Originally approved for the 512th Coast Artillery Regiment on 22 September 1942, the 131st Signal Battalion Distinctive Unit Insignia was redesignated for the 216th Antiaircraft Artillery Automatic Weapons Battalion in June 1952. It was redesignated a final time for the Battalion’s last designation on 25 October 1960.
Scarlet and gold, colors of the Coast Artillery branch, serve to highlight the firing functions of the organizations, which are signified by two artillery shells pointed skyward, ready for action at any moment. The pile (downward-point triangle) represents the search-light beam that was used to scan the sky when the organizations was serving an antiaircraft role. A double arch in the chief (upper third) stands for the sky and the unit’s place of activation in Texas, symbolized by the silver star. “Prepared And Ready” is an apt motto for a unit in any of the branches which are found in the 131st Signal Battalion’s service history.
The Battalion is no longer active, and it is unclear whether it was disbanded, inactivated, deactivated, or redesignated; as a component of the 31st Infantry Division, it likely was inactivated at the time as its parent organization in 1968.
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Also known as a unit crest or DUI, a Distinctive Unit Insignia is worn by all Soldiers (except General Officers) in units that have been authorized to be issued the device. It is worn centered on the shoulder loops of the Army Green Service Uniform (AGSU) and the blue Army Service Uniform (ASU, Enlisted only) with the base of the insignia toward the outside shoulder seam. DUIs are not worn on the Dress variations of either uniform, however.
Full guidance on wear of the DUI is found in DA Pamphlet 670-1, Section 21-22, "Distinctive unit insignia" and 21–3(d) and (e), "Beret" and "Garrison Cap," respectively.