172nd Field Artillery Regiment, New Hampshire Army National Guard

172ND FIELD ARTILLERY REGIMENT, NEW HAMPSHIRE ARMY NATIONAL GUARD

Official blazon

Shield: Gules, on a canton Or a saltire Azure between in fess a giant cactus Proper and a fleur-de-lis of the first.
Crest: That for the regiments and separate battalions of the New Hampshire Army National Guard: On a wreath of the colors Or and Gules two pine branches saltirewise Proper crossed behind a bundle of five arrows palewise Argent bound together by a ribbon Gules, the ends entwining the branches.
Motto: LOAD WITH CANISTER.

Distinctive Unit Insignia. Description: A Gold color metal and enamel device 1 1/16 inches (2.70 cm) in height overall consisting of a shield blazoned: Gules, on a canton Or a saltire Azure between in fess a giant cactus Proper and a fleur-de-lis of the first. Attached below the shield a Black scroll inscribed “LOAD WITH CANISTER” in Gold letters.

Origin/meaning

The shield is red for Artillery. The blue saltire represents Civil War service; the giant cactus, Mexican Border service; and the fleur-de-lis, World War I service, these symbols being placed on a canton to indicate the duty was performed by Battery A, the nucleus of the 172d Field Artillery.

The arms were originally approved for the 172d Field Artillery Regiment on 5 August 1936. It was redesignated for the 172d Field Artillery Battalion on 30 August 1943. It was redesignated for the 172d Artillery Regiment on 30 March 1961. The insignia was redesignated for the 172d Field Artillery Regiment on 19 July 1972. The Distinctive Unit Insignia was originally approved for the 172d Field Artillery Regiment on 3 August 1936. It was redesignated for the 172d Field Artillery Battalion on 31 August 1943. It was redesignated for the 172d Artillery Regiment on 30 March 1961. The insignia was redesignated for the 172d Field Artillery Regiment on 19 July 1972.

Literature: Image from Wikimedia Commons. Information from The Institute of Heraldry, US Army.

US heraldry portal

This page is part of the US heraldry portal	Heraldry of the World
US heraldry: National arms Arms of States Arms of Counties Arms of cities and towns American Samoa Guam Puerto Rico US Virgin Islands Educational heraldry Institutional heraldry Corporate heraldry Collector's items from the USA Heraldic postcards Heraldic literature of the USA Total pages in the US section : 20,597	Ecclesiastical Heraldry of the USA: Ecclesiastical heraldry Roman Catholic Church Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church Ruthenian Catholic Church Catholic Basilicas Episcopal Church Other Churches Military Heraldry: Military heraldry of the United States US Army heraldry US Navy heraldry US Air Force heraldry US Marine Corps heraldry US Space Force heraldry US National Guard heraldry US Coast Guard heraldry US State Military heraldry US Reserve Officer Training Corps and Cadets heraldry