WW2 US Machine Gun Insignia

This is a genuine WW2 US Army machine gun insignia — the crossed machine guns device worn by soldiers of the Infantry branch who specialized in heavy weapons. Branch insignia were worn on the collar of the service uniform and identified a soldier's arm of service at a glance.

Machine gun crews were among the most critical elements of WW2 infantry tactics, providing suppressive fire that allowed rifle squads to maneuver. The crossed machine guns device, derived from the earlier crossed rifles of the Infantry, distinguished heavy weapons specialists throughout the war.

Original WW2-era branch insignia in good condition are increasingly scarce and represent an accessible but historically significant area of American militaria collecting.