16th Engineer Battalion (United States)

Last updated

16th Engineer Battalion
016-Engineer-Battalion-COA.png
Coat of Arms
Active11 December 1935 – 13 April 1946
7 March 1951 – 12 December 1957
3 February 1962 – Present
CountryFlag of the United States (23px).png  United States
AllegianceRegular Army
Branch US Army Corps of Engineers
Nickname(s)"Catamounts." (Special Designation) [1]
Motto(s)"SEMPER ULTIMO"
(Always On Top)
ACE ColorsScarlet and White
Engagements World War II
Tunisia
Naples-Foggia
Anzio
Rome-Arno
North Apennines
Po Valley

Southwest Asia
Defense of Saudi Arabia
Liberation and Defense of Kuwait
Cease-Fire

Company B additionally entitled to:

World War II-EAME:
Algeria-French Morocco
Decorations Valorous Unit Award
IRAQ-KUWAIT

Army Superior Unit Award
1995–1996

Company A additionally entitled to:

Presidential Unit Citation (Army)
MT. PORCHIA
Insignia
Distinctive Unit Insignia 16 Eng Bn DUI.png

The 16th Engineer Battalion is a Combat Engineer Battalion in the United States Army, first established in 1935.

Contents

Lineage

Honors

Campaign participation credit

Company B additionally entitled to:

Decorations

Company A additionally entitled to:

Insignia

Coat of arms

Blazon

  • Shield: Per chevron reversed Argent and Gules, on a bar in base Sable fimbriated of the first a cat-a-mountain salient guardant of the third, armed langued, collared and lined of the second, in sinister chief a mullet voided and fretted Vert.
  • Crest: From a wreath Argent and Gules from two palm branches saltirewise Proper issuing a demi-scimitar palewise of the first gripped of the second and enfiled by a cogwheel Or.
  • Motto: SEMPER ULTIMO (Always on Top).

Symbolism

  • Shield:
  1. Red and white are the colors used for the Corps of Engineers.
  2. The bar symbolizes a treadway bridge, the construction of which was a major combat mission of the organization.
  3. The cat-a-mountain, a European wildcat, indicates the stealth and swiftness required in combat engineer operations, 16 claws represents the Battalions steadfast commitment to the mission and the soldiers of the battalion are known as "Catamounts."
  4. The black cat also connotes the darkness in which operations are conducted.
  5. The star from the flag of French Morocco represents service in that area during World War II.
  6. The inverted chevron symbolizes the battalion's spearheading of armored engineer activity in World War II.
  • Crest:
  1. The six teeth on the gear wheel represent the unit's campaign service during World War II.
  2. Gold denotes excellence, while the gear wheel alludes to engineering.
  3. The scimitar honors the battalion's Valorous Unit award for IRAQ-KUWAIT, and the crossed palms highlight the unit's Southwest Asia campaigns.
  • Background:
  1. The coat of arms was originally approved for the 16th Armored Engineer Battalion on 25 April 1952.
  2. It was redesignated for the 16th Engineer Battalion on 12 September 1957.
  3. The coat of arms was amended on 5 December 1984 to correct the motto.
  4. On 21 October 1994 the coat of arms was revised to change the symbolism.
  5. It was amended on 29 September 1999.

Distinctive unit insignia

  1. Red and white are the colors used for the Corps of Engineers.
  2. The bar symbolizes a treadway bridge, the construction of which was a major combat mission of the organization.
  3. The cat-a-mountain, a European wildcat, indicates the stealth and swiftness required in combat engineer operations, and the soldiers of the battalion are known as "Catamounts."
  4. The black cat also connotes the darkness in which operations are conducted.
  5. The star from the flag of French Morocco represents service in that area during World War II.
  6. The inverted chevron symbolizes the battalion's spearheading of armored engineer activity in World War II.
  1. The Distinctive Unit Insignia was originally approved for the 16th Armored Engineer Battalion on 25 April 1952.
  2. It was redesignated for the 16th Engineer Battalion on 12 September 1957.
  3. On 5 December 1984 the insignia was amended to correct the symbolism.
  4. On 21 October 1994 it was revised to change the description and the symbolism.

References

PD-icon.svg This article incorporates public domain material from Lineage and Honors 16th Engineer Battalion. United States Army Center of Military History.

  1. "Special Unit Designations". United States Army Center of Military History. 21 April 2010. Archived from the original on 9 June 2010. Retrieved 24 June 2010.