Castle Room, Ft Belvoir

 
Joseph McMillan
 
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Joseph McMillan
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23 December 2011 20:49
 

As I mentioned in my post on the Fairfax arms, the other heraldic attraction at the Ft Belvoir Officers’ Club is the Castle Room. It may be called that because of the castle-like beam ceiling, but more likely because a castle is the badge of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which was headquartered at Ft Belvoir from 1919 to 1989. It’s of heraldic interest because of the hundreds of plaques bearing the arms and badges of Army engineer units, originally deposited there when the post was the home of the Corps and left (apparently after a good deal of acrimonious debate) when the Corps moved to Ft Leonard Wood, Missouri.

Anyway, here are some pictures.

 

First, a shot along one wall from one end of the room to the other, to give you an idea of the scope of the collection.

 

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7141/6561800391_27e49e60c3_z.jpg

 

And a picture of one of the corners to give an impression of size and how they’re displayed.

 

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7008/6561800319_a6bfc50cbd_z.jpg

 

The arms and badges are mostly arrayed numerically by unit designation. Here’s the beginning, the arms and badges of the 1st through 3d Engineer Battalions in the first column and the 4th through 6th in the second.

 

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7162/6561800037_41622ccc1b_z.jpg

 
Joseph McMillan
 
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Joseph McMillan
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23 December 2011 21:04
 

Part 2 of the Castle Room:

Some of my favorite designs in the collection.

 

86th Engineer Bn

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7001/6561800713_22b682c378_z.jpg

 

121st Engineer Bn (the white spot is where the red paint has chipped away from the screw holding the wooden shield in place)

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7156/6561800453_a16896130d_z.jpg

 

547th Engineer Bn

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7006/6561800561_2dc354687d_z.jpg

 
Joseph McMillan
 
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Joseph McMillan
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23 December 2011 21:18
 

Part 3 of the Castle Room:

40th Engineer Battalion (the chameleon and the motto, "The [real] art is to conceal the artistry" evidently allude to the battalion’s origin as a camouflage unit, building concealed earthworks and the like)

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7008/6561800219_27155583f7_z.jpg

 

261st Engineer Battalion (an inspired design, I think, for combat engineers)

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7154/6561800643_60d3dba588_z.jpg

 
Nick B II
 
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24 December 2011 01:16
 

Joseph McMillan;91066 wrote:

261st Engineer Battalion (an inspired design, I think, for combat engineers)

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7154/6561800643_60d3dba588_z.jpg


I love the motto.

 

Build-Design-Destroy. It’s basically their job description.

 

Nick

 
Kenneth Mansfield
 
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24 December 2011 08:52
 

I think it actually reads left to right: Design, Build, Destroy. Their job description is Design, Build, Destroy, Repeat. wink

Thanks for posting these, Joe. The room is pretty spectacular.

 
 
david
 
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david
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24 December 2011 09:50
 

Great stuff, thanks for posting.

 
Joseph McMillan
 
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24 December 2011 10:03
 

I just looked at the TIOH page for the 121st and found something I hadn’t thought of in the symbolism of the arms.  The fess abased dancetty to chief and wavy to base represents the topography of Maryland (looking from east to west)—mountains and shore.  Being of the arms of the Calvert lords proprietors (paly of six Or and Sable a bend counterchanged), the fess could be seen as a heraldic representation of the state itself.

 
Snyder
 
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24 December 2011 11:26
 

This is fantastic! I vote to keep the images coming (if you have them)! I remember back in 2007, I was stationed at Fort Hood working as a graphic design (temporary assignment) and came across the TIOH for the first time. Hours were spent going through the pages. One thing I have a passion for is military crests, patches, and the like.

 
Michael F. McCartney
 
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24 December 2011 11:41
 

Joe - Thanks!  Hope there’s more to come!

I didn’t catch the Calvert allusion in the arms of the 121st until Joe pointed them out.  While it’s a bit busy (all that I caught initially—brain-dead slug that I am, in spite of at least one Maryland rootlet in my own family tree) the historical and geographical allusions more than makes up for that!  The designer of these arms should be congratulated for creativity.

 

In the arms of the 261st—what is the scissors-like device on the chief?  it reminded me of the (heraldic) shears used for sheep, but I can’t imagine that’s right!  Maybe a compass?—but the shape of the (apparent) blades doesn’t seem right, I’d expect that a compass would have sharper points.  ‘Tia a puzzlement.  (Whatever this object may be, the overall appearance of the 261st arms is most pleasing.)

 
Joseph McMillan
 
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24 December 2011 15:03
 

Michael F. McCartney;91087 wrote:

Joe - Thanks! Hope there’s more to come!


No, this was all I took.


Quote:

In the arms of the 261st—what is the scissors-like device on the chief? it reminded me of the (heraldic) shears used for sheep, but I can’t imagine that’s right! Maybe a compass?—but the shape of the (apparent) blades doesn’t seem right, I’d expect that a compass would have sharper points. ‘Tia a puzzlement. (Whatever this object may be, the overall appearance of the 261st arms is most pleasing.)


The book U.S. Army Heraldic Crests [sic] says it’s a compass.  Perhaps a medieval form of same?

 
Snyder
 
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24 December 2011 15:22
 

It somewhat reminds of the bridges from the bridge layer tanks.

 
Nick B II
 
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24 December 2011 16:28
 

Joseph McMillan;91093 wrote:

No, this was all I took.

 

 

The book U.S. Army Heraldic Crests [sic] says it’s a compass.  Perhaps a medieval form of same?


It’s probably a drafting compass.

 

Nick

 
Kenneth Mansfield
 
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24 December 2011 16:33
 

I believe it’s just a regular old compass. It looks as if this is just a blown up version of their ""distinctive unit insignia", which would have to be exaggerated as it is typically just over an inch in size.

 
 
Michael F. McCartney
 
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26 December 2011 16:47
 

Hmmm…strkes me as more likely a goof in drawing or manufacturijng of the enameled metal badges—but apologies to TIOH & the manufacturer if there actually is an historical object of that appearance.

 
Snyder
 
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26 December 2011 19:31
Aquilo
 
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27 December 2011 04:35
 

Quote:

(the white spot is where the red paint has chipped away from the screw holding the wooden shield in place)


Why do I have a feeling that someone SCREWED not only this one but ALL them to the panels in the most terrible way ...just drilling through these historical enemeled metal badges and coats ! I can’t believe they did it to the ENGINEER Batalions :(