Technically designated as Airborne background trimming, this embroidered, oval-shaped patch is worn by members of Airborne-designated units who have earned an Air Assault or Parachutist badge. The main portion of the badge centered on the oval and then both are worn on AGSU and ASU coats, Class B ASU shirt, and the green or blue Army Maternity Tunic.
The oval and badge are considered a single item for placement and measurements, with the outer edge of the oval (and the top of the star and wreathed star in the case of Senior and Master Parachutist badges) used when measuring for positioning purposes. Rules for badge placement are not the same for the uniforms on which wear of oval-badge combination is authorized, so we suggest you consult Chapter 22-16 (b) of the January 2021 edition of DA PAM 670-1 for detailed guidance.
Originally constituted as the Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment (HHD), 5th Quartermaster Troop Battalion on 17 June 1943, today’s 526th Support Battalion would serve under a variety of designations before taking on its current role when it was designated as the 526th Forward Support Battalion on 16 April 1994 and then as the 526th Brigade Support Battalion a decade later in 2004.
In World War II, it served as the HHD, 5th Quartermaster Battalion, Mobile, earning a Meritorious Unit Commendation inscribed “European Theater.” Between the end of World War II and unit’s next combat service in Vietnam, it was designated 5th Transportation Corps Truck Battalion and 5th Transportation Amphibious Truck Battalion while stationed at the Army Transportation school at Fort Eustis, Virginia.
This was followed by a three-year stint (1960-1963) on Okinawa as the 5th Transportation Battalion that ended with inactivation. Reactivated in 1968, the Battalion’s service through 1971 was recognized with two Meritorious Unit Commendations, complemented by two Republic of Vietnam (ROV) Cross Gallantry with Palm awards and an ROV Civil Action Honor Medal.
With the onset of the Global War on Terrorism, the Battalion—a unit in the 101st Airborne Division since 1994—was deployed at the very of Operation Iraqi Freedom and was subsequently deployed numerous times. In keeping with its motto of "Best By Performance, the Battalion (not counting awards to specific individual Companies or Detachments) was tapped for a Presidential Unit Citation (for service between September and December 2010) and no fewer than five Meritorious Unit Commendations, the most recent being announced in December 2019 for service between May 2016 and January 2017.
Related Items
526th Support Battalion Unit Crest