FREE: US. Army Black Wool Beret w/ 442nd-INFANTRY-REGIMENTAL-COMBAT-TEAM-UNIT-CREST

The listing, US. Army Black Wool Beret w/ 442nd-INFANTRY-REGIMENTAL-COMBAT-TEAM-UNIT-CREST has ended.

The hat label says size 7 1/2 but I think it has been altered to fit someone smaller; ( 21 1/2" circumference which is 6 7/8) This beret has a metal pin affixed. Symbolism Blue and white are used for Infantry. The taro leaf, from the coat of arms of the 100th Infantry Battalion, is identified with Hawaii and the Mississippi River steam boat symbolizes the place of activation of the 442d Infantry Regiment. Background The unit insignia was originally approved for the 442d Infantry Regiment, Organized Reserves Corps (Hawaii) on 22 May 1952. It was amended to withdraw "Organized Reserves Corps" from the designation on 30 June 1959. The 442nd Regimental Combat Team of the United States Army was a fighting unit composed almost entirely of American soldiers of Japanese ancestry who fought in World War II. Most of the families of mainland Japanese Americans were confined to internment camps in the United States interior. Beginning in 1944, the regiment fought primarily in Europe during World War II, in particular Italy, southern France, and Germany. The 442nd Regiment was the most decorated unit for its size and length of service in the history of American warfare. The 4,000 men who initially made up the unit in April 1943 had to be replaced nearly 2.5 times. In total, about 14,000 men served, earning 9,486 Purple Hearts. The unit was awarded eight Presidential Unit Citations (5 earned in one month).Twenty-one of its members were awarded Medals of Honor. Its motto was "Go for Broke"