256 Infantry Brigade
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Unit
Insignia
- Description: A
silver colored metal and enamel insignia 1 3/16 inches
(3.02cm) in height consisting of a silver live oak
surmounted by a fleur-de-lis, the center frond red and
the outer fronds and cross-bar gold; all above a blue
scroll inscribed "Honor Our Heritage," in
silver letters.
- Symbolism: The
live oak, indigenous to Louisiana, stands for strength.
It also refers to the location of the Brigade’s
headquarters at Lafayette, the home of the Live Oak
Society, an organization of huge trees, each more than a
century old. In addition, the venerable oaks, inherited
from the past, allude to the unit’s motto. The
fleur-de-lis is taken from the Brigade’s shoulder
sleeve insignia. It indicates that the units are a part
of that organization and refers to the French background
and traditions of its home area. The colors blue and
silver are for the Infantry.
- Background: The
distinctive unit insignia was authorized on 13 Feb 1969.
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Shoulder
Sleeve Insignia
- Description: On
a gray rectangular shield with arced top and bottom
within a 1/8 inch (.32cm) gray border 3 inches (7.62cm)
in height and 2 inches (5.08cm) in width overall, a blue
saltire surmounted by a fleur-de-lis the center frond
red and the outer fronds and cross-bar gold.
- Symbolism: The
saltire, symbol used on military maps to represent a
brigade, stands for the Organization. In addition, the
saltire, which appears on the coat of arms of Nova
Scotia and on the Confederate flag, alludes to the
Brigade’s home area whose early inhabitants were
from Nova Scotia, and to the Confederacy of which
Louisiana was a part. The fleur-de-lis, referring to the
location of the Brigade’s headquarters at
Lafayette, stands for the French background and
traditions of that part of the State. The center frond
is red in reference to Lafayette’s original name,
Vermilionville, and to nearby Bayou Vermilion. The
combination of blue, for Infantry and gray, for the
Confederacy, with red and gold also alludes to the
branch colors for Artillery and various other components
of the Brigade. The rectangle shield shape is the
traditional shape for shoulder sleeve insignia of
brigades.
- Background: The
shoulder sleeve insignia was authorized on 23 Jul 1968.
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