Technically designated as Airborne background trimming, the 327th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Battalion oval was approved on 29 February 1988 for issued to Battalion personnel who had qualified for a Parachutist or Air Assault badge,
At the time of the Battalion’s inactivation in 2005, the oval was placed beneath a badge when it was worn on the Army Green Coat, the AG 415 shirt or Army Maternity Tunic; current regulations (January 2021 DA Pam 670-1) authorize ovals for wear with badges on Service Uniform coats (AGSU, ASU, and ASU Dress), the Class B ASU shirt, and green or blue Army Maternity tunic.
Regulations regarding the wear of ovals that were in effect at the time of the Battalion’s inactivation are found in
Chapter 28-31(b) and
Chapter 29-17(b) and
29-17(c) of the February 2005 edition of AR 670-1. Current regulations concerning general wear guidance for ovals is found in
Chapter 21-32(b) of the 2021 DA PAM 670-1, with detailed instructions on the wear and positioning of ovals and badges found in
Chapter 22-16(b).The 3rd Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment was originally constituted at the same time as the Regiment’s 1st and 2nd Battalions in August 1917 as Company C, 327th Infantry, an element of the 82nd Division and fought alongside them in World War I, taking part in three Allied offensives. Also like the other two Battalions, it was redesignated as a Glider Infantry unit, specifically Company C, 327th Glider Infantry, and under this name fought in four World War II campaigns between D-Day and the end of the War in Europe.
In addition to two Arrowhead devices for taking part in assault landings, the Company was awarded a Presidential Unit Citation for its action at the Battle of the Bulge, it was tapped for a French Croix de Guerre with Palm, a Netherlands Orange Lanyard, and a Belgian Croix de Guerre with Palm and Belgian Fourragere for two citations in the Order of the Day of the Belgian Army.
The Company would not see combat again for more than four decades; when it deployed in support of Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm in 1990, it had been designated as HQ and HQ Company, 3rd Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment for over seven years. The Battalion also took part in the combat during the opening weeks and months of Operation Iraqi Freedom, earning a Valorous Unit Award for service from 24 Mach 2003 to 31 July 2003 and a Meritorious Unit Commendation (August 2003 and January 2004).
The 3rd Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment was inactivated in 2005 as part of the Army’s transformation to a modular, Brigade-oriented force.