12TH CAVALRY REGIMENT
A
Trp, 4-12 Cav
Another
A Troop Site
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DISTINCTIVE UNIT INSIGNIA
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COAT OF ARMS
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Distinctive
Unit Insignia. Description: A Gold metal and enamel device 1 5/32 inches (2.94 cm) in
height consisting of a shield blazoned: Or, a cactus Vert. Attached below and on
the sides of the shield a Gray scroll inscribed "SEMPER PARATUS" in
Gold.
Symbolism:
This Regiment was organized at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, in 1901, and spent
its first two years at that post. The cactus shows the birthplace of this
Regiment, as well as its service on the Mexican border. The motto translates to
"Always Ready."
Background:
The distinctive unit insignia was approved on
22 October 1957
.
Coat
of Arms.
Blazon:
Shield: Or, a cactus Vert.
Crest: On a wreath Or and Vert, in front of a wreath of palm branches
Proper and superimposed upon a Melanesian war club and a kampilan in saltire
Gules, a sun in splendor of eight rays of the first, in chief issuant from a bar
wavy Azure a Japanese torii of the fourth enclosing a horseshoe Sable nailed of
the first.
Motto: SEMPER PARATUS (Always Ready).
Symbolism:
Shield: The Regiment was organized at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, in 1901,
and spent its first two years at that post. The cactus shows the birthplace of
this Regiment, as well as its service on the Mexican border.
Crest: The palm branches represent two Distinguished Unit Streamers
awarded the unit for campaigns on
Leyte
. The sun, adapted
from the arms of the
Philippines
, denotes award of
the Philippine Presidential Unit Citation. The kampilan, a weapon of the Moros,
is for early tours of duty during the Philippine Insurrection and the war club
represents service in
New Guinea
and the
Bismarck
Archipelago
where the 12th
Cavalry also fought. The unit's claim that one of its enlisted men was the first
to enter
Tokyo
is noted by the horseshoe (suggesting
Cavalry) within the Japanese torii, or temple gateway.
Background: The coat of arms was approved on
14 January 1921
. It was amended to change the wording in the symbolism on
28 June 1960
. The coat of arms was amended to add a crest on
12 November 1965
.
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