The unit insignia of 1st Reconnaissance Battalion adapts the insignia of the First Marine Division, being that “1st Recon” serves the division directly. The division insignia is a night sky blue diamond containing five white, five-pointed stars arranged as to represent the Southern Cross constellation. Also included is a scarlet “1” with the word “Guadalcanal” inside the number. All of this serves to commemorate the division’s hard-fought victory on the island of Guadalcanal in the early stages of World War II. To this insignia, 1st Recon has added the motto, “Swift, Silent’ Deadly”. “Swift” stands for how a reconnaissance unit is inserted into, and extracted from, a mission, as well as how the mission itself is conducted, to include the rapid dissemination of intelligence. “Silent” refers to the manner in which reconnaissance forces use stealth to execute their mission while remaining unobserved and undetected by the enemy. “Deadly” characterizes the Recon Marine’s ability to summon the massive firepower of supporting arms against the enemy. Also added is a white skull and crossbones with three round holes and a crack in the skull. The holes symbolize the pain, hurt, and agony Recon Marines often face, while the crack represents the ability to continue with the mission despite adverse conditions. Finally, represented in the insignia is a scarlet streamer with the gold words “1st Recon Bn” to remind us of the colors of our Corps.