197th Field Artillery Regiment ( United States ) The 197th Field Artillery Regiment is a regiment in the New Hampshire Army National Guard . History . The oldest element of the regiment ( B Battery ) claims to have been formed before 1780 as 1st Company , Light Infantry , 2nd Regiment , 2nd Brigade , 2nd Division , New Hampshire MIlitia . The regiment takes most of its lineage from the 1st New Hampshire Volunteer Infantry . Lineage . Reorganized and federally recognized 24 April 1922 in the New Hampshire National Guard at Concord as , 197th Artillery ( Coast Artillery Corps ) Redesignated 23 April 1924 as , 197th Coast Artillery ( AA ) Regiment broken up 15 May 1943 as Follows 1 February 1959 744th and 210th AAA Battalions consolidated with 197th Artillery , a parent regiment under the Combat Arms Regimental System A Gold color metal and enamel device in height overall consisting of a shield blazoned : Azure , in base a lion passant guardant Or , and in fess a lozenge and a fleur - de - lis Argent ; on a chief Gules fimbriated of the second a winged projectile , wings inverted , of the last . Attached below the shield a Gold scroll inscribed " A Bas L ’ Avion " in Black letters . The shield is blue to indicate the longer service of the unit as Infantry . The gold lion passant guardant is for service in the War of 1812 ; the white lozenge — the corps badge for the 2nd Division , 3rd Corps , during the Civil War — represents Civil War service and the fleur - de - lis , service during World War I . The chief is red for Artillery and the winged projectile indicates that it is an anti - aircraft unit . The distinctive unit insignia was originally approved for the 197th Coast Artillery Regiment , New Hampshire National Guard on 16 April 1927 . It was redesignated for the 744th Antiaircraft Artillery Gun Battalion , New Hampshire National Guard on 28 December 1951 . The insignia was redesignated for the 197th Artillery Regiment , New Hampshire National Guard on 29 March 1961 . It was redesignated for the 197th Field Artillery Regiment , New Hampshire Army National Guard on 9 August 1972 . Azure , in base a lion passant guardant Or , and in fess a lozenge and a fleur - de - lis Argent ; on a chief Gules fimbriated of the second a winged projectile , wings inverted , of the last . That for the regiments and separate battalions of the New Hampshire Army National Guard : On a wreath of the colors Or and Azure , two pine branches saltirewise Proper crossed behind a bundle of five arrows palewise Argent , bound together by a ribbon Gules , the ends entwining the branches . Coat of arms . Blazon . Motto " A Bas L ’ Avion " ( Down With The Plane ) . The shield is blue to indicate the longer service of the unit as Infantry . The gold lion passant guardant is for service in the War of 1812 ; the white lozenge — the corps badge for the 2nd Division , 3rd Corps , during the Civil War — represents Civil War service and the fleur - de - lis , service during World War I . The chief is red for Artillery and the winged projectile indicates that it is an anti - aircraft unit . The crest is that of the New Hampshire Army National Guard . Background . The coat of arms was originally approved for the 197th Coast Artillery Regiment , New Hampshire National Guard on 19 April 1927 . It was redesignated for the 744th Antiaircraft Artillery Gun Battalion , New Hampshire National Guard on 28 December 1951 . The insignia was redesignated for the 197th Artillery Regiment , New Hampshire National Guard on 29 March 1961 . It was redesignated for the 197th Field Artillery Regiment , New Hampshire Army National Guard on 9 August 1972 . Campaign streamers . unknown Decorations . Valorous Unit Award , Meritorious Unit Commendation