U.S. ARMY 176TH ENGINEER BATTALION UNIT CREST (DUI)

Combined with a white (silver) knot, the red shield of the 176th Engineer Battalion Distinctive Unit Insignia signifies that the organization is part of the Army Corps of Engineers (scarlet and white are its official branch colors). A sword in the process of cutting the mythological Gordian knot symbolizes the unit’s abilities to brush aside difficulties through the use of bold measures.

A pair of golden fleurs-de-lis represents the two World War I battle honors (St. Mihiel and Meuse-Argonne) awarded to the 176th Engineer Regiment, the Battalion’s predecessor unit for whom the insignia was originally approved. The concept embodied in the image of the sword and Gordian knot is reinforced by the Battalion motto of ARDUA VINCO, Latin for “I Conquer Difficulties.”

The 176th Engineer Battalion unit crest was originally approved on 9 July 1942 while the unit was still designated as the 176th Engineer Regiment. It was redesignated for the 176th Construction Battalion on 16 January 1946, but nearly thirty years later it was rescinded. It would remain unauthorized until it was reinstated and reapproved for the 176th Engineer Battalion on 19 November 1996.

It appears that the 176th Engineer Battalion is a unit in the Texas Army National Guard that has been inactivated, deactivated, disbanded, redesignated, or reflagged. Its last known assignment was with the 49th Armored Division, Texas Army National Guard. Please email us if you have up-to-date information on the 176th Engineer Battalion that we can share with visitors to this product page.

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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.

Enlisted personnel wear the insignia centered on a shoulder loop by placing it an equal distance from the outside shoulder seam to the outside edge of the shoulder-loop button. Officers (except Generals) wearing grade insignia on the shoulder loops center the DUI by placing it an equal distance between the inside edge of the grade insignia and the outside edge of the button.

More 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.

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U.S. ARMY 176TH ENGINEER BATTALION UNIT CREST (DUI)