"A" Btry, 26st Field Artillery
Historical Missions
"Courage And Action"
United States Artillery can be traced back to the Military Company of
Massachusetts, which was chartered in 1638, and with other colonial artillery
companies formed what became the Continental Artillery. More than a century
later, in April 1775, the legislature authorized the formation of an artillery
regiment. This unit was first commanded by Colonel Richard Gridley, a former
British artillery officer who later was replaced by Colonel Henry Knox.
Colonel Knox eventually became the Chief of Artillery and is credited with
shaping artillery tactics for the remainder of the Revolution.
From the historical battlefields of Yorktown and Gettysburg, through the
Western Plains, Mexican and Spanish American Wars, the artillery was always
there. In fact, the nickname, "Redlegs", comes from that era when artillery
uniforms had a 2-inch red stripe on their trousers and horse artillery men
wore red canvas leggings. Continuing through the modern days of the European
and Asian Theaters of WWII, the Pusan Perimeter in Korea, the Ia Drang Valley
in Vietnam, to the "Steel Rain" of Desert Storm, "Redlegs" have served with
distinction and valor in all of our country's armed conflicts.
The Early Years, 1916
The 26th Field Artillery was organized in August 1918 at Camp McClellan,
Alabama. The regiment served within the continental limits of the United
States during World War I and was demobilized on February 9th, 1919 at Camp
McClellan, Alabama. In 1923, the 26th Field Artillery was reconstituted as an
inactive unit of the Regular Army and allotted to the Fourth Corps Area.
World War II European Theater 1941 - 1945
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On 01 August 1940, the Regiment was reactivated at Fort Bragg, Norh Carolina. Regiment reorganized
and redesignated 26th Field Artillery Battalion and remained an element of 9th
Infantry Divisio, First Army. On 01 October 1940, the three battalions of the
26th Field Artillery were re-designated as three separate battalions under the
Commanding General, Ninth Division Artillery, and the old first battalion then
became the 26th Field Artillery Battalion.
Equipped with towed 105-millimeter howitzers, the Battalion participated in
the Carolina Maneuvers (supported the 39th Infantry) during October and
November 1941. Following the maneuvers, the Battalion underwent amphibious
training under Amphibious Corps, Atlantic Fleet (later redesignated Fleet
Marine Force, Atlantic).
Korean War 1950 - 1951
Vietnam War 1965 - 1972
Iraqi Freedom - I 2003
Iraqi Freedom - IV 2006 - 2008
Iraqi Freedom - VI 2008 - 2010
Iraqi Draw Down 2009 - 2010
Operation "New Dawn" 2010 - 2011
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Revised 29 Nov '12 SpellChecked
