Description087-Infantry-Regiment-COA.png	87th Infantry Regiment Coat of Arms)
Date	8 January 2008
Source	United States Army Institute of Heraldry
Author	US Army
Permission (Reusing this file)	Public domainPublic domainfalsefalse This image shows a flag, a coat of arms, a seal or some other official insignia produced by the United States Army Institute of Heraldry. It is in the public domain but its use is restricted by Title 18, United States Code, Section 704 [1] and the Code of Federal Regulations (32 CFR, Part 507) [2], [3]. Permission to use these images in the USA for most commercial purposes must be obtained from The Institute of Heraldry prior to their use. Deutsch ∙ English ∙ فارسی ∙ 日本語 ∙ русский ∙ +/− - US Army Institute Of Heraldry

Blazon

• Shield: Azure, on a mountain issuant from base Argent, an ice axe, and ski pole in saltirewise, points to base Proper, a horseshoe, points to base Gules.
• Crest: On a wreath Argent and Azure rising from a castle tower of three battlements Gules masoned Or charged with a fountain, a demi-catamountain proper supporting a lance of the fourth with a split pennon parted fesswise of Vert, of the first and of the third.
• Motto: VIRES MONTESQUE VINCIMUS (We Conquer Power and Mountains).

Symbolism

• Shield:

1. The shield bears a snow capped mountain to represent both the region where the organization first received it's specialized training and the normal home of mountain troops.
2. The crossed ski pole and ice axe are symbolic of the tools used by mountain troops, while the horseshoe indicates the pack element of the organization. The fact that the 87th Mountain Infantry Regiment was the first organization of its kind is indicated by the single red horseshoe.
3. The red castle tower is reminiscent of the battle of Castel d'Aiano in Northern Italy, a bloody struggle against prepared positions, rough terrain, heavily mined areas, and enemy artillery fire; its three battlements stand for campaigns in the Aleutians, Northern Apennines, and Po Valley.
4. The fountain (wavy white and blue-striped disc) represents the first crossing of the Po River which brought the 87th to the foothills of the Alps.
5. The catamountain or wildcat personifies the fighting spirit, cunning, and aggressiveness of the Mountain Infantry, and the lance and pennant allude to the arms of the Province of Bologna where the unit emerged after fighting their way out of the Apennine Mountains.

Background

1. The coat of arms was originally approved for the 87th Mountain Infantry Regiment on 1942-10-21.
2. It was redesignated on for the 87th Infantry Regiment on 1948-12-13.
3. On 1956-05-21 the symbolism was amended to correct the translation of the motto.
4. On 1964-12-07 the coat of arms was amended to change the wording in the blazonry of the shield and to add the crest.