Approved on 5 March 1929, the 32nd Infantry Regiment Unit Crest (technically referred to as a Distinctive Unit Insignia or DUI) employs symbolic imagery to commemorate its origins and service on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, where it was organized in August 1916. According to The Institute of Heraldry, the Regiment’s parent organizations, the 1st and 2nd Infantry Regiments, are both denoted on the canton (small square inset on shield), with the lion passant guardant indicating both Regiments fought in the War of 1812.
The device superimposed on the saltire (“x”) in the center is a puela, an ancient Hawaiian banner with a variety of uses, including being placed in front of the King’s tent leaning against a pair of crossed spears (alia) to indicate tabu and protection. Such a puela can be seen on the royal Hawaiian arms here, the alia have been replaced by a saltire. The colors of the insignia are royal Hawaiian colors, and the crest is an ancient Hawaiian war headpiece called a mahiole.
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. 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.
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Constituted on 1 July 1916 and organized 7 August 1916 at Schofield Barracks in Hawaii, the 32nd Infantry Regiment was nicknamed the “Queen’s Own” Regiment by Liliuokalani, the last queen of Hawaii. It was assigned to the 16th Division in July 1918, but was relieved in less than a year and inactivated in 1921. Assigned to the 7th Infantry Division in 1940, the Regiment would see combat in four Pacific Theater campaigns—Aleutian Islands, Eastern Mandates, Leyte, and Ryukyus, with the Regiment taking part in the actual assault landings on Leyte and the Ryukyus—and receive a Philippine Presidential Unit Citation for its role in liberating the island from Japanese.
The Regiment was still assigned to the 7th Infantry Division when the Korean War broke out, and between 1950 and 1953 it would see action again every one of that war’s named campaigns. Five Presidential Unit Citations were awarded to the Regiment, along with a Navy Unit Commendation and three Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citations. Recognized as a parent Regiment under the Combat Arms Regimental System (CARS) in 1957, the 32nd Infantry was withdrawn from it in 1987 and reorganized under the U.S Army Regimental System and transferred to U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC). It was then withdrawn from TRADOC in 1994.
In the Global War on Terrorism, the Regiment’s 1st Battalion has been awarded two Meritorious Unit Commendations (February 2006 to February 2007, October 2013 to July 2014) and two Valorous Unit Awards (2003 - 2004, July 2009 to September 2009). As of Summer 2023, the 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment is assigned to the 1st Brigade, 10th Mountain Division and is the Regiment's only active unit.