During World War I and World War II, the 58th Military Intelligence Brigade's predecessors—the 115th and 116th Regiments—were subordinate to the 29th Infantry Division and fought with the 29th in all major campaigns and battles that made the 29th Infantry arguably the most famous division in modern American warfare.
Officially known as a Distinctive Unit Insignia or DUI for short, the unit crest of the 58th represents these actions. The lower fleur-de-lis reflects the unit’s World War I service in France, and the upper one symbolizes its service in Europe in World War II. The blue arrow that runs through the upper fleur-de-lis signifies the unit's action at the “Beaches of Normandy”. The red background refers to the Meritorious Unit Streamer awarded for service in the European Theater. The color green symbolizes the French Croix de Guerre With Palm, awarded for the unit’s heroism and blood spilled on the beaches of Normandy during Operation Overlord.
In the years since the Second World War, the unit has undergone several changes in designation, from 3rd Brigade, 28th Infantry Division (1968) to the 58th Infantry Brigade (1976) and then the 3rd Brigade again, but this time assigned to the 29th Infantry Division from 1985 to 2006. That was the year it became the 58th Infantry Brigade Combat Team until its redesignation as the 58th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade in 2010; in 2015, the brigade underwent its most recent change in designation to its current title as the 58th Military Intelligence Brigade (Expeditionary), also known as the 58th Expeditionary Military Intelligence Brigade.
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The yellow and black diagonal bars on the crest refers to Maryland, the home state of the unit. The prominently displayed motto, “Maryland 400”, denotes the relentless and valiant actions of the Maryland Line in George Washington’s Continental Army. Outnumbered over 25 to 1, the line gave Washington the time needed to escape with the remaining soldiers of the Continental Army across the Gowanus Swamp to the American fortified position. At seeing the repeated charges, General Washington was heard to remark that the Marylanders bought "an hour more precious than any other in the history of the nation."
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.
Related Items
58th Military Intelligence Brigade Patch (SSI)
58th Military Intelligence Brigade Combat Service ID Badge (CSIB)