4th Armored Division, US Army

4TH ARMORED DIVISION, US ARMY

History: Raised in April 1941 and deactivated in 1971.

Nickname: Name Enough.

(Shoulder Sleeve Insignia)

(Distinctive Unit Insignia)

Official blazon

Shoulder Sleeve Insignia: On an equilateral triangle with a 1/8 inch (.32cm) green border, 3 7/16 inches (8.73cm) in height overall, one point up, divided into three sections, the upper section yellow, the dexter section blue and the sinister section red, a gun bendwise in front of a tank track and wheels all in black and overall a red lightning flash bendsinisterwise. In the apex the Arabic numeral "4" in black.

Distinctive Unit Insignia: A silver color metal and enamel insignia 1 1/8 inches (2.86cm) in height consisting of a vertical silver gauntlet grasping a lightning flash horizontally in front of a triangle with one point up and divided vertically blue and red.

Origin/meaning

Shoulder Sleeve Insignia: Yellow, black and red are colors of the branches from which armored units were formed. The tank tread, gun and lightning flash are symbolic of mobility, power and speed. The division's designation is in Arabic numerals.

Distinctive Unit Insignia: The triangle and the colors blue, yellow and red are allusions to the Armored Division shoulder sleeve insignia. The gauntlet and lightning flash refer to the spearheading drive of the 4th Armored across France into Germany in World War II. The four segments of the wristguard of the gauntlet represent the numerical designation of the Division.

The Shoulder Sleeve Insignia was approved on 22 November 1940. The Distinctive Unit Insignia was approved on 8 September 1965. Literature: Images from Wikimedia Commons. Information from The Institute of Heraldry, US Army.