Introducing project “Military Insignia”, featuring top quality military heraldry designs. Here you will find designer apparel, accessories, custom postage and gifts decorated with insignia of the U.S. Army 42nd Infantry Division ("Rainbow"). The 42nd Infantry Division (42ID) ("Rainbow") is a division of the National Guard and United States Army. The 42nd Infantry Division has served in World War I, World War II and the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT). The division is currently headquartered at the Glenmore Armory in North Greenbush, New York with the New York National Guard. The division presently includes Army National Guard units from fourteen different states, including Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Vermont and Wisconsin. As of 2007, 67 percent of 42ID soldiers are located in New York and New Jersey. The 42nd Division adopted a shoulder patch and unit crests acknowledging the nickname. The original version of the patch symbolized a half arc rainbow and contained thin bands in multiple colors. During the latter part of World War I and post war occupation duty in Germany, Rainbow Division soldiers modified the patch to a quarter arc, removing half the symbol to memorialize the half of the division's soldiers who became casualties (killed or wounded) during the war. They also reduced the number of colors to just red, gold and blue bordered in green, in order to standardize the design and make the patch easier to reproduce. Since then the onset of the 11 September attacks, the 42ID has been extensively involved in the war on terrorism, in both Homeland Security (HLS) and Expeditionary Operations. Units of the 42ID from the New York Army National Guard provided security at Ground Zero during the rescue and then recovery efforts there. The first major deployed effort of the 42ID was the deployment of elements of the 50th BCT/42ID to Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, Cuba. The 2/108th Inf deployed to the Iraq Theater of Operation (ITO) in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) in 2004. In 2004/2005 the 1/69 Inf served in the ITO (Iraq); eventually assuming responsibility for security on the Baghdad International Airport (BIAP) Road. The 42nd CAB also deployed to the ITO (Iraq) during this period. In 2004 the Division Headquarters and division troops of the 42nd Infantry Division, the "Rainbow" Division, were mobilized for service in the ITO (Iraq). The 42ID was deployed to the Iraq Theater of Operations (ITO) as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) III, relieving the 1st Infantry Division (1ID). The 42ID Headquarters and Division Troops (DISCOM, 250th Sig Bn) were the first National Guard division to be sent to an active combat area of operations under its own command since the Korean War. The "Rainbow Division" controlled the north-central Iraq area of operations, and was the first National Guard contingent to be in charge of an entire area of operation in the Middle East. Serving as the command and control (C2) of Task Force Liberty, the 42ID took over responsibility for the area known as Multi-National Division North Central (MND-NC) including the provinces of Salah Ah Din, Diyala, At Tamamim (Kirkuk) and As Sulymaniah from the 1st Infantry Division (1ID) on 14 February 2005. The 42ID directed the operations of 1st BCT, 3ID, 3rd BCT, 3ID, the 278th RCT,3rd- 133rd FA 56th BCT (Texas Army National Guard) and the 116th Cavalry Brigade Combat Team (Idaho, Oregon, and Montana Army National Guard). In 2008, two BCTs of the 42ID deployed in support of Global War on Terror (GWOT). The 50th IBCT, headquartered at Ft. Dix, NJ, deployed to the ITO (Iraq) as part of the 2008–2010 rotation of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). In 2008 the 27th IBCT, headquartered in Syracuse, NY, was mobilized and deployed to Afghanistan in order to train Afghan National Army (ANA) and Police forces in support of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF). The distinctive unit insignia was authorized on 3 June 1976. Blue is the color used for Infantry. The rainbow alludes to the shoulder sleeve insignia of the Division and spanning across two fleurs-de-lis symbolize their combat service in France during both World War I and World War II. The sun, adapted from the seal of the State of New York, refers to the location and home area of the 42d Infantry Division.