The unit patch of the 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team is a reminder of the unit’s earliest days and accomplishments, as well as a reference to its unit motto and nickname. The patch was originally approved in 1978, while the unit was still the 116th Infantry Brigade. Shortly after the unit became the 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team the patch was redesignated and the description changed in 2006. The patch was cancelled in 2007, when the unit became a Brigade of the 29th Infantry Division.
The figure on the horse is none other than the famous General Thomas J. Jackson, more commonly referred to as “Stonewall Jackson.” The unit fought beside him at the First Battle of Manassas, where General Bernard Lee, after seeing his men waver, looked and saw Jackson sitting on his horse “Like a stone wall.” The General ordered his faltering troops to “Rally on the Virginians,” which would later become the motto of the 116th. This moment would also be the one to give the Brigade its nickname of the “Stonewall Brigade,” a reference to the nickname that the famous General earned that day as well. The picture is a representation of “Stonewall” Jackson’s Monument at Manassas.
The colors used—blue and white— are the colors used to denote Infantry units, however they also refer to the state of Virginia and its rich heritage. The shield shape of the patch represents the defender. More of the history on the 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team can be found with the unit’s Combat Service Identification Badge (CSIB). The unit’s crest acts as a symbol for the unit’s many actions and its finest hours.
Related Items
116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team Unit Crest (DUI)
116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team Combat Service ID Badge (CSIB)