Commonly called a unit crest, the Distinctive Unit Insignia (DUI) of the 72nd Signal Battalion was approved on 23 August 1966. The predominant image of the insignia is a gold fleur-de-lis that represents the unit’s activities in France. Black, red, and gold are an allusion to the national colors of Germany and, when combined with white, to the three German states (Baden-Wurtemburg, Hessen, and Rhineland-Pfalz) that are associated with the battalion’s service. (Black, red, and gold are also the national colors of Belgium.)
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.
Full guidance on wear of the DUI is found in DA Pamphlet 670-1,
Section 21-22, "Distinctive unit insignia."♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
The 72nd Signal Battalion was originally constituted in the Army of the United States as the 3186th Signal Service Battalion on 8 May 1944 and activated a week later. After taking part in two European Theater campaigns (see above), the unit was redeployed to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater, where its service was recognized with a Theater Campaign streamer but without an inscription for a specific battle or action. It was inactivated on 25 January 1950 in Japan.
Following its June 1954 redesignation as HQ, 72nd Signal Battalion and allotment to the Regular Army, the Battalion was activated on 15 July 1954 at Fort Huachuca, Arizona. Three and a half years later, it was reorganized and redesignated as HQ and HQ Detachment, 72nd Signal Battalion on 9 December 1957, followed by inactivation on 1 October 1964. It was reactivated for a brief period in Germany (September 1965 to November 1967) before being activated on 1 January 1972.
Nearly thirty years elapsed before the unit underwent another change, this time on 15 January 2003 when it was reorganized and redesignated as HQ and HQ Company, 72nd Signal Battalion (its organic elements were simultaneously constituted and activated). Before the decade was out, the Battalion would be deployed twice in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, earning a pair of Meritorious Unit Commendations (Southwest Asia 2004 and Iraq 2009-2010) and an Army Superior Unit Award.
The 72nd Signal Battalion is not active at this time (March 2023) and it is unclear if it was disbanded, inactivated, or redesignated. We encourage customers who have information on the sate of the 72nd Signal Battalion to
please email us with the information so we may update this space.