04-03-2022, 05:47 PM
The 387th Engineer Battalion (Separate) was activated for WWII in MAY 1942 at Ft. Meade (MD). I do not have the date on which the unit was constituted. However, the unit essentially existed only on paper prior to spring 1942, at which time it was initially stood up with a cadre of officers and senior NCO's. In FEB 1945, while still in Italy, the unit was inactivated. Most of the battalion personnel were used to form the 3rd Battalion of the 92nd Engineer General Service Regiment.
During its short existence, the battalion did not get approval for a Distinctive Unit Insignia. However, members of the unit were authorized by battalion HQ at some point in Italy to wear a cloth tab on their left shoulder bearing the unit number. This tab was worn above the Fifth Army shoulder sleeve insignia. Unfortunately, I do not have a good photo image of this tab.
Meanwhile, the unit did apparently develop artwork for a battalion coat-of-arms. Although never approved by the War Department, that artwork was the basis for an insignia being made by 'Aresta of Hawaii' at some point in the last 30 years. This company was the brainchild of Charles William Aresta, a military insignia collector and enthusiast who himself was a veteran of the Korean War. As a service to collectors, veterans groups, and the families of veterans, Aresta commissioned many distinctive insignia for units which never had such insignia developed or approved. Educated insignia collectors understand there is no attempt being made by Aresta to pass off these insignia as authentic period pieces. I have attached a photo from my collection of the Aresta made insignia for the 387th Engineer Battalion.
I would be very interested if anyone on this forum can produce images of the original artwork on which this insignia was based.