81st Armor Regiment, US Army

81ST ARMOR REGIMENT, US ARMY

(Coat of Arms)

(Distinctive Unit Insignia)

Official blazon

Shield: Per fess enhanced Or and Sable, in chief a chevron in point embowed between two fleurs-de-lis Vert and in base a battle-axe and key in saltire of the first.
Crest: On a wreath Argent and Vert between two branches of oak Proper a tower Or charged with an escutcheon per pale Tenné and Azure and surmounted with a lion’s head erased Gules.
Motto: SUPERO OMNIA = To Surpass All.

Origin/meaning

Symbolism: Shield: The gold of the shield is the color for Armor. The fleurs-de-lis symbolize the organization’s Normandy and Northern France campaigns. The chevron “in point embowed” recalls the Battle of the Bulge, the Ardennes-Alsace campaign. The key, occurring frequently in the civic arms of the towns of Rheinprovinz (the province in which the Rhine River crossing was made and the Siegfried line breached), symbolizes the Rhineland campaign. Symbolical of the important successes of this campaign, it allegorically represents the “Key to Victory” in Europe. The battle-axe, a favorite Teutonic weapon and heraldic charge throughout the entire medieval period, signifies the Central Europe campaign.

Crest: The red lion’s head is adapted from the Arms of the Duchy of Luxembourg and the gold tower alludes to the successful accomplishment of the unit’s mission in that area in World War II. The oak leaves symbolize honor, victory and valor and the shield, in the colors of the Luxembourg Croix de Guerre, alludes to the award of that decoration to the 81st Armor.

Background: The coat of arms was originally approved for the 81st Medium Tank Battalion on 18 April 1953. It was amended to correct the spelling of the Latin motto on 19 April 1954. It was redesignated for the 81st Armor Regiment on 31 January 1962. The insignia was amended to add a crest on 25 November 1964. It was amended to correct the wording in the blazon of the crest on 29 October 1965.

Literature: The Institute of Heraldry, US Army