Originally approved on 2 October 1958, the 153rd Engineer Battalion Distinctive Unit Insignia—also known as a unit crest or DUI—pays tribute to the unit’s World War II service history. Its shield is divided into a red upper and and a white lower half with a wavy partition; scarlet and white are the branch colors of the Corps of Engineers.
The wavy line with a blue base symbolizes the Asiatic-Pacific Theater where the unit took part in three campaigns—Western Pacific, Leyte, Ryukyus—represented by three stylized white shovel blades; its participation in an assault landing on the Ryukyus beachhead represented by the red pheon, or crossbow arrowhead, on the upper blade. (The unit is also credited with seven campaigns in Africa and Italy.) The sea lion is commonly seen on Army insignias to reflect service in the Philippine because of its use on so many governmental seals and arms, such as Presidential seal and the arms of the city of Manila. QUOD FACIENDUM, the unit motto, is Latin for “What Is To Be Done.”
Distinctive Unit Insignias are worn by all Soldiers (except General Officers) in units that have been authorized to be issued the device. It is worn centered on the shoulder loops of the Army Green Service Uniform (AGSU) and the blue Army Service Uniform (ASU, Enlisted only) with the base of the insignia toward the outside shoulder seam. Full guidance on wear of the DUI is found in DA Pamphlet 670-1, Section 21-22, "Distinctive unit insignia" and 21–3(d) and (e), "Beret" and "Garrison Cap," respectively.
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A unit in the South Dakota Army National Guard, the 153rd Engineer Battalion is assigned to the 196th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, one of the Guard’s four major commands. The Battalion is responsible for command and supervision of seven units comprising close to 900 Soldiers in a dozen locations throughout the state.
As part of its Federal mission, the Battalion provides mission command for any attached or assigned Engineer units, coordinating and carrying out tactical operations involving mobility/counter-mobility and survivability. Under state command, the Battalion’s Headquarters and Headquarters Company is tasked with providing military support to civil authorities in the event of state emergencies.