Frequently referred to as a unit crest or DUI for short, the 86th Field Artillery Regiment Distinctive Unit Insignia was originally approved for a predecessor of the Regiment, the 251st Field Artillery Battalion, on 25 February 1943. It was redesignated for the 206th Field Artillery Battalion on 17 March 1947. It was then redesignated for the 124th Field Artillery Regiment on 18 July 1961. It was finally designated (with revised symbolism) for the 86th Artillery Regiment on 2 October 1970, and on 11 July 1972 it was redesignated for the 86th Field Artillery Regiment.
A scarlet background indicates the insignia is for a unit in the Artillery branch. The gold pile (downward-pointing triangle) symbolizes the entering wedge driven into enemy territory by the fire unleashed by the Regiment, illustrated by the shellburst. HIC MURUS AHENEUS, the unit motto, is a Latin phrase that translates as “This Is A Brazen Wall,” an allusion to the “brazen wall formed by artillery barrage,” or a “curtain of fire.”
Distinctive Unit Insignias are 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. 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.
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An inactive unit in the Vermont Army National Guard, the 86th Field Artillery Regiment can trace its heritage back to the early days of the American Civil War, when its 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Battalion were organized in January 1862, December 1861, and November 1863, respectively. As you might imagine, the unit has undergone numerous and significant redesignations and reorganizations since that time, and it did not receive the numerical designation of “86th” until 1964 when it was named the 86th Artillery.
Battle honors earned by the whole Regiment are restricted to six Civil War Campaigns, while its Headquarters Battery, 1st Battalion has been awarded six World War I campaign streamers and three World War II campaign streamers, two of them with Arrowhead device for having taking part in an assault landing. Battery A, 1st Battalion earned three campaign streamers each from service in World War I and World War II; it too was given two Arrowhead devices for a pair of assault landing in which it took part during the Second World War.