Distinguished Unit Insignia

[Riggleman]

Found this a few days ago. It is a Distinguished Unit Insignia. I'm thinking it is older due to the pinning method. I know newer DUI's have a dammit style method where this has a bar and clasp like a police badge. I have researched on the U.S. army Pentagon Heraldry site and without somewhere to start it is a needle in a haystack. So if anyone has any info at all to get me started it would be great. It has what appears to be a lizard or alligator with the wording we conceal our might. I believe it is army but may be wrong.

 

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[nhbenz]

Engineer camouflage battalion ... 606th 603rd

 

[diggummup]

Engineer camouflage battalion ... 606th 603rd

Yes, 603rd was a ghost unit. The lizard is a chameleon.

Army ?ghost? recalls his role in duping Nazis | NJJN

At a time when the Nazis were intent on conquering Europe, a secret U.S. Army battalion used fake tanks, sound effects, and phony radio broadcasts to dupe the Germans and set the stage for the successful Allied advance across the continent and the liberation of Paris.

Using illusions they learned as artists, set designers, and architects, the unit operated often under cover of night and at times only several hundred yards from German troops, tricking them into believing a large American military presence was nearby.

 

[nhbenz]

I can't find the unit history (beyond being part of The Ghost Army), so I don't know how long after WWII they existed. Its possible that it Has to be from WWII. But my understanding is that during the war there were only 379 men in that unit. Is there any maker's mark on the back?

 

[diggummup]

Its possible that it Has to be from WWII.

Correct.
This- The 23rd Headquarters Special Troops - ANYTHING WWII - VI CORPS COMBAT ENGINEERS WWII is the best write up about the entire 23rd Headquarters Special Troops of which the 603rd was part of.

 

[nsdq]

606 ARMY ENGINEERS -- CAMOUFLAGE BATTALION HISTORY