Here's the response I received just a few minutes ago, below the E-mail I sent them. I will try a few other avenues and see what stones I might be able to turn over!
Name
Michael C. Bernhardt
Email
ffuries@comcast.net
Message
Question on 209th Field Artillery DUI, all I can find on the internet is the
one with the Red and Gold on the shield behind the Griffin. A friend has one
that is Blue and Gold on the shield. We are trying to find out if this is a
209th Field Artillery DUI, and if so from what time period. Any help is
greatly appreciated, here's a link to the DUI in question.
http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/what/311897-unknown-unit-crest-need-help.h
Bernhardt, Michael C.
TSgt, USAF Retired
Mr Bernhardt:
Your question regarding the 209th Field Artillery DUI was forwarded to me
through the Friends of the New York State Military Museum. Unfortunately,
after reviewing our files on the history of the 209th FA, I really have no
idea what unit the insignia with the blue and yellow is for.
As you may know, the 209th FA was organized in 1940 as a coast artillery
regiment from artillery and cavalry units in Buffalo and Rochester. The DUI
was officially authorized in 1941 with red representing the artillery units
and yellow the cavalry units. The griffon was added as a reference to the
coat of arms of the governor of New France and the ship of the 17th century
French explorer Rene-Robert Cavelier LaSalle that sailed the Great Lakes
north of Rochester and Buffalo. The original proposed design also included
a blue diagonal band separating the red and yellow fields in reference to
infantry units that comprised the unit, but was ultimately not used.
When the unit was reorganized late in the war and throughout the 1950s and
1960s, there was some disagreement about which elements received the lineage
and which were authorized to wear the dui. My only guess, and I could be
way off, is that this may be an unofficial dui of one of the units descended
from the 209th Coast Artillery.
Sorry I cannot be of more assistance. Please let me know if you come up
with anything--I'd be curious to know about this as well.
Courtney
-----------------------------------------
Courtney T. Burns
Chief Curator
New York State Military Museum
61 Lake Avenue
Saratoga Springs, New York 12866
518-581-5105 tel.
518-581-5111 fax
http://dmna.state.ny.us/historic/