U.S. ARMY 234TH SIGNAL BATTALION UNIT CREST (DUI)

The design of the 234th Signal Battalion Distinctive Unit Insignia, better known as a “unit crest” or a DUI, is based on the service of the Battalion’s subordinate elements at the time the Battalion was organized in 1959. A light blue crescent refers to the Infantry heritage of the existing units that formed the Battalion, with the Arrowhead and crescent alluding to the assault landings in Algeria-French Morocco. An eight-pointed star alludes to World War II service in Italy, “A Superior Performance” was the unit motto.

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. DUIs are not worn on the Dress variations of either uniform, however.

More 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.

♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

The 234th Signal Battalion was constituted on 22 April 1959 in the Iowa Army National Guard and assigned to the 34th Infantry Division. It was organized in Central Iowa from existing units on 1 May 1959 and its Headquarters established at Des Moines, with those existing units bringing their campaign participation history and military decorations with them.

Headquarters Company, for example, had earned an uninscribed World War I streamer and six World War II campaign streamers from the European-Africa-Middle Eastern (EAME) Theater, and was also honored with a Presidential Unit Citation (PUC) and a French Croix de Guerre with Palm. Company B had fought in seven World War II campaigns, also in the EAME Theater, and had been awarded an Arrowhead device for taking part in the landings in Africa in November 1942. Company C was also credited with seven campaigns from World War II and, like the HQ Company, had been honored with a PUC and French Croix de Guerre with Palm.

With the introduction of the Army’s modular unit system early in the 2000s, components of the Battalion could be assigned to separate parent organizations. Between April and October of 2003, for instance, the Battalion’s C Company was assigned to the 124th Signal Battalion as part of Task Force Lightning, and its contributions in installing, operating, and maintaining the largest tactical Mobile Subscriber Equipment network ever created by a division Signal Battalion was recognized in November 2009 when it was tapped for a Meritorious Unit Commendation. And in October 2009, the exceptional service of the Battalion between June 2003 and February 2004 was recognized with another MUC for its role in providing crucial communication support to V Corps and Combined Joint Task Force-7 while assigned to the 22nd Signal Brigade.

At some point prior to 2010, the 234th Signal Battalion was redesignated as the Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division (“2-34 BSTB”) and under that designation deployed to Afghanistan in 2010 to support Operation Enduring Freedom. It was inactivated in 2016.

Price

$15.99

Quantity

USPHS

Merchant Marine

AUXILIARY

U.S. ARMY 234TH SIGNAL BATTALION UNIT CREST (DUI)