File:178th Infantry Regiment Coat of arms.png

English: Description/Blazon

Shield Azure, a fess rompu debased Argent, a pile with point in break of fess Or, seme-de-lis of the first charged with the shoulder sleeve insignia of the 93d Division Proper fimbriated of the third (a pellet charged with a French trench helmet, horizon blue outlined in Gold); in chief partly obscured by the pile on dexter side a Roman sword in pale point to base, on sinister side a prickly pear cactus, all Or. Crest That for the regiments and separate battalions of the Illinois Army National Guard: On a wreath of the colors Argent and Azure, upon a grassy field the blockhouse of old Fort Dearborn, all Proper. Motto ONE COUNTRY-ONE FLAG.

Symbolism Shield The shield is blue for Infantry; the white fess rompu (broken) represents the Hindenburg Line, while the 370th Infantry (predecessor unit) is represented by the gold pile (wedge) which broke the line; the seme-de-lis is for the Oise-Aisne Operation which was in that province of France whose arms are a blue field with gold fleurs-de-lis ? the tinctures on the wedge being reversed so as not to get a blue pile on a blue field; the pellet with the helmet is the shoulder sleeve insignia of the 93d Division and indicates the service of the 370th Infantry as a unit of this Division during World War I, the gold Roman sword is taken from the Spanish War medal for non-combat duty, while the cactus represents duty on the Mexican Border. Crest The crest is that of the Illinois Army National Guard.

Background

The coat of arms was originally approved for the 8th Infantry Regiment on 9 November 1925. It was redesignated for the 184th Field Artillery Regiment on 23 December 1940. It was redesignated for the 184th Field Artillery Battalion on 6 April 1950. The insignia was redesignated for the 178th Infantry Regiment on 13 June 1961.