Stein of the Day

This half-liter stein is a souvenir of Spc. 4 M.G. McAdams’s service in the former West Germany with the Headquarters Battery, 3rd Battalion of the U.S. Army’s 76th Field Artillery Regiment.

The official Army web site says of the coat of arms:

The distinctive unit insignia was originally approved for the 76th Field Artillery Regiment on 19 February 1924. It was redesignated for the 76th Field Artillery Battalion on 3 December 1942. It was redesignated for the 76th Armored Field Artillery Battalion on 10 July 1947. The insignia was redesignated for the 76th Field Artillery Battalion on 13 October 1954. It was redesignated for the 76th Artillery Regiment on 10 June 1958. Effective 1 September 1971, it was designated for the 76th Field Artillery Regiment. 

The Regiment served in Kitzingen, West Germany, in the 1960s (hence the image on the side with the date 1967). The painting shows the city’s principal landmark, the Leaning Tower, or falterturn. It was built during the 1200s and is distinctive for its crooked roof. According to town legend, the tower was built during a drought and the workers used wine instead of water to make the mortar, causing the top of the tower to lean.

Wikipedia adds this interesting note:

A local legend is that the golden ball atop the crooked tower contains the heart of Vlad Dracula of Romania. If you follow the path of the crooked tower, the golden ball leans directly toward a grave in the Kitzingen Old Cemetery located across the street from the tower that is called the Grave of Dracula. Another local US army legend is the upside down crosses that make up the small windows on the tower, appear right side up when light casts towards the grave yard to ward off vampires. The crosses alternate, such that every other one is upside down - pretty spooky on a dark day. Some, however, believe that the grave that is called "Dracula's Grave" is not actually where Vlad Dracula is buried, but rather a heavely-decorated grave of a very rich family that resided in Kitzingen. To find Dracula's actual grave, try the book "In Search of Dracula: The History of Dracula and Vampires" by Raymond T. McNally (1994).

The Regiment was equipped with the M109 self-propelled 155mm howitzer, which was first produced in 1963. In addition to the 155mm and 28 rounds of 155mm ammunition, the vehicle carried a .50 caliber machine gun with 500 rounds of .50 ammo. The vehicle has been upgraded several times and is known today as the M109A Paladin.