Warrant Officers of the Tank Corps first wore the distinctive insignia approved on 12 May 1921. It consists of an eagle rising with wings displayed, standing on two arrows and enclosed in a wreath. It was adapted from the great seal of the United States, with the arrows symbolizing the military arts and science.

We Need Help: Question: Where, when or who came up with the term "SQUASHED BUG". The earliest report we now have was in the beginning of Warrant Officer history. (05/17/2008)

5/17/08 - My name is CW4 (Ret) John F. Clifford and I started flight school with class 66-5 at Fort Wolters. I was in the first TH 55 class. I was held back from Mother Rucker in order to ferry new TH 55 aircraft from the Hughes Tool Co. plant in Palomar, California.

I went to Rucker in January of 1966, and graduated on the 21st of June, 1966 with class 66-7. After my year in Vietnam, I was assigned as an IP at Fort Wolters. I did Two years there, and left active duty.

I returned to active duty in the spring of 1977. In the spring of 1980 I was ordered to Rucker for the Warrant Officer Aviator advance course. While there, I met a very senior Warrant Officer named O'Brien. In casual conversation he told me that he gained his appointment in 1947, and was either the last or one of the last to be appointed Army Mine Planter Service, and claimed to know some of the original forty from 1918. I naturally asked him if he knew the origin of the term "Squashed bug" Mr. O'Brien said the term was already being used when he was appointed. It certainly was being used prior to my appointment in June 1966.

O'Brien also told me of a custom among Transportation Corps Boat Warrants (who succeeded the mine planters) of senior Warrant Officers presenting a new Warrant with an old worn pair of "squashed bugs," so he would not look like a "Chuck Greenie" at his first duty station as a Warrant. Since in those days, most Warrant Officers came from the NCO Corps, they carried on the NCO tradition of polishing all their Brass. The brass "squashed bugs" became worn. When someone senior or junior tried to "snow" a Warrant Officer unsuccessfully, the response was "Do I look like I still have feathers on my "squashed bug?"

Regards
John Clifford

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4/2/07 - Sounds to me like the Garrison Cap was worn w/ a set of goggles in the days of open airframe flight, prior to open cockpits themselves. Squashed Bug could be exactly that; an insect that impacted symmetrically on the headcover, & hence a new 'crest' was referred to, albeit it in vulgaris terms.

This website discusses the way Aviation Warrants are trained with a special look at training during the Viet Nam era.

Today's Warrants are continuing the proud tradition of the Warrant Officer Corp in all the specialties of the Army, to include Aviation.

For more information on becoming a Warrant Officer in the Army, and a career in the Aviation Branch, click on this link.