A good friend of mine approached me about designing a coat of arms for his father and after a few variations, this is the final result.
His father is a former Marine who served a couple of tours in Vietnam and then returned home to the States and became a Marksmanship Instructor for a couple years at Parris Island. He original hails from the Black Mountain region of Kentucky way down by the Tennessee West-Virginia corner.
My attempt at the blazon:
Shield:
Per Chevron Gules and Or, a pair of Springfield M-14 rifles crossed between three mullets Or.
Crest:
A bear rampant, Per Fesse Gules and Or, between it’s paws a Springfield M-14 rifle barrel upwards Or.
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b146/Snydercrew/williams-01.jpg
Snyder;98297 wrote:
My attempt at the blazon:
Shield:
Per Chevron Gules and Or, a pair of Springfield M-14 rifles crossed between three mullets Or.
Well, first of all it looks more like Per Chevron Gules and Sable to me. 
Then I think I’d say in chief two rifles in saltire between three mullets Or. The type of rifle shouldn’t be terribly important a) to future generations or b) in small scale such as most heraldry is illustrated.
Kenneth Mansfield;98300 wrote:
Well, first of all it looks more like Per Chevron Gules and Sable to me.
Kenneth Mansfield;98300 wrote:Then I think I’d say in chief two rifles in saltire between three mullets Or. The type of rifle shouldn’t be terribly important a) to future generations or b) in small scale such as most heraldry is illustrated.
I originally had it listed as just "rifles" and was asked to list the Springfield M-14 specifically. There is great sentimental attachment on his part towards the rifle.
Why not move the rifles, in saltire, to the crest? Maybe you can incorporate a non-Marine charge as well. The bear holding the rifle strikes me as odd. I get the rifles, and I get the bear, but together it’s jarring. Somehow it’s okay with a Lochaber axe, but not with an M-14.
What was his rank at discharge? If sergeant or below, I’d focus on that aspect for the shield- PFC through Sergeant are easily stylized as Or chevrons/chevronels on Gules:
http://www.marine-bootcamp.com/images/usmcenlistedranks.jpg
Maybe something witty, but less obvious to non-Marines, like a combination of charges which mimic the sight picture of an M-14 ("pumpkin on a post"):
http://i35.tinypic.com/15y7z2c.jpg
Of course, you could do something really cool with a half Talbot/half Wyvern figure- a "more traditional" Devil Dog…
http://www.americanheraldry.org/forums/picture.php?albumid=72&pictureid=1959
I presented a few different concepts to him that included a structure based loosely on the rank insignia, targets and reticle, and the bear on the shield in a few different stances, using mounds and mounts in the base, and that was the one he was the most attached to. His son’s gave it their seal of approval as well. It passed the refrigerator test and from talking to his son yesterday, he is "damn proud" of it and the guys at his VFW love it.
Snyder;98297 wrote:
A good friend of mine approached me about designing a coat of arms for his father and after a few variations, this is the final result.
His father is a former Marine who served a couple of tours in Vietnam and then returned home to the States and became a Marksmanship Instructor for a couple years at Parris Island. He original hails from the Black Mountain region of Kentucky way down by the Tennessee West-Virginia corner.
My attempt at the blazon:
Shield:
Per Chevron Gules and Or, a pair of Springfield M-14 rifles crossed between three mullets Or.
Crest:
A bear rampant, Per Fesse Gules and Or, between it’s paws a Springfield M-14 rifle barrel upwards Or.
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b146/Snydercrew/williams-01.jpg
I for one (for what it’s worth) like the design and wouldn’t make any changes (well maybe do something about that torse it reminds me of Adebisi from the tv show OZ lol)
hollywood1765;98315 wrote:
I for one (for what it’s worth) like the design and wouldn’t make any changes (well maybe do something about that torse it reminds me of Adebisi from the tv show OZ lol)
I always wondered how he kept that hat on his head, especially when shanking someone. lol
Snyder;98317 wrote:
I always wondered how he kept that hat on his head, especially when shanking someone. lol
hahahah
