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For your consideration is this M1931 Armored Guidon manufactured by the Philadelphia Quartermaster Depot in the early 1950’s. This is a 27” by 19” Wool guidon with silk lettering and device. The sleeve is lined with white cotton with a leather tab in the upper & lower sleeve. The Philadelphia Quartermaster Depot tag is in the upper sleeve.This is a very EARLY Armored Guidon with the newly adopted Armored device. This Guidon was manufactured by the PQMD in the very early 1950’s.This is an early example of an Armored Guidons to display the newly adopted Armored device that was authorized for use February 1951.This guidon is for the 815th Medium Tank BattalionBy the make of this guidon it puts this piece after WWII and before 1954. The device wasn’t adopted until 1951, so this Guidons is from 1951-54 putting right during the Korean War.During the Korean War the 815th Medium Tank Battalion was reorganized as the 815th Heavy Tank Battalion. The guidon’s stayed the same.LINAGE•World War II Origins:
The unit was originally constituted during World War II on May 11, 1942, as the 815th Tank Destroyer Battalion. It initially operated as a heavy self-propelled unit equipped with M10 Tank Destroyers and deployed to New Guinea and the Philippines before being disbanded in late 1944.•Post-War Reorganization:
On December 9, 1946, the unit was reconstituted and redesignated as the 815th MED(Medium) Tank Battalion (Organized Reserves).•The 1951 Designation:
By 1951, during the height of the Korean War, the battalion was specialized as a 120 mm gun heavy tank unit. This heavy armament designation (matching the caliber later used on the M103 heavy tank) was intended to counter heavily armored Soviet armor threats of the Cold War era.•Later Redesignation:
The unit's lineage was later absorbed and integrated into the 308th Armored Cavalry Regiment.ARMORED CAVALRY INSIGNIA
Design & Adoption The U.S. Army adopted the Armor branch insignia featuring an M-26 Pershing tank superimposed over crossed sabers in 1950 (with authorization to wear it taking effect in February 1951).
Linage:
