Two crossed silver skis will adorn the garrison caps of soldiers serving in the Army’s 10th Mountain Division, the service said Thursday, in a nod to insignia often worn by the unit’s very first ranks, who specialized in alpine warfare decades before.
The division adopted the insignia during its creation in 1943 as a unit dedicated to fighting in frigid, mountainous terrain, the Army said. Though the 10th Mountain Division has since diversified its mission, leaders said the move serves to remind soldiers of the unit’s storied past and lofty standards.
“When a soldier puts on that cap and sees the crossed skis, it’s a reminder of the legacy they’re part of,” Command Sgt. Maj. Brett Johnson, who serves as the division’s senior enlisted leader, said in a statement. “It tells them, ‘You belong to a division known for going where others dare not go and you’re expected to carry that forward,’” he said.
The division was activated in Colorado, where soldiers underwent intensive cold-weather and mountain training before deploying to the Italian theater during World War II.
In January 1945, soldiers from the division seized German positions on Riva Ridge by scaling steep, harsh cliffs under the cover of night. That assault paved the way for the Battle of Mount Belvedere, a pivotal fight for the division that broke through Germany’s line of heavily fortified positions in northern Italy, known as the fearsome “Gothic Line.”
“The crossed skis are more than a symbol from our past,” said Maj. Gen. Scott Naumann, the commanding general of the 10th Mountain Division, adding, “They represent the toughness, adaptability and spirit that define this division. Seeing them on our soldiers’ caps connects who we are today with the mountaineers who built our reputation.”
The Army announced in February that a brigade from 10th Mountain Division was slated to deploy to U.S. Central Command, an area that includes the Middle East and parts of Central Asia.
Eve Sampson is a reporter and former Army officer. She has covered conflict across the world, writing for The New York Times, The Washington Post and The Associated Press.