59th Infantry Regiment, US Army

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59TH INFANTRY REGIMENT, US ARMY

(Coat of Arms)

(Distinctive Unit Insignia)

Official blazon

Shield: Or, a bend Azure charged with a ribbon laid potente of the field, on a chief of the second three alerions of the first.
Crest: On a wreath of the colors Or and Azure the Lexington Minute Man Proper.
Motto: LET 'EM HAVE IT.

Distinctive Unit Insignia. Description: A gold color metal and enamel device consisting of a shield blazoned Or, a bend Azure charged with a ribbon laid potente of the field, on a chief of the second three alerions of the first. Attached below the shield a gold scroll inscribed "LET 'EM HAVE IT" in blue letters.

Origin/meaning

The 59th Infantry, organized in 1917 by transfer of men from the 4th Infantry, saw hard fighting as a part of the 4th Division in Champaign in the Aisne-Marne engagement, in Lorraine at St Mihiel and at the Meuse-Argonne. In the Aisne-Marne offensive the regiment did gallant service against the Chateau-de-Diable north of the Vesle River. In this action "a squad of machine gunners, in woolen olive drab uniforms were sighted approaching the flank of the 59th from the direction of the Chateau-de-Diable. Cautioned by one of his men that the approaching men were American the Sergeant commanding the flank platoon yelled, 'They come from the wrong direction, let 'em have it.' The dead men were later identified as Germans in American uniforms." The shield is gold with the upper portion of it blue. On the blue portion are three alerions (eagles without feet) in gold from the coat of arms of Lorraine. On the gold portion is a diagonal blue bend charged with the gold fret from the coat of arms of Champaign. The origin of the motto is cited above.

The Coat of arms was originally approved for the 59th Infantry Regiment, Organized Reserves on 10 September 1921. It was amended on 18 November 1921 to correct the wording of the blazon. It was redesignated for the 59th Armored Infantry Regiment on 8 July 1943. On 30 November 1943 the Coat of Arms was redesignated for the 59th Armored Infantry Battalion. It was amended on 26 October 1951. On 16 June 1952 it was redesignated for the 59th Infantry Regiment, Organized Reserves. The Coat of Arms was amended on 24 September 1959 to withdraw "Organized Reserves" from the designation and to delete the Organized Reserves' crest. On 5 August 1970 it was amended to reinstate the crest of the Army Reserves and revise the symbolism. The Distinctive Unit Insignia was originally approved for the 59th Armored Infantry Battalion on 26 October 1951. It was redesignated for the 59th Infantry Regiment on 16 June 1952. On 5 August 1970 the insignia was amended to revise the symbolism.