Since it was originally approved for the 242nd Coast Artillery (Harbor Defense) in February 1928, the 242nd Engineer Battalion Distinctive Unit Insignia (DUI), or unit crest, has more often been authorized for wear by Artillery units than Engineer organizations. Other Artillery units that wore it include the 283rd Antiaircraft Artillery Gun Battalion (March 1952 to September 1958) and the 283d Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion (September 1958 to January 1970). The 242nd Engineer Battalion, on the other hand, was authorized to wear it from January 1970 until its decommissioning in 2005, a total of thirty-five years versus forty-two for Artillery units.
Thankfully, scarlet is used by both the Corps of Engineers (along with white) and Artillery (scarlet alone) units. A gold fleur-de-lis represents Artillery service in France during World War I, while the saltire (“x”) recalls a brace or support used in construction; its blue color refers to the elements of the Battalion which had previously been Infantry. The French word DEVOIR is the unit motto; it translates as “Duty.”
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 242nd Engineer Battalion was originally organized and Federally recognized as the 1st Battalion, 242d Artillery (Coast Artillery Corps) from three Companies of the Coast Artillery Corps, two of them with lineages dating back to 1861. The Battalion took part in three World War I campaigns (Oise-Aisne, Meuse-Argonne, Champagne 1918), but the unit that eventually made up Company C, 242nd Engineer Battalion was also individually credited with five additional campaigns.
As referenced above, the unit underwent several redesignations as Artillery organizations over the following decades, with individual companies earning credit for participating in campaigns in World War II and earning several military decorations; these can be seen at the Web page of the Connecticut National Guard’s Web site for the 242nd Engineer Detachment (Construction Management). https://ct.ng.mil/Units/Major-Separate-Commands/85th-Troop-Command/242nd-Engineer-Detachment-Construction-Management/The unit was given the designation of 242nd Engineer Battalion on 1 July 1961.
On 10 September 2005, Alpha, Bravo and Charlie Companies of the 242nd Engineer Battalion reorganized as Infantry Companies under the 1st Battalion, 102nd Infantry Regiment for mobilization to Afghanistan.