81 Infantry Brigade
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Unit
Insignia
- Description: A
gold color metal and enamel device 1 1/8 inches (2.86cm)
in height overall consisting of a gold sun with ten
alternating straight pointed and pediment pointed rays
and surmounted in base by an arrowhead, point up, with
eight alternating blue and white wavy bands, the lower
points coinciding with the lower three rays of the sun
and all in front of and above a continuous doubled
scroll, the upper reverse portion red and the obverse
lower portion blue bearing the inscription "Washington
Rifles" in gold letters.
- Symbolism: Blue
is the color used for Infantry. The dual nature of the
pointed and pediment pointed rays, the former taken from
the demi-sun of the shoulder sleeve insignia of the 41st
Division, and the latter from the Philippine sun,
symbolizes the organization's service in France in World
War I, in the Philippines and in the Pacific are in
World War II. The arrowhead with the white and blue wavy
band, simulating water, commemorates the assault landing
at Luzon. The colors, blue, white and red refer to the
Philippine Presidential Unit Citation awarded during
that period.
- Background: The
distinctive unit insignia was approved on 1 Jun 1970.
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Shoulder
Sleeve Insignia
- Description: On
a white square with rounded corners 2 1/4 inches
(5.72cm) overall the Pacific Northwest Indian (Haida,
Kwakiutl, Nootka) symbol of a raven in black, red and
white all within a 1/8 inch (.32cm) red border.
- Symbolism: The
raven represents the fact that all units of this Brigade
derive their history and background as Washington State
units. The family crest of George Washington, a raven on
a gold cornet, has been traditionally used to form the
crest of Washington State unit insignia. The raven
design is a combination of three Northwest Indian tribe
designs of the raven. The head portion comes from the "Haida"
Indians. The lower portion has been taken from the "Kwakiutl"
Indians. The beak, eyes and mouth have been taken from
the "Nootka" Indians. Most emphasis has been
placed on the "Nootka" Indians as they lived
on the Washington coast and the Olympic Penninsula. Both
of the other tribes represented lived, for the most
part, on the lower British Columbia coast and in the
vicinity of Vancouver Island. The raven is one of the
most common of Northwest Indian designs, but it
represents one of the most unique types of design and is
found only in the Pacific Northwest. The raven is
considered to be of particularly good power in the
legends of the Northwest Indian tribes. According to the
legends this bird went into the supernatural world while
the earth was still in darkness and the people could not
see. The raven took the sun and escaped through a hole
in the roof of the house of the "supernaturals"
while they slept. Because the raven had to fly through
the smoke to get out of the house, it discolored him
black. While flying back to earth, with the
supernaturals in chase, the parts of the sun were broken
off forming the stars with the last and largest piece
forming the moon. The raven then threw the sun into the
sky where it gave off light and heat to the earth. The
raven saved the Indians from their darkness and gave
them light and a new life. The use of rectangles and
squares is based on the extensive use of such shapes in
Indian designs and carvings. Corners were usually
rounded to tie the rectangle into the total design.
- Background: The
shoulder sleeve insignia was approved on 27 May 1970.
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