The 194th Armor Regiment Distinctive Unit Insignia (also known as a unit crest or a DUI) was originally approved for the 194th Tank Battalion on 14 April 1952, but it would go on to be redesignated several times as the unit’s type and branch were changed through reorganizations and other administrative moves. These redesignations include for the 194th Armor Regiment in July 1960; for the 194th Cavalry Regiment in August 1971; for the 194th Infantry Regiment (with a revised description) in September 1992; and lastly for the 194th Armor Regiment.
Yellow replaced green as the official branch color in 1951, and the two predominant Armor colors are used exclusively in the design of the 194th Armor DUI. In the shield portion of the insignia, the upper half features a green sea lion, taken from the coat of arms of the city of Manila (and many other Philippine governmental seals and insignias) as a reference to the unit’s service in the Philippines during World War II. The lower half features an image of the Coliseum in Rome, an allusion to some of the elements serving in Italy during World War II. “The Arm Of Decision,” the Regimental motto is the shortened version of the motto of the U.S. Armor branch: “The Combat Arm Of Decision.”
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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Based in Brainerd, the 1st Battalion, 194th Armor Regiment—officially designated as the 1st Combined Arms Battalion—is a unit in the Minnesota Army National Guard, assigned to the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division. Its origins go back to the 34th Tank Company from Brainerd, Minnesota and its consolidation with two National Guard Tank Companies to form the 194th Tank Battalion on 10 February 1941.
Sent to the Philippines to defend Manila Bay, it was the first armored force in U.S. history to ever deploy overseas. Despite a valiant defense the 194th Tank Battalion was among the U.S. units to surrender to the Japanese in the spring of 1941 and was forced to endure the infamous Bataan Death March (the battalion’s unofficial motto is “Remember Bataan…Never Forget!”).
Although the Regiment has also been designated as Infantry and Cavalry at different points in its history, it wasn’t until becoming the 194th Armor Regiment in 2000 that the unit saw combat again, with three of the 1st Battalion’s companies—A,B, and C—having their service in Iraq recognized with Meritorious Unit Commendations.
As of Autumn 2023, the 1st Combined Arms Battalion, 194th Armor Regiment (1-194th AR) is headquartered in Brainerd, Minnesota and remains a component of the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division.