TVYM’s New Unit Logo

A few years ago I approached the unit’s staff with the idea of changing our unit’s logo. I love the old logo with the raising of the flag on Iwo Jima, however I wanted our own identity. I wanted something that set us aside from everyone else, I showed everyone the log for the 3rd Marine Division which we have adopted (they are stationed in Hawaii). I could not think of a better logo that could really identify with the amazing unit we have created. We live outside the “BOX”, we continually push the bar higher to show others what can be accomplished and we never let our kids down. And as proven last year our unit staff is always ready to shift gears and directions to accomplish their mission. We are implementing the new logo which I am sure you have all seen by now.  It will be a mild transition and our kids can still wear their old TVYM unit T-Shirts. Our new logo is directly below this article. Below our logo is the 3rd Marine Divisions logo and what it means. We will also be teaching our Young Marines the significance of the 3rd Marine Division’s logo and how it relates to our unit.

 

 

THE CALTRAP--3RD DIVISION'S INSIGNIA

While the 3rd Marine Division was in New Zealand during WWII preparing for operations against the Japanese strongholds in the Pacific, the division commander, Major General Charles D. Barrett, directed a contest be held within the Division to pick the best design for a shoulder patch to be worn on the uniform. An unknown Marine came up with a design based on the CALTRAP and this was selected as the best. The design was approved by the Commandant of the Marine Corps as the official insignia of the 3rd Marine Division and he authorized that a shoulder patch embodying this insignia could be worn on the left shoulder of the uniform by all members of the Division. The official insignia is a scarlet triangle shield with a narrow gold line near the outer edge. In the center of the shield is a gold and black  CALTRAP, an ancient instrument of war with four metal points so disposed that any three of them being on the ground the fourth projects upward thereby impeding the advance of infantry or cavalry. As adopted for the insignia it means literally: "DON'T TREAD ON  ME" or 'ALWAYS READY." The three foundation points of the CALTRAP represent the division number. This ancient device was used by the Germans during WWII when they manufactured it of metal tubing and deposited hundreds of them in traffic ways and it impeded the movement of even those enemy vehicles equipped with self-seal tires, since, being of hollow tubing the punctures could not self-seal. Shortly after WWII the Marine Corps abolished the wearing of division patches on the uniform and the 3rd Marine Division was inactivated. During the Korean War the 3rd Marine Division was again activated and for practical and sentimental reasons the old CALTRAP insignia was painted on all combat vehicles and used generally for marking other items of organizational equipment and it again became the recognized insignia of the "Fighting Third" In 1952 the words: "FIDELITY-HONOR-VALOR" were added to the insignia and the CALTRAP has remained the insignia of this famous combat division ever since.