Insignia

[Excerpt from Wyllie, Col. Robert E. "The Romance of Military Insignia."
 The National Geographic Magazine, Vol. XXXVI, No. 6. December, 1919. ]

Was organized from National Guard units left over after the formation of the preceding sixteen divisions and 26 States contributed; hence the popular name of the Rainbow Division, which is carried out in the insignia.

Nickname

"Rainbow" Division.

Background

On 1 August 1917, the War Department directed the formation of a composite National Guard Division.  When formed, the 42d Division contains National Guard units from Alabama, California, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota. Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia.  On 20 August 1917, the division began concentrating at Camp Mills, NY.  Overseas movement commenced on 18 October 1917 and was completed by 8 December 1917.

Primary Units

83d Infantry Brigade:
165th Infantry Regiment
166th Infantry Regiment
150th Machine Gun Battalion

84th Infantry Brigade:
167th Infantry Regiment
168th Infantry Regiment
151st Machine Gun Battalion

67th Field Artillery Brigade:
149th Field Artillery Regiment (75mm)
150th Field Artillery Regiment (155mm)
151st Field Artillery Regiment (75mm)
117th Trench Mortar Battery

Divisional Troops:
149th Machine Gun Battalion
117th Engineer Regiment
117th Field Signal Battalion
117th Train Headquarters and MP
117th Ammunition Train
117th Supply Train
117th Engineer Train
117th Sanitary Train (Ambulance Companies & Field Hospitals 165, 166, 167, 168)

Product Flyers

DB 42-1: 42d Division, Division Histories

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