The regiment traces its lineage to the 78th Tank Battalion, which was activated on 13 January 1941 at Fort Knox Kentucky. The unit was redesignated the 758th Tank Battalion (Light) on 8 May 1941. The 758th was the first tank battalion in history to be organized with black soldiers. A 758th soldier designed the regimental crest, the rampant head of a black African elephant symbolizing the soldier's pride in their heritage and their unit's mission of mobile armored warfare. Today, every 1-64th Armor soldier wears that same crest, which is prominently displayed on the unit colors with the motto "We Pierce."