Extract from the Official US Army Lineage Book
INFANTRY Volume, pages 755 and 756
US Government Printing Office

61st INFANTRY
HERALDIC ITEMS

Coat of Arms

Shield: Azure, a pale wavy argent charged with a fusil gules; on a canton embattled of the second a field gun of the third on a mount vert.
Crest: On a wreath of the colors a lion rampant sable grasping in his dexter paw the shoulder sleeve insignia of the 5th Division proper.
Motto: The Best Lead the Rest.
Symbolism: This regiment was originally organized with personnel from the 7th Infantry, which is represented on the canton. It participated in World War I as an element of the 5th Division, the insignia of which is carried on the shield and also on the crest. The wavy pale represents the Meuse River, the crossing of which near Dun in November 1918 was an outstanding operation of the regiment. The lion of the crest is taken from the arms of Montmedy, the nearest place to Dun having a coat of arms.

(Webmaster's Note: With great acumen and not some little research I here provide a translation of the arcane language used by those responsible for devising armorial bearings.
Shield: Bright blue with a pale silver wave on which is the shape of the steel striker from a flintlock musket done in a bright red color. A second display provides, in the top inner quarter, a parapet with open spaces surrounding the picture of a field gun while the third level of detail places the gun on a green hill.
Crest: On a wreath of red, white and blue a black lion is rearing on his hind legs and is holding in his right paw the 5th Division red diamond.)

Distinctive Insignia
The distinctive insignia is the shield of the coat of arms.

LINEAGE AND HONORS

Lineage:


Constituted 15 May 1917 in the Regular Army as the 61st Infantry.

Organized 10 June 1917 at Gettysburg National Park, Pennsylvania.

Assigned 17 November 1917 to the 5th Division.

Inactivated 2 September 1921 at Camp Jackson, South Carolina.

Relieved 15 August 1927 from assignment to the 5th Division and assigned to the 8th Division.

Relieved 1 October 1933 from assignment to the 8th Division and assigned to the 5th Division.

Relieved 16 October 1939 from assignment to the 5th Division.

Disbanded 11 November 1944.

Reconstituted 10 August 1950 in the Regular Army as an element of the 8th Infantry Division.

Activated 17 August 1950 at Fort Jackson, South Carolina.

Inactivated 1 September 1956 at Fort Carson, Colorado and relieved from assignment to the 8th Infantry Division.

Reorganized 17 January 1962 as a parent regiment under the Combat Arms Regimental System.

Withdrawn 16 June 1989 from the Combat Arms Regimental System, reorganized under the United States Army Regimental System and transferred to the United States Training and Doctrine Command Headquarters at Fort Jackson, South Carolina.

Campaign Participation Credit
and Battle Streamers

World War I


ST. MIHIEL
MEUSE-ARGONNE
ALSACE 1918
LORRAINE 1918

Vietnam


COUNTEROFFENSIVE, V ----- 1 July 1968 - 1 Nov 1968
COUNTEROFFENSIVE, VI --- 2 Nov 1968 - 22 Feb 1969
TET 69/COUNTEROFFENSIVE -------- 23 Feb 1969 - 8 Jun 1969
SUMMER-FALL 1969 ------- 9 Jun 1969 - 31 Oct 1969
WINTER-SPRING 1970 --- 1 Nov 1969 - 30 Apr 1970
SANCTUARY COUNTEROFFENSIVE ----------- 1 May 1970 - 30 Jun 1970

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