1st Infantry Division:
"The Big Red One, and The Fighting First."

When the U.S. entered WW II, the 1st Division was on active
duty assigned to the Regular Army with Headquarters at
Fort Devens, Massachusetts. After receiving additional
training at Camp Blanding, Florida, and Indiantown Gap,
Pennsylvania, the 1st embarked for overseas in August of 1942

The shoulder patch of the First Division is based on WW I
design that was approved by the AEF on October 31st, 1918.
Several legends have emerged on the origin for the patch; one
version is that the number design came from the fact that
Division transport were obtained from England and so a
large number "1" was painted on Division vehicles to tell
them apart from those of our Allies. Another version is that
a senior officer cut the number "1" from his red flannel
underwear and a junior officer improved on the design.
In any event, the big red "1" suggests the Division's number.