12th Field Artillery Regiment

Description and symbolism

The unit's insignia is a gold color metal and enamel device 1 inch (2.54 cm) in height overall consisting of a shield blazoned: Gules, a Fleur-de-lis Argent crowned Or; on a canton of the like an Aztec banner Vert garnished of the second. The single fleur-de-lis of silver is taken from the arms of Soissons, where the regiment performed such distinguished service that it was cited by the French in Orders of the Army, shown by the pendant Croix de guerre. The regiment had its baptism of fire near Verdun, the arms of which have one fleur-de-lis crowned all gold. The crown on these arms is for Verdun. The canton carried the Aztec banner from the crest of the parent organization, the 3rd Field Artillery Regiment. The distinctive unit insignia was originally approved for the 12th Field Artillery Regiment on 17 April 1923. It was re-designated for the 12th Field Artillery Battalion on 14 February 1941. It was re-designated for the 12th Artillery Regiment on 10 February 1958. The insignia was re-designated effective 1 September 1971, for the 12th Field Artillery Regiment.

Blazon

The shield is a Gules, a fleur-de-lis Argent crowned Or; on a canton of the like an Aztec banner Vert garnished of the second. The crest is on a wreath of the colors Argent and Gules, the shoulder sleeve insignia of the regiment Proper (a horizontal oblong of Black charged with the White star and Indian head of the Second Division).

Symbolism

The shield is the single fleur-de-lis of silver is taken from the arms of Soissons, where the regiment performed such distinguished service that it was cited by the French in Orders of the Army, shown by the pendant Croix de guerre. The regiment had its baptism of fire near Verdun, the arms of which have one fleur-de-lis crowned all gold. The crown on these arms is for Verdun. The canton carried the Aztec banner from the crest of the parent organization, the 3rd Field Artillery. The crest of the 12th Field Artillery is self-explanatory. The coat of arms was originally approved for the 12th Field Artillery Regiment on 24 June 1921. It was amended to include the motto on 16 August 1921. It was re-designated for the 12th Field Artillery Battalion on 13 February 1941. It was re-designated for the 12th Artillery Regiment on 10 February 1958. The insignia was re-designated effective 1 September 1971, for the 12th Field Artillery Regiment.

1st Battalion

The 1st Battalion, 12th Field Artillery was constituted on 3 June 1916 as an element of the 2nd Division. The 12th Regiment arrived in France and fought bravely in four offenses in World War I. Following the armistice, the 12th joined the U.S. Army of Occupation, stationed in the Colenz area, then later returned to Fort Sam Houston, Texas, and inactivated. On 1 May 1939, the regiment was reactivated as a 155mm howitzer battalion. The 12th joined the armies staging in England for the invasion of France. On D-Day plus three, the 12th landed on Omaha Beach in Normandy and participated in the breakout from the beachhead. Later, the 12th was in the thick of the fighting of the Battle of the Bulge and it joined in the race across Germany and on VE Day was in Pilson, Czechoslovakia. The 12th returned to Fort Lewis, Washington where it remained until it was inactivated.

When the Korean War broke out, the 12th was reactivated and in July 1950, departed for Korea where it participated in the fighting on the Pusan Perimeter. Later it face the Red Chinese at the Chong-chon river. The unit became Battery A, 12th field Artillery Battalion, an element of the 2nd Infantry Division. A year later, the battalion endured some of the bloodiest fighting of the Korean War at T-bone Mountain, the Battle of Old Baldy, White Horse Mountain, and the Battle of Pork Chop Hill. In 1954, following the Korean Armistice Agreement, the battalion returned to Fort Lewis, Washington and then moved to Fort Benning, Georgia.

In 1965, with its Honest John Rockets and 8 inch howitzers, the 1-12th returned to Korea. On 20 February 1971, the unit inactivated at Fort Lewis, Washington, and immediately reactivated at Fort Sill, Oklahoma on 1 April 1971. The 1st Battalion, 12th Field Artillery became the world's first Lance Missile Battalion with a wartime mission to provide nuclear and non-nuclear fires.

The 1-12th began converting to the Multiple Launch Rocket System in August 1992.

During the year 2000, the Raider 1-12 FA (MLRS) conducted many battalion and battery-level FTXs and EXEVALs at Fort Sill.

1-12 FA also deployed its 0&1 to Fort Stewart, Georgia, and the NTC for a successful rotation with the 3d BCT, 3d IN Division, in April.

World War I

Aisne, Aisne-Marne, St. Mihiel, Meuse-Argonne, Lorraine 1918, Ile de France 1918

World War II

Normandy, Northern France, Rhineland, Ardennes-Alsace, Central Europe

Korean War

UN Defensive, UN Offensive, CCF Intervention, First UN Counteroffensive, CCF Spring Offensive, UN Summer-Fall Offensive, Second Korean Winter, Korea: Summer-Fall 1952, Third Korean Winter, Korea: Summer 1953

Iraq War

Transition of Iraq, National Resolution

2d Battalion

First constituted 1 July 1916 in the Regular Army as Battery B, 12th Field Artillery. It was later organized 7 June 1917 at Fort Myer, Virginia, as an element of the 2d Division (later redesignated as the 2d Infantry Division). From here the unit was reorganized and redesignated 1 October 1940 as Battery B, 12th Field Artillery Battalion. On 15 October 1948 the unit was inactivated at Fort Lewis, Washington. On 10 November 1951 Battery B consolidated with Battery B, 503d Field Artillery Battalion (active), and consolidated unit designated as Battery B, 12th Field Artillery Battalion. The unit inactivated on 20 June 1957 at Fort Lewis, Washington, and relieved from assignment to the 2d Infantry Division; concurrently, redesignated as Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 2d Battalion, 12th Artillery. Later it redesignated on 1 May 1960 as Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 2d Howitzer Battalion, 12th Artillery, assigned to the 8th Infantry Division, and activated in Germany (organic elements concurrently constituted and activated). The battalion inactivated 1 April 1963 in Germany and relieved from assignment to the 8th Infantry Division. 13 September 1969 the battalion redesignated as the 2d Battalion, 12th Artillery, and activated in Vietnam. The battalion inactivated 29 August 1971 at Fort Lewis, Washington. Three days later (1 September 1971 ) it redesignated as the 2d Battalion, 12th Field Artillery. Activated once again on 1 April 1976 at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. The unit inactivated on 15 September 1984 at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. The unit moved overseas and activated on 16 July 1987 in Herzogenaurach, Germany as a LANCE missile Battalion but was later inactivated on 15 April 1992. The battalion once again redesignated on 1 October 2005 as the 2d Battalion, 12th Field Artillery Regiment. The battalion was assigned on 1 June 2006 to the newly formed 4th Brigade Combat Team, 2d Infantry Division, and activated at Fort Lewis, Washington.

World War I

Aisne, Aisne-Marne, St. Mihiel, Meuse-Argonne, Lorraine 1918, Ile de France 1918

World War II

Normandy, Northern France, Rhineland, Ardennes-Alsace, Central Europe

Korean War

UN Defensive, UN Offensive, CCF Intervention, First UN Counteroffensive, CCF Spring Offensive, UN Summer-Fall Offensive, Second Korean Winter, Korea: Summer-Fall 1952, Third Korean Winter, Korea: Summer 1953

Vietnam

Summer-Fall 1969, Winter-Spring 1970, Sanctuary Counteroffensive, Counteroffensive: Phase VII, Consolidation I

Iraq

The Surge Campaign, Iraqi Sovereignty Campaign, Operation New Dawn

Afghanistan

TBD