Often called a unit crest or a DUI for short, the Distinctive Unit Insignia of the 40th Finance Battalion Distinctive Unit Insignia was approved in August 1994 and uses symbolism to recall its history supporting troops deployed overseas for combat (see the unit history below for more details). A gold arrowhead containing a concentric black arrowhead is an allusion to the two Arrowhead device the unit earned during assault landings in the Pacific Theater during World War II.
The red and blue shield divided by the wavy line recalls the taeguk, national symbol of Korea where the unit’s performance was rewarded with several military decorations. A gold lozenge (diamond shape) inside the black arrowhead is taken from the Finance Corps branch insignia; and the Golden Bear reinforces the unit motto of “Golden Bear Swift Support,” which reflects the organization’s pride in its home state of California, where it was founded in 1930 and has been based ever since as part of the California Army National Guard.
The Distinctive Unit Insignia is 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 40th Finance Battalion is a California Army National Army Guard unit that has been inactivated/deactivated. It was originally organized in the California National Guard as Company G, 185th Infantry, an element of the 40th Division (40th Infantry Division after February 1942). It was inducted into Federal service on 3 March 1941 and deployed to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater, where it took part in the assault landings in two campaigns (Luzon and Southern Philippines) and also participated in the Bismarck Archipelago campaign. It was awarded a Philippine Presidential Unit Citation for its efforts in liberating the country from Japanese occupation forces.
Inactivated on 7 April 1946, the unit was reorganized and received federal recognition on 15 October 1946 as the HQ Company, 224th Infantry, also an element of the 40th Infantry Division. It was called into active federal service on 1 September 1950 and was subsequently deployed to Korea, where it took part in four of the ten Korean War campaigns and earned three Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citations. It was reorganized and redesignated on 1 July 1954 as HQ and HQ Company, Combat Command B, 40th Armored Division, a designation it held until March 1963 when it became the HHC of 2nd Brigade, 40th Armored Division. It was then converted and redesignated as Company A, 40th Support Battalion of the 40th Infantry Division.
It was designated as a Finance Corps unit on 13 January 1974 when it was converted and redesignated as the 40th Finance Company, 40th Infantry Division. Its location changed three times over the next decade, from Inglewood (December 1975) to Long Beach (1980) to Compton (1985). Finally, on 1 September 1993, it was reorganized and redesignated under its final title of 40th Finance Battalion.
In the mid-2000s, the 40th Finance Battalion was assigned to the 100th Troop Command, California Army National Guard and was stationed in Claremont, California. It appears to have been inactivated in 2010 or 2011.