Distinctive Unit Insignia
- Description
A gold color metal and enamel device 11⁄4 inches (3.2 cm) in width overall consisting of a quartered square placed point up, the vertical quarters gray, horizontal quarters blue, and centered thereon a scarlet arrowhead point up, the lower sides of the square enclosed by two gold branches of laurel issuant from lower center and terminating below the outer petals of two blue fleurs-de-lis issuant from the upper sides of the square, the laurel branches contained in base by a curving blue scroll inscribed with the words “RALLY ON THE VIRGINIANS” in gold letters.
- Symbolism
The blue and gray square at center refers to four years of Civil War participation, with the gray in the vertical quarters indicating Confederate service. The two fleurs-de-lis denote service in World War I and II and the scarlet arrowhead is in honor of the unit’s participation in the assault landing at Normandy. The two branches of laurel symbolize awards of both the Presidential Unit Citation and the French Croix de Guerre with Palm for the unit’s Normandy Beachhead participation. The motto is a reference to the Civil War First Battle of Manassas where General Barnard Bee, on seeing General Jackson “standing like a stone wall,” encouraged his faltering troops to “Rally on the Virginians.” From that time on Jackson was known as “Stonewall” and his brigade as the “Stonewall Brigade.”
- Background
The distinctive unit insignia was originally approved for the 116th Infantry Brigade on 24 April 1979. It was amended to change the reference in the symbolism on 15 July 1980. The insignia was redesignated for the 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team with the description updated on 7 April 2006. It was cancelled effective 1 April 2007, when the unit became a Brigade of a Division.
Read more about this topic: 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (United States)
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