WWII Civilian Defense Insignia

The official civilian defense insignia was adopted by the Office of Civilian Defense (OCD) on July 24, 1941. The insignia was designed by Charles T. Coiner (1898-1989), a design consultant within the Division of Information, Office for Emergency Management, who was assisted by Col. Walter B. Burn, an OCD staff member. ​

Civilian Defense (CD) emblems and designs were laid out in Letters Patent, organised by the Office of Civilian Defense (OCD). These patents, granted in October 1941, detailed the size, shape and look of all official emblems.

"OCD Regulation No. 2", introduced on April 29, 1942 (and revised on August 26, 1942), governed the reproduction of official OCD insignias. The regulation ensured that the designs of all insignia symbols were not improperly or unauthorizedly copied.

The OCD also dictated where they could be worn and how insignia was to be used on ‘official articles’, that is, armbands, brassards, pin badges, automobile plates, helmets, side caps and certificates of membership. 

​The most recognisable emblem of Civilian Defense was the basic insigne of red "CD" letters within a white triangle on a blue circle.

As well as the basic insignie, 15 other distinctive identification symbols for volunteer workers were created: Air Raid Wardens, Auxiliary Police, Bomb Squads, Auxiliary Firemen, Fire Watchers, Road Repair Crews, Decontamination Corps, Staff Corps, Rescue Squads, Medical Corps, Nurses’ Aides Corps, Messengers, Drivers Corps, Emergency Food & Housing, and Demolition & Clearance Crew.

Insignia for Utility Repair, Instructors, Auxiliary Group, Forest Fire Fighters Service, Civilian Evacuation Service and Christian and Jewish Chaplains were later added, as well as the emblems for the US Citizens Service Corps and Civil Air Patrol.

Basic insigne: red ‘CD’ letters centered in a white equilateral triangle embossed on a circular field of blue. Patent No. D-129797 granted October 7, 1941.