The 29th Infantry Division's nickname “Blue and Gray,” inspired by the fact that the original incarnation of the Division included troops from states in the Union (New Jersey and Maryland) and the Confederacy (Virginia), is reflected in the design of its Combat Service ID Badge (taken from the Division's Shoulder Sleeve Insignia). The two interlocking teardrops on the patch—one light gray and one dark blue—form a taegeuk, a Korean version of the Chinese yin-yang symbol associated with the concept of harmony. It was suggested by Division Adjutant James Alexander Ulio, who went on to become Adjutant General of the Army.
When war broke out in Europe in the late 1930s, the United States began reorganizing its military divisions. In early 1941, the 29th Infantry Division, whose motto became “Twenty-Nine Let’s Go!”, was reactivated. Then shortly after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the division left deployed to England to spend The next two years training for the eventual D-Day attack on June 6, 1944. When the day came, the 29th Infantry Division was the vanguard of the attack. Members of its Army Rangers joined the 116th Infantry and members of the 1st Division and hit Omaha Beach. Taking huge initial casualties and after the landing of the rest of division, the 29th took control of the beaches in a bloody, now famous battle.
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29th Infantry Division Patch (SSI) Today, the fame of the 29th lives on in movies like The Longest Day and Saving Private Ryan, as well as many video games. The Division still operates as part of the National Guard and had some of its troops deployed in 2006 in Kosovo. From 2007 to 2008, the 116th Infantry from the division joined in Operation Freedom in Iraq. In 20110 through 2012, members of the division served in security forces in Afghanistan.