Elliot (DD 967) - Naval Cruise Book

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The coat of arms of USS ELLIOT (DD 967) serves as a heraldic remembrance of the ship ' s namesake. Lieutenant Commander Arthur James Elliot. II. The red, white and blue partitions of the shield are patterned after the insignia of Lieutenant Commander Elliot ' s command, River Squadron Fifty-seven. Red is the heraldic symbol of courage, zeal, and leadership; white symbolizes integrity; blue represents devotion and perserverance The unsheathed sword is symbolic of command, and its position on the shield, point downward, is significant of death in combat The crest, composed of a mainmast and mainsail, symbolizes the Elliot family ' s long association with the nautical heritage of their native state of Maine. Generations of the family engaged in the shipbuilding and .sailing trades, including Lieutenant Commander Elliot ' s paternal grandfather and namesake Arthur James Elliot, who ' s shipbuilding firm launched the last five-masted schooner ever built. The pine tree emblazoned on the sail is the symbol of the state of Maine. The ship ' s motto, Courage, Honor. Integrity, is representa- tive of those values which characterized Lieutenant Commander Elliot throughout his career. The motto serves as both a guide and an inspiration for the men who will serve on USS ELLIOT throughout her commissioned life.