20TH ENGINEER BATTALION
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DISTINCTIVE UNIT INSIGNIA
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COAT OF ARMS
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Distinctive Unit Insignia. Description: A Silver color metal and enamel device 1 1/8 inches
(2.86 cm) in height consisting of a shield blazoned: Gules, a pale Argent
(Silver Gray), on a chief of the like a fleur-de-lis of the first. Attached
below the shield a Red scroll inscribed "CONDITE ET PUGNATE" in Silver letters. (The scroll was originally inscribed "CONDITERE ET PUGNATE" which was later deemed to be incorrect Latin.)
Symbolism: The shield is red and white (silver) for Engineers,
while the fleur-de-lis represents service in France during World War I. The
motto translates to "Build And Fight."
Background: The distinctive unit insignia was originally approved
for the 20th Engineer Regiment on 10 April 1941. It was amended to correct the
description on 14 May 1941. It was redesignated for the 20th Engineer Combat
Battalion on 11 June 1951. It was redesignated for the 20th Engineer Battalion
on 12 October 1956. The insignia was amended to correct the Latin translation
of the motto on 19 March 1974.
Old-style unit crest with improper Latin verb
Coat of Arms.
Blazon:
Shield: Gules, a pale Argent, on
a chief of the like a fleur-de-lis of the first.
Crest: On a wreath of the colors
Argent and Gules, a tower of five merlons of the first, masoned Azure, bearing
an arrowhead in base, point up, tierced per fess of the second, Vert and of the
second charged with a mullet Or, all below and supporting a lion's head erased
of the last langued of the third and charged with an arrowhead point up of the
last.
Motto: CONDITE ET PUGNATE (Build and Fight).
Symbolism:
Shield: The shield is red and white for Engineers, while the
fleur-de-lis represents service in France during World War I.
Crest: The tower represents fortification
and engineering. The five battlements allude to the Battalion's five
decorations. The lion and blue arrowhead symbolize the Battalion's
Presidential Unit Citation awarded for the assault landing at Normandy. The
green and red arrowhead on the white tower refers to the assault landing in
Sicily (red, white and green are the National colors of Italy). The colors red
and green and the gold star also allude to the award of the French Croix de
Guerre for the action at Vierville-Colleville. Gold and red refer to the
colors of the Republic of Vietnam where the unit received three Meritorious
Unit Commendations.
Background: The coat of arms was
originally approved for the 20th Engineer Regiment on 11 April 1941. It was
amended to correct the blazon on 19 May 1941. It was redesignated for the 20th
Engineer Combat Battalion on 11 June 1951. It was redesignated for the 20th
Engineer Battalion on 12 October 1956. It was amended to add a crest on 21 May
1973. The insignia was amended to correct the Latin translation of the motto
on 19 March 1974. It was amended to correct the symbolism of the crest on 24
October 1975.