216TH AIR DEFENSE ARTILLERY REGIMENT insignia

Coat of Arms for the 216th Air Defense Artillery, MNARNG
1. The coat of arms redesignated this date for the 2 16th Air Defense Artillery was:
a. Originally approved for the 206th Regiment Infantry, Minnesota National Guard, by letter AG 421.7, The Secretary of War, 27 November 1925.
b. Redesignated for the 256th Antiaircraft Artillery Automatic Weapons Battalion, Minnesota National Guard, by letter QMGRH 424.2 & 421.4, The Quartermaster General, 18 November 1952.
2. The revised blazon and symbolism of the design are as follows:

BLAZON
SHIELD: Azure, on a fess sanquine fimbriated Or a gopher sejant of the third, in chief a five-pointed mullet of the last.
CREST:  That for the regiments and separate battalions of the Minnesota Army National Guard: From a wreath Or and Azure, a sheaf of wheat Proper.
MOTTO: FOR STATE AND COUNTRY.
SYMBOLISM
SHIELD: The device selected has been taken from the State traditions. Blue alludes to the State flag. The shield of the 206th Minnesota Infantry is accordingly made blue, which is also the Infantry color. The star and gopher suggest the State; the star being taken from the coat of arms of the State and also alluding to the State motto (L’Etoile du Nord – the North Star) while its generally accepted popular name or nickname is the “Gopher State”. The colors of the fess suggest the State colors, maroon and gold.
CREST:  The crest is that of the Minnesota Army National Guard