| 4th Infantry Division Artillery | |
|---|---|
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| Active | 1916 – 2007 |
| Country | United States |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Branch | US Army |
| Type | Artillery |
| Role | Fire support |
| Size | Brigade |
| Part of | 4th Infantry Division |
| Garrison/HQ | Fort Carson, Colorado |
| Nickname(s) | Iron Gunners |
| Engagements |
World War I World War II Vietnam Operation Iraqi Freedom |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | LTG David P. Valcourt |
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The 4th Infantry Division Artillery ("Iron Gunners") or DIVARTY is the force fires headquarters for the 4th Infantry Division of the United States Army. The 4th DIVARTY has been active from 1917–1921, 1935–1939, 1940–1946, 1948–1995, 1996-2007, and most recently reactivated in 2015. The DIVARTY has operational service in World War I, World War II, Vietnam, and Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Mission[]
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History[]
World War I[]
World War II[]
Early Cold War[]
Vietnam[]
The 4th DivArty deployed from Fort Lewis, WA to Vietnam, arriving in September 1966.
Later Cold War[]
1989 - 1-29 FA, 3-29 FA, 5-29 FA converted to 3 x 8[1]
1990 - 1-29 FA inactivated; 1-148 FA (116th Brigade) as roundout[2]
1991 - 2 x NTC, BCTP, 3-29 train 2-114 FA, 155th BDE [3]
1992 - September REFORGER 92; 2 x NTC[4]
War on Terrorism[]
The DIVARTY deployed to Iraq in March 2003. Initially planned to deploy through Turkey, the entire 4th Infantry Division was re-routed into Kuwait. After a 500 mile movement north, Task Force Gunner, consisting of Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 4th DIVARTY, and 2nd Battalion, 20th Field Artillery initially secured Al Taji Military Complex and processed captured enemy ammunition from across the division's area of operations. During redepoyment, 2nd Battalion, 20th Field Artillery conducted port and rail operations for the division. The DIVARTY's three cannon battalions operated in direct support of their respective brigades conducting combat and stability operations: 4th Battalion, 42nd Field Artillery in support of 1st Brigade from FOB Arrow in Ad Dawr; 3rd Battalion 16th Field Artillery in support of 2nd Brigade between Baqubah and Baghdad; and 3rd Battalion, 29th Field Artillery in support of 3rd Brigade in the Ad Dulu'iyah are in the Sunni Triangle north of Baghdad. During the deployment, the DIVARTY fired over 8100 rounds of 155mm and 3 ATACMS unitary missiles[5]
The DivArty took command of FOB Gunner in April 2003 and held the base until February 2004 when they were relieved by elements of the 1st Cavalry Division. The brigade routinely maintained a strong defense through offense by active patrols and show of strength. That brigade had the honor of being the location for the storage and consolidation of enemy arms and equipment to be redistributed to the Iraqi Police and Iraqi Civil Defense Force (ICDF) later the New Iraqi Army (NIA), although the mission was executed by the 751st Quartermaster Company (Army Reserve) out of Mesa, Arizona. This was the only location in Iraq to perform this type of mission. The FOB supported units including the 82nd Airborne, the 101st Airborne, the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment (2nd ACR), and the British.
In Iraq the brigade was commanded by Col. Kevin Stramara and was stationed at Taji, Iraq. During this time, the unit and its commander were the subject of internal complaints and investigations by the military for harsh treatment of Iraqi civilians.[6]
The unit was reorganized in December 2004 to assign its subordinate units to the division's four maneuver brigades, giving each of those brigades their own organic artillery for close fire support. Only the 2d Battalion, 20th Field Artillery Regiment remains part of the fires brigade directly.
In December 2005 the brigade was sent again to Iraq with most of the brigade going to Baghdad to conduct FOB Base Defense and 2-20FA(-) going north to support operations of the 101st Airborne and the 18th Airborne Corps. Alpha Battery went west to support Marine operations in the Al Asad and Fallujah area.
Lineage and Honors[]
Lineage[]
- Constituted 19 November 1917 in the Regular Army as Headquarters, 4th Field Artillery Brigade, and assigned to the 4th Division.
- Organized 15 December 1917 – 10 January 1918 at Camp Greene, North Carolina.
- Reorganized and redesignated in February 1921 as Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 4th Field Artillery Brigade.
- Inactivated 21 September 1921 at Camp Lewis, Washington.
- Activated 1 January 1935 at Fort Sill, Oklahoma.
- Disbanded 14 November 1939 at Fort Sill, Oklahoma.
- Reconstituted 10 September 1940 in the Regular Army and redesignated as Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 4th Division Artillery.
- Activated 1 October 1940 at Fort Benning, Georgia.
- Reorganized and redesignated 11 July 1941 as Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 4th Motorized Division Artillery.
- Reorganized and redesignated 4 August 1943 as Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 4th Division Artillery.
- Inactivated 5 March 1946 at Camp Butner, North Carolina.
- Activated 6 July 1948 at Fort Ord, California.
- Redesignated 1 April 1957 as Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 4th Infantry Division Artillery.
- Inactivated 15 December 1995 at Fort Carson, Colorado.
- Activated 16 January 1996 at Fort Hood, Texas.
- Redesignated 15 December 2004 as Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 4th Fires Brigade.
Campaign Participation Credit[]
- World War I: Aisne-Marne; St. Mihiel; Meuse-Argonne; Champagne 1918; Lorrain 1918
- World War II: Normandy; Northern France; Rhineland; Ardennes-Alsace; Central Europe
- Vietnam: 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
- War on Terrorism: Campaigns to be Determined
Decorations[]
- Belgian Fourragere 1940 (Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 4th Infantry Division Artillery, cited; DA GO 43, 1950)
- Cited in the Order of the Day of the Belgian Army for action in Belgium (Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 4th Infantry Division Artillery, cited; DA GO 43, 1950)
- Cited in the Order of the Day of the Belgian Army for action in the Ardennes (Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 4th Infantry Division Artillery, cited; DA GO 43, 1950)
- Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm, Streamer embroidered VIETNAM 1966–1969 (Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 4th Infantry Division Artillery, cited; DA GO 3, 1970)
- Republic of Vietnam Civil Action Honor Medal, First Class, Streamer embroidered VIETNAM 1966–1969 (Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 4th Infantry Division Artillery, cited; DA GO 53, 1970)
References[]
- ↑ “Silhouettes of Steel: 1st Armored Division Artillery,” Field Artillery HQDA PB 6-89-6 (December 1989): 23.
- ↑ “Silhouettes of Steel: 1st Armored Division Artillery,” Field Artillery HQDA PB 6-90-6 (December 1990): 17.
- ↑ “Silhouettes of Steel: 1st Armored Division Artillery,” Field Artillery HQDA PB 6-91-6 (December 1991): 16.
- ↑ “Silhouettes of Steel: 1st Armored Division Artillery,” Field Artillery HQDA PB 6-92-6 (December 1992): 17.
- ↑ “Silhouettes of Steel: 4th Infantry Division (Mechanized) Artillery,” Field Artillery HQDA PB 6-04-5 (November–December 2004): 33.
- ↑ "'It Looked Weird and Felt Wrong'". Washington Post. 24 July 2006. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/23/AR2006072300495_pf.html. Retrieved 21 May 2011.
External links[]
- 4th Infantry Division official website
- Fighting the Insurgency: One Unit's Aggressive Approach – 'It Looked Weird and Felt Wrong'
- Iron Gunners Lend Firepower
The original article can be found at 4th Infantry Division Artillery (United States) and the edit history here.