The Distinctive Unit Insignia (unit crest or DUI) of the 213th Air Defense Artillery Regiment was originally approved on 4 June 1932 while the unit was designated as the 213th Coast Artillery Regiment. It was redesignated when the unit became the 213th Antiaircraft Artillery Gun Battalion on 26 March 1952, for the 213th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion on 15 December 1954, the 213th Artillery Regiment on 26 July 1961. It was not approved for the 213th Air Defense Artillery Regiment until 8 May 1989.
A red shield denotes the organization’s status as an Artillery (scarlet is the branch color for Artillery), and the imagery represents the various conflicts the unit or its forebears had fought in prior to the insignia’s initial approval in 1932. A maple leaf (for Canada) stands for the War of 1812; the dome of the United States Capitol building refers to the Civil War; the Maltese Cross alludes to the War with Spain; and the seven fleurs-de-lis are for the seven campaigns that several units in the Regiment’s lineage fought in during during World War I. “The First Defenders” is the unit motto.
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. More 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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The 213th Air Defense Artillery Regiment’s official lineage goes back to 1874 and the creation of the 4th Infantry Regiment, Pennsylvania, but the history of the units used to form that organization includes some that fought in the War of 1812 (see above). After being redesignated as an Air Defense Artillery Regiment in the Pennsylvania Army National Guard 1989, the unit was deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom before being inactivated/deactivated, redesignated, disbanded, or consolidated with another unit.