U.S. Army Heraldry

[JMcMillan]

Ryan suggested a thread on good U.S. military heraldry. There's actually a surprising amount. Here are some of my favorites from the Army:

37th Armor Regiment: Argent a wyvern sans legs glissant tail nowed Vert armed and langued Gules.


12th Cavalry Regiment: Or a cactus vert. (ignore the number at the bottom--it's the stock number of a company that sells decals of the insignia.)


9th Field Artillery Regiment: Gules two puloulou palewise proper (a ball Argent on a staff Sable), on a canton Or a stand of grape shot proper. (The puloulou is a Hawaiian symbol of authority, representing where the regiment was organized. The grape shot comes from the arms of the 9th's parent regiment, the 1st Field Artillery.)


502d Parachute Infantry Regiment: Azure an eagle's claw issuant from chief Or talons extended Sable.


91st Military Police Battalion: Vert a rudder Or.

[Marcus Karlsson]

The 52nd Medical Battalion uses the Rod of Aesculapius Symbolism in a imaginative new Way using a Broken Battle Axe (symbolising wounded Soldiers) and the Healing Snake. These Armsare from 1941 to which a Crest was added in 2003.

[Chris Green]

The US Army Institute of Heraldry certainly has an unusual view of what makes a good crest. The 37th Armor looks something like Soviet-style symbolism and the 52nd Medical like a second CoA on top of the first. Incidentally I note both Yin/Yang and fleurs-de-lis in the crest - references to service in Korea and France?

[JMcMillan]

The US Army Institute of Heraldry certainly has an unusual view of what makes a good crest. The 37th Armor looks something like Soviet-style symbolism and the 52nd Medical like a second CoA on top of the first. Incidentally I note both Yin/Yang and fleurs-de-lis in the crest - references to service in Korea and France?

I agree that the crests are often excessively complex, although rather than Soviet I'd suggest the influence of some of the things being produced by the College of Arms and Lyon Office during the mid-20th century. The crests typically symbolize some particularly distinguished or significant service in the unit's history. That of the 37th Armor (which dates to 1965--the arms themselves were designed in 1942) is explained as follows on the Institute website:

The three spearheads stand for the three outstanding combat achievements in World War II for which the unit was awarded streamers embroidered "Ardennes", "Normandy", and "Moselle River." They refer to the organization's claim to the title "Point of the Spearhead." The ermine spots are from the arms of Nantes, Brittany, the first city to be taken by the unit. From Nantes the organization launched its extraordinary blitz-krieg across Europe. The annulet ringed with flames represents Bastogne surrounded by enemy fire. It commemorates the unit's spearheading the 4th Armored Division into Bastogne on 26 Dec 1944. The above action was the famed 130 mile "fire call" which relieved the besieged city and triggered the Ardennes counter-offensive. Triton shells were used as trumpets by early inhabitants of the Pacific Islands. They are scarlet in reference to the color of the Meritorious Unit Commendation streamer awarded to the unit for service in the Pacific Theater.

[Marcus Karlsson]

The US Army Institute of Heraldry certainly has an unusual view of what makes a good crest. The 37th Armor looks something like Soviet-style symbolism and the 52nd Medical like a second CoA on top of the first. Incidentally I note both Yin/Yang and fleurs-de-lis in the crest - references to service in Korea and France?

Yes the Yin Yank or Taeguk stands for service in the Korean War and the Fleur de Lys for Service in France and Europe during World War 2. The Cross symbolises medical service. The Arrows symbolises the Korean Presidental Unit Citation and the five US Meritorious Unit Commendations awarded to the Battalion.

[Michael Grace]

Without doubt the 502d Parachute Infantry Regiment's arms are the best example of US Army heraldry in this context - simple and clean but clearly illustrative of the regiment's objectives.

[Ryan Shuflin]

The US Army Institute of Heraldry certainly has an unusual view of what makes a good crest. The 37th Armor looks something like Soviet-style symbolism and the 52nd Medical like a second CoA on top of the first. Incidentally I note both Yin/Yang and fleurs-de-lis in the crest - references to service in Korea and France?

They certainly have a distintive style, and appear to be big fans of having things crossed in saltire with something else palewise.

[Marcus Karlsson]

401st Glider Infantry Regiment. Motto: Lions of the skies.

Approved 13 november 1942 and recinded 2 February 1959. Symbolises the Airborne role. The Pelican heads alludes to the Seal of Louisiana and indicates the place of activation of the Regiment.

[Marcus Karlsson]

Some good Army Aviation Heraldry.


2nd Aviation Regiment. Motto: "Excelsus" (Lofty). The Shield is Teal Blue a colour formerly associated with Aviation Units. The Chevron partition creating a mountain Peak alludes to the McKinley Mountains in Alaska. Thus alluding to the activation of its predecessor the 2nd Aviation Company at Fort Richardson, Alaska in 1957. The Wings symbolises the Aviation role.


25th Aviation Regiment. Motto: "Lele Makou No Na Puali" (We Fly for the Troops). The Wing alludes to the Aviation role. The Lightning is taken from the Shoulder Sleeve Insignia of the 25th Infantry Division. The 25th Served with this Division. The Mount in the Crest alludes to "Diamond Head" on Oahu, Hawaii the place of activation and location of the 25th Avn. The Dragon alludes to Service in Vietnam. The Star is a Map symbol for a Capital City denoting Service in the Saigon Area. The "Diamond Head" also symbolising the Mekong Delta. The 25th Avn recived two Valorous Unit Awards for action in these Areas. The Motto is in Hawaiian also alluding to the place of activation.


101st Aviation Regiment. Service in Korea by the 101st Aviation's predecessor the 4th Light Aviation Section at Whithorse Mountain, Triangle Hill, Sniper Ridge and Kumsong Salient is symbolised by the pile lozengy. The estoile has eight rays denoting the eight campaign credits for Korea symbolised by the Taeguk-like partition. This also symbolises the Award of the Korean Presidental Unit Citation. The Crest furthermore allude to the actions at Whitehorse Mountain, Triangle Hill and Sinper Ridge. The Motto of the 101st Avn is "Wings of the Eagle" and alludes to the Insignia of the 101st Airborne Divsion "Screaming Eagles" of which the Regiment form part.