Posted on May 1, 2016
Turning Blue Ceremony/ Infantryman's Creed
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During the Korean War General "Lightning Joe" Collins, Chief of Staff for the Army, asked a group of advisors what could be done to enhance the morale of the fighting Infantryman. It was decided that they would receive special insignia, so that everyone would know that the soldier was an Infantryman who would be fighting on the front lines.
A light-blue cord was created to be worn over the right shoulder of both officers and enlisted men. Also, light-blue plastic disks were issued to be placed behind the metal "crossed rifles" Infantry branch of service insignia disks. The new enhancements were first worn by the 3rd US Infantry Regiment ("The Old Guard").
The light-blue cord and disks became standard for all Infantrymen in 1952. Although some other service branches adopted colored plastic disks for their branch insignia (e.g., red for Artillery, yellow for Cavalry) the blue shoulder cord is unique to the Infantry. http://military.wikia.com/wiki/Blue_Infantry_Cord
A light-blue cord was created to be worn over the right shoulder of both officers and enlisted men. Also, light-blue plastic disks were issued to be placed behind the metal "crossed rifles" Infantry branch of service insignia disks. The new enhancements were first worn by the 3rd US Infantry Regiment ("The Old Guard").
The light-blue cord and disks became standard for all Infantrymen in 1952. Although some other service branches adopted colored plastic disks for their branch insignia (e.g., red for Artillery, yellow for Cavalry) the blue shoulder cord is unique to the Infantry. http://military.wikia.com/wiki/Blue_Infantry_Cord
Posted in these groups: Infantry Center (Army)
Infantry
0351: Infantry Assaultman
11B2P: Infantryman (Airborne)
11A: Infantry Officer
Infantry 0351: Infantry Assaultman 11B2P: Infantryman (Airborne) 11A: Infantry Officer
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 6
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SGT John " Mac " McConnell, I went to AIT (B-12-3) at Fort Jackson, SC, graduating as an 11C10 (Indirect Fire Infantryman) on 20MAR70. There was no "turning blue" ceremony, and in fact, many of us really didn't know what the cord was or meant. A few soldiers were told to go to the PX and buy one, but no cadre personnel ever said anything to me about the blue cord at all.
I don't know when the Infantryman's Creed was written, but it's clearly reminiscent of the poem, "I Am the Infantry", first written by LTC Stephen White in 1955. We did not learn this creed at AIT, nor was it ever even mentioned.
I went to OCS a few years later and was commissioned Signal Corps, and that was it for me and the blue infantry cord. A few years ago, I told this story to an infantry buddy of mine and he was shocked. A few days later, I received a blue cord from him in the mail and I proudly have it in my shadowbox to this day.
SGT Robert Pryor SGT Mark Anderson
I don't know when the Infantryman's Creed was written, but it's clearly reminiscent of the poem, "I Am the Infantry", first written by LTC Stephen White in 1955. We did not learn this creed at AIT, nor was it ever even mentioned.
I went to OCS a few years later and was commissioned Signal Corps, and that was it for me and the blue infantry cord. A few years ago, I told this story to an infantry buddy of mine and he was shocked. A few days later, I received a blue cord from him in the mail and I proudly have it in my shadowbox to this day.
SGT Robert Pryor SGT Mark Anderson
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I remember coming home from Vietnam and my brother who was a Master Sergeant in the Air Force at the time saying my uniform looked like one a New York doorman,my Father who was an Army WWII vet needless to say had a few harsh words for my big brother,suffice to say nothing further was said that day about blue cords or uniforms.
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Thirteen years in the Army. And although I reclassed, it's still one of the proudest moments in my life. I cherish my blue cord.
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