Battalion and take its name.
The Regiment’s military decorations included four Presidential Unit Citations (Defense of the Philippines, Luzon, Bataan Peninsula) and a Philippine Presidential Unit Citation.
♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
Officially known as a Distinctive Unit Insignia or DUI for short, the unit crest is worn only with the blue Army Service Uniform (ASU) that replaced the Army Green Uniform. The Distinctive Unit Insignia of the 149th Armored Regiment is yellow and green, two colors used for Armor at the time the insignia was originally approved. A cactus in the upper left denotes activation for Mexican Border service; the fleur-de-lis beside it is for service in Francein World War. The cattle-like creature is a carabao, a beast of burden that was commonly used in the Philippines and thus recalls the organization’s service there in World War II. The base of the insignia features chain mail, used by warriors in ancient times and here signifying the unit as a part of the Armor branch. “Men And Steel” is a succinct expression of the unit’s combination of man and machine.
Full guidance on wear of the DUI is found in DA Pamphlet 670-1, Section 21-22, "Distinctive unit insignia" and 21–3(d) and (e), "Beret" and "Garrison Cap," respectively.