Commonly called a unit crest or DUI for short, the 87th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion Distinctive Unit Insignia was approved on 22 September 1966. As reinforced by the unit motto “Base Of The Pyramid,” the two triangles—one gold, one crimson—represent pyramids. The gold triangle supporting the crimson one is a reference to the Battalion’s function of conducting general maintenance.
In the center of the crimson triangle is a cross take from the coat of arms of Rome; it signifies the five campaigns in Italy that the Battalion took part in during World War II. Superimposed on the cross is a crescent, an emblem closely associated with North Africa and in this case is an allusion to service in the Algeria-French Morocco campaign, also during World War II.
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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The 87th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion was originally constituted as the 7th Separate Quartermaster Battalion (Light Maintenance). During World War II, it fought in a total of six campaigns in the European-African-Middle Eastern Theater. As the 87th Maintenance Battalion, it was deployed to Germany from the middle of the 1960s through the 1980s; it was from Germany that the unit deployed to Kuwait and fought in two of the three campaigns in the Southwest Asia conflict (First Gulf War).
On 16 October 1993, the battalion was officially re-designated as the 87th Support Battalion (Corps) with the motto “Base of the Pyramid.” The Battalion has deployed at least once to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, and at some point was redesignated as the 87th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion. As of 2023, the unit is listed as the 87th Division Sustainment Battalion and is assigned to the 3rd Infantry Division Sustainment Brigade. It is stationed at Fort Stewart in Georgia.