Army’s beautiful uniforms against Navy pay tribute to World War II’s ‘Pando Commandos’

Army-Navy kicks off this Saturday, and we finally know which uniforms the Black Knights will be wearing. On Monday, Army released the photos of its all-white uniforms that commemorate the 10th Mountain Division, which was formed in 1943.

According to Army’s official release, the 10th Mountain Division, which was originally called the 10th Light Alpine Division, trained in some harsh weather:

These soldiers trained at 9,200 feet to learn to fight, and survive, in the most brutal mountain conditions. Bill Bowerman, who would eventually go on to co-found Nike, organized the supplies and maintained the mules for the 10th Mountain Division as a Major in the Army, serving at the time as the commander of the 86th Regiment’s First Battalion.

On the cleats, there is a panda patch, which is a tribute to the 10th Mountain Division’s roots in Pando, Colo. The patch helped identify the soldiers, who were nicknamed the Pando Commandos:

There is also a patch that has the division’s coat of arms, along with the words “Vires Montesque Vincimus,” which translates to “We Conquer Powers and Mountains.”

The patch is on the uniform’s right shoulder to honor those who served. On the back of the helmet, the unit’s Follow Me stripe is found:

10th Mountain Division soldiers operated in blustery winter conditions. To stay in formation a dark stripe was placed on the back of their uniforms known as the “Follow Me” stripe. A similar stripe will adorn Army helmets when they take the field on Dec. 9

Last week Navy released the uniforms it will wear — the Midshipmen will be donning these blue uniforms as a tribute to the Blue Angels, the U.S. Navy’s flight team:

Can’t wait to see both of these on Saturday!