Korean War US Army 49th Infantry Division Patch

Original Korean War US Army 49th Infantry Division Shoulder Sleeve Insignia Patch.

The 40th and 52d Divisions were allocated to the State of California after World War II. The 52d Infantry Division was activated on 15 August 1946. Since the Centennial celebrations lay ahead for the state in 1949 and the division was to be stationed in the general area of "the days of 49" in Northern California, it was requested that the 52d Infantry Division designation be changed to 49th Infantry Division.

 The designation was changed to the 49th Infantry Division by a National Guard Bureau Letter, CSNGB, dated 24 October 1947, Subject: "Change in Designation of 52d Infantry Division" and an Adjutant General Letter, AGAO-I 325 dated 20 October 1947, Subject: "Allotment of National Guard Units (California)." The change was retroactive to 5 August 1946 in both documents. Thereafter the division was known as the "Argonaut Division" and its shoulder sleeve insignia depicted a 49er mining gold. The 49th Infantry Division was federally recognized on 14 October 1946 and it was deactivated on 29 January 1968.