The 21st Field Artillery Regiment is a

field artillery Field artillery is a category of mobile artillery used to support army, armies in the field. These weapons are specialized for mobility, tactical proficiency, short range, long range, and extremely long range target engagement. Until the ear ...

regiment A regiment is a military unit. Its role and size varies markedly, depending on the country, military service, service, or administrative corps, specialisation. In Middle Ages, Medieval Europe, the term "regiment" denoted any large body of l ...

of the

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary Land warfare, land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of th ...

first formed in 1916. A parent regiment under the

U.S. Army Regimental System The United States Army Regimental System (USARS) is an organizational and classification system used by the United States Army. It was established in 1981 to replace the Combat Arms Regimental System (CARS) to provide each soldier with contin ...

, all components of the regiment are currently inactive. The 1st Battalion 21st Field Artillery Regiment (United States), the regiment's final active component, deactivated on 12 June 2014.

History

During

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, the 21st Field Artillery Regiment was deployed to Europe, where it played a critical role in supporting American troops during the Meuse-Argonne Offensive, the final Allied offensive of the war. The regiment's service during this campaign earned it the

French Croix de Guerre The (, ''Cross of War'') is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was first awarded during Worl ...

and the World War I Victory Medal. In the interwar period, the 21st Field Artillery Regiment was reorganized several times and served as both a

National Guard National guard is the name used by a wide variety of current and historical uniformed organizations in different countries. The original National Guard was formed during the French Revolution around a cadre of defectors from the French Guards. ...

and

Regular Army A regular army is the official army of a state or country (the official armed forces), contrasting with irregular forces, such as volunteer irregular militias, private armies, mercenaries, etc. A regular army usually has the following: * a ...

unit. During

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, the regiment was again deployed to Europe, where it provided artillery support for Allied troops during the

Normandy landings The Normandy landings were the landing operations and associated airborne operations on 6 June 1944 of the Allies of World War II, Allied invasion of Normandy in Operation Overlord during the Second World War. Codenamed Operation Neptune and ...

, the

Battle of the Bulge The Battle of the Bulge, also known as the Ardennes Offensive or Unternehmen Die Wacht am Rhein, Wacht am Rhein, was the last major German Offensive (military), offensive Military campaign, campaign on the Western Front (World War II), Western ...

, and the

liberation of Paris The liberation of Paris () was a battle that took place during World War II from 19 August 1944 until the German garrison surrendered the French capital on 25 August 1944. Paris had been occupied by Nazi Germany since the signing of the Armisti ...

. After the war, the 21st Field Artillery Regiment was stationed in Germany as part of the occupation force. In the years that followed, the regiment was reorganized several more times and served in various locations around the world, including

Korea Korea is a peninsular region in East Asia consisting of the Korean Peninsula, Jeju Island, and smaller islands. Since the end of World War II in 1945, it has been politically Division of Korea, divided at or near the 38th parallel north, 3 ...

Vietnam Vietnam, officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (SRV), is a country at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of about and a population of over 100 million, making it the world's List of countries and depende ...

, and

Iraq Iraq, officially the Republic of Iraq, is a country in West Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to Iraq–Saudi Arabia border, the south, Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq border, the east, the Persian Gulf and ...

. In the 21st century, the 21st Field Artillery Regiment has continued to serve as a critical component of the U.S. Army's artillery capabilities. The regiment has deployed to

and

Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. It is bordered by Pakistan to the Durand Line, east and south, Iran to the Afghanistan–Iran borde ...

in support of

Operation Iraqi Freedom The Iraq War (), also referred to as the Second Gulf War, was a prolonged conflict in Iraq lasting from 2003 to 2011. It began with the invasion by a United States-led coalition, which resulted in the overthrow of the Ba'athist governm ...

and

Operation Enduring Freedom Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) was the official name used by the U.S. government for both the first stage (2001–2014) of the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021) and the larger-scale Global War on Terrorism. On 7 October 2001, in response ...

, respectively, and has also conducted training and exercises in locations around the world. Today, the 21st Field Artillery Regiment is based at

Fort Cavazos Fort Cavazos is a United States Army post located near Killeen, Texas. The post is currently named after Gen. Richard E. Cavazos, a native Texan and the US Army’s first Hispanic four-star general. The post is located halfway between Austi ...

Texas Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...

, and is equipped with the

M109A6 Paladin The M109 is an American 155 mm turreted Self-propelled artillery, self-propelled howitzer, first introduced in the early 1960s to replace the M44 self-propelled howitzer, M44 and M52 self-propelled howitzer, M52. It has been upgraded a number of ...

howitzer. The regiment is currently assigned to the

41st Field Artillery Brigade The 41st Field Artillery Brigade ("Rail Gunners)" is a Field Artillery Brigade of the United States Army. Initially only operating from October to December of 1918, it has since operated as a Brigade level staff from 1921 to 1931, 1942–1944, 19 ...

, which is part of the 1st Cavalry Division.

Further combat service by regimental elements

The 1st Battalion, 21st Field Artillery served in Vietnam with the 1st Cavalry Division. Battery A, 21st Field Artillery served in

Operation Desert Storm Operation or Operations may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media * ''Operation'' (game), a battery-operated board game that challenges dexterity * Operation (music), a term used in musical set theory * ''Operations'' (magazine), Multi-Man ...

as the 1st Cavalry Division's general support MLRS battery.

Lineage and honors

Lineage

* Constituted 1 July 1916 in the Regular Army as the 21st Field Artillery * Organized 1 June 1917 at Camp Wilson, Texas * Assigned 12 December 1917 to the 5th Division * Relieved 4 November 1920 from assignment to the 5th Division * Inactivated 23 September 1921 at Camp Bragg, North Carolina * Assigned 24 March 1923 to the 9th Division * Relieved 1 January 1930 from assignment to the 9th Division and assigned to the 5th Division (later redesignated as the 5th Infantry Division) * Activated 6 October 1939 at

Fort Knox Fort Knox is a United States Army installation in Kentucky, south of Louisville and north of Elizabethtown, Kentucky, Elizabethtown. It is adjacent to the United States Bullion Depository (also known as Fort Knox), which is used to house a larg ...

, Kentucky * Reorganized and redesignated 1 October 1940 as the 21st Field Artillery Battalion * Inactivated (less Batteries B and C) 20 September 1946 at Ladd Field, Alaska (Batteries B and C concurrently inactivated at Camp Campbell, Kentucky) * Activated 3 June 1948 at Fort Jackson, South Carolina * Inactivated 30 April 1950 at Fort Jackson, South Carolina * Activated 1 March 1951 at Indiantown Gap Military Reservation, Pennsylvania * Inactivated 1 September 1953 at Indiantown Gap Military Reservation, Pennsylvania * Activated 25 May 1954 in Germany * Relieved 1 June 1957 from assignment to the 5th Infantry Division; concurrently, reorganized and redesignated as the 21st Artillery, a parent regiment under the Combat Arms Regimental System * Redesignated 1 September 1971 as the 21st Field Artillery * Withdrawn 16 March 1987 from the Combat Arms Regimental System and reorganized under the United States Army Regimental System * Redesignated 1 October 2005 as the 21st Field Artillery Regiment

Campaign participation credit

* World War I: St. Mihiel; Lorraine 1918 * World War II: Normandy; Northern France; Rhineland; Ardennes-Alsace; Central Europe * Vietnam: Defense; Counteroffensive; Counteroffensive, Phase II; Counteroffensive, Phase III; Tet Counteroffensive; Counteroffensive, Phase IV; Counteroffensive, Phase V; Counteroffensive, Phase VI; Tet 69/Counteroffensive; Summer-Fall 1969; Winter-Spring 1970; Sanctuary Counteroffensive; Counteroffensive, Phase VII; Consolidation I; Consolidation II; Cease-Fire * Southwest Asia: Defense of Saudi Arabia; Liberation and Defense of Kuwait * War on Terrorism: Campaigns to be determined

Decorations

* Presidential Unit Citation (Army) for PLEIKU PROVINCE * Valorous Unit Award for FISH HOOK * Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army) for VIETNAM 1967 * Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army) for SOUTHWEST ASIA 1990–1991

Heraldry

Distinctive unit insignia

* Description A Gold color metal and enamel device in height overall consisting of a shield blazoned: Argent a bend Gules, in base an eagle close of the last gorged with a collar Or bearing a Lorraine cross of the second. On a sinister canton of the second a demi-sun Gold charged with an Aztec banner Vert garnished of the field (for the 3rd Field Artillery). * Symbolism The regiment was formed from the 3rd Field Artillery which is shown on the canton. The red bend denotes artillery support. The eagle with collar, one of the supporters of the arms of St. Mihiel, symbolizes the most important engagement in which the regiment participated. * Background The distinctive unit insignia was originally approved for the 21st Field Artillery Regiment on 27 November 1939. It was redesignated for the 21st Field Artillery Battalion on 13 December 1940. The insignia was redesignated for the 21st Artillery Regiment on 30 August 1957. Effective 1 September 1971, the insignia was redesignated for the 21st Field Artillery Regiment.

Coat of arms

* Blazon ** Shield: Argent a bend Gules, in base an eagle close of the last gorged with a collar Or bearing a Lorraine cross of the second. On a sinister canton of the second a demi-sun Gold charged with an Aztec banner Vert garnished of the field (for the 3rd Field Artillery). ** Crest: On a wreath of the colors Argent and Gules, a dolphin embowed Argent. ** Motto: PROGRESSI SUNT (They Have Advanced). * Symbolism ** Shield: The regiment was formed from the 3rd Field Artillery which is shown on the canton. The red bend denotes artillery support. The eagle with collar, one of the supporters of the arms of St. Mihiel, symbolizes the most important engagement in which the regiment participated. ** Crest: The dolphin represents overseas service. * Background: The coat of arms was originally approved for the 21st Field Artillery Regiment on 5 February 1921. It was amended to correct the blazon on 20 May 1921. It was redesignated for the 21st Field Artillery Battalion on 13 December 1940. The insignia was redesignated for the 21st Artillery Regiment on 30 August 1957. Effective 1 September 1971, the insignia was redesignated for the 21st Field Artillery Regiment.

Mascot

* Cecile Fleury

Current configuration

* 1st Battalion, 21st Field Artillery Regiment * 2nd Battalion, 21st Field Artillery Regiment * 3rd Battalion, 21st Field Artillery Regiment German MGR-1 Honest John in 1960

In the June 1965 Order of Battle – USAREUR/7th Army Non-divisional Artillery, the 3rd MSL Bn, 21st FA (Honest John) was included in the VII Corps Artillery, 72nd Field Artillery group, Larson Bks, Kitzingen, Germany. In the September 1970 Order of Battle – USAREUR/7th Army Non-divisional Artillery, the 3rd MSL Bn, 21st FA (Honest John) was included in VII Corps Artillery, 72nd Field Artillery group, Fiori Bks, Aschaffenburg, Germany. The unit was inactivated 30 September 1974. * 4th Battalion, 21st Field Artillery Regiment was activated on 31 March 1959 at Bell, California as part of the

63rd Infantry Division 63rd Division may refer to: ; Infantry divisions : *63rd Infantry Division CireneItalian Army (Second World War) *63rd Rifle Division (Soviet Union) *63rd Guards Rifle Division (Soviet Union) *63rd Division (Spain) *63rd (2nd Northumbrian) Division ...

and inactivated there on 31 December 1965.army.mil
Field Artillery Lineage Series Part One, p602 * 5th Battalion, 21st Field Artillery Regiment * 6th Battalion, 21st Field Artillery Regiment

References

army.mil

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:021 Field artillery regiments of the United States Army F 021

021 069 is: * in Brazil, the telephone area code for the city of Rio de Janeiro and surrounding cities (Greater Rio de Janeiro) * in China, the telephone area code for the city of Shanghai. * in Indonesia, the area code for the city of Jakarta and su ...

Military units and formations disestablished in 1916 Military units and formations disestablished in 1957