319th Field Artillery Regiment, US Army

319TH FIELD ARTILLERY REGIMENT, US ARMY

(Coat of Arms)

(Distinctive Unit Insignia)

Official blazon

Shield: Gules, on a bend Or three fleurs-de-lis, in sinister chief three columns and arch (from the Georgia State seal) of the second.
Crest: On a wreath of the colors, Or and Gules, in front of two arrows in saltire points up of the first flighted Azure a pair of wings conjoined of the first, feathers shafted of the second, charged at center with a torteau and supporting a fleur-de-lis with center petal of the last and outer petals Vert fimbriated Gold surmounted by a lion’s face affronté of the like.
Motto: LOYALTY.

Distinctive Unit Insignia. Description: A Gold color metal and enamel device 1 3/16 inches (3.02 cm) in height overall consisting of a shield blazoned: Gules, on a bend Or three fleurs-de-lis, in sinister chief three columns and arch (from the Georgia State seal) of the second. Attached below the shield is a Gold scroll inscribed “LOYALTY” in Black letters.

Origin/meaning

Scarlet and yellow are the colors used for Artillery. The three fleurs-de-lis represent the three major engagements in which the Regiment participated in France; the three columns and arch are taken from the State Seal of Georgia, the birthplace of the unit and where it received its early training. Crest: The wings signify the airborne heritage of the unit, the feathers with red shafts referring to participation in fourteen campaigns in Vietnam; the red disc at center alludes to the scarlet streamer of the Meritorious Unit Commendation awarded also for Vietnamese service. The arrows denote two assault landings in World War II; the feathers are blue in reference to four Presidential Unit Citations, two for World War II service and two for Vietnam. The fleur-de-lis in red and green alludes to the colors of the French Croix de Guerre, awarded three times for service in France, and the lion’s face is suggested by the gold lions in the arms of Belgium and of Holland, denoting awards of the Belgian Fourragere, Military Order of William and Netherlands Orange Lanyard for service in World War II.

The coat of arms was originally approved for the 319th Field Artillery Regiment, Organized Reserves on 25 July 1925. It was redesignated for the 319th Field Artillery Battalion on 22 April 1942. The insignia was redesignated for the 319th Glider Field Artillery Battalion on 21 October 1942. It was redesignated for the 319th Airborne Field Artillery Battalion and amended to remove the crest for the Organized Reserves on 19 January 1950. It was redesignated for the 319th Artillery Regiment on 25 August 1958. On 1 September 1971, the insignia was redesignated for the 319th Field Artillery Regiment. It was amended to change the motto from the French to the English version on 21 January 1972. The coat of arms was amended to add a crest on 26 January 1973.

The distinctive unit insignia was originally approved for the 319th Field Artillery Regiment, Organized Reserves on 25 July 1925. It was redesignated for the 319th Field Artillery Battalion on 22 April 1942. The insignia was redesignated for the 319th Glider Field Artillery Battalion on 21 October 1942. It was redesignated for the 319th Artillery Regiment on 25 August 1958. On 1 September 1971, the insignia was redesignated for the 319th Field Artillery Regiment. It was amended to change the motto from the French to the English version on 21 January 1972.

Literature: Images from Wikimedia Commons. Information from The Institute of Heraldry, US Army.