77th Field Artillery Regiment Lineage and History
77th Field Artillery Regiment The 77th Field Artillery Regiment has been continuously serving as an active duty Army Field Artillery Regiment for the past 103 years. Originally Constituted 1 July 1916 in the Regular Army as the 19th Cavalry. Organized 23 May-11 June 1917 at Fort Ethan Allen, Vermont. Converted and redesignated 1 November 1917 as the 77th Field Artillery and assigned 19 November 1917 to the 4th Division.
During World War I, the 77th Field Artillery served in five major combat campaigns; Aisne-Marne, St Mihiel, Meuse-Argonne, Champaigne and Lorraine. After occupation duty the 77th FA Regiment returned to the United States in 1919 and inactivated 21 September 1921 at Camp Lewis, Washington.
Relieved 24 March 1923 from assignment to the 4th Division and assigned to the 7th Division.
Relieved 1 January 1930 from assignment to the 7th Division and assigned to the 4th Division. 1st Battalion activated 1 January 1935 at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. Regiment activated (less 1st Battalion) 1 November 1935 at Fort D. A. Russell, Texas. Relieved 16 October 1939 from assignment to the 4th Division.
On 27 January 1942, the 77th Field Artillery was assigned assigned to the 18th Field Artillery Brigade, VII Corps. During World War II the 77th Field Artillery and its associated battalions participated eight major combat campaigns beginning in the amphibious assault on Licata, Sicily 9 July 1943. The 77th FA regiment saw combat on the Italian mainland, participated in the Normandy invasion of Southern France, fought in the Rhineland, Ardennes-Alsace and Central European campaigns. After occupation duty in Europe the 77th FA regiment returned home in 1945.
Regiment broken up 24 February 1944 and its elements reorganized and redesignated as follows: Headquarters and Headquarters Battery as Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 77th Field Artillery Group; 1st and 2d Battalions as the 634th and 631st Field Artillery Battalions, respectively.
After 24 February 1944 the above units underwent changes as follows:
- Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 77th Field Artillery Group, inactivated 25 September 1945 in Italy. Activated 27 August 1951 at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. Inactivated 25 September 1956 at Fort Sill, Oklahoma.
- 634th Field Artillery Battalion redesignated 15 May 1945 as the 77th Field Artillery Battalion and inactivated 4 January 1946 at Camp Kilmer, New Jersey.
- Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 77th Field Artillery Battalion, redesignated 1 August 1946 as the 77th Field Artillery Battery and activated at Fort Winfield Scott, California (organic elements of the 77th Field Artillery Battalion concurrently disbanded). 77th Field Artillery Battery inactivated 25 November 1946 at Fort Winfield Scott, California and redesignated 19 March 1948 as the 77th Armored Field Artillery Battery. Redesignated 1 February 1949 as the 77th Field Artillery Battery and activated in Austria. Inactivated 31 July 1955 in Austria. Redesignated 20 December 1956 as Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 634th Field Artillery Rocket Battalion (organic elements of former 77th Field Artillery Battalion concurrently reconstituted as elements of the 634th Field Artillery Rocket Battalion). Battalion activated 1 January 1957 at Fort Hood, Texas and inactivated 26 June 1958 at Fort Hood, Texas.
- 631st Field Artillery Battalion inactivated 8 September 1945 in Italy. Redesignated 4 November 1946 as the 85th Field Artillery Battalion and assigned 1 July 1948 to the 10th Infantry Division and activated at Fort Riley, Kansas. Inactivated 1 July 1957 in Germany and relieved from assignment to the 10th Infantry Division.
- Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 77th Field Artillery Group; 634th Field Artillery Rocket Battalion; and the 85th Field Artillery Battalion consolidated 27 June 1958 to form the 77th Artillery, a parent regiment under the Combat Arms Regimental System.
In May of 1959 the 77th Artillery Regiment rejoined the 4th Infantry Division at Fort Lewis Washington and deployed to Vietnam in October of 1966. During the Vietnam conflict the battalions of the 77th FA regiment served with the 4th Infantry Division, 25th Infantry Division and 1st Cavalry Division and participated in eleven Vietnam campaigns. During the regiments five years of combat service in Vietnam the Artillerymen of the 77th FA regiment were recognized for valiant service in the battle of Suoi Tre where 2-77 FA received a Presidential Unit Citation and the regiment was awarded three Crosses of Gallantry from the Republic of Vietnam. The Artillerymen of the 77th FA regiment returned to stateside duty after five years of combat in 1971.
Redesignated 1 September 1971 as the 77th Field Artillery
Relieved 17 June 1986 from assignment to the 4th Infantry Division and activated in Germany where the battalion’s from the 77th FA regiment spent the majority of their service during the Cold War to include participation in Operation Desert Storm in 1991.
Withdrawn 17 August 1986 from the Combat Arms Regimental System and reorganized under the United States Army Regimental System
In 2004 as part of the Army’s transformation to a modular fighting force, the 2-77the FA battalion was reactivated on December 16, 2004 to provide fires for the newly established 4th Brigade Combat Team of the 4th Infantry Division at Ft. Hood, TX. 1-77th FA Remained in Germany until deactivated in 2014.
After the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States, battalions from the 77th FA regiment deployed for multiple combat tours beginning in Iraq in 2004 until 2012 where the Regiment earned two additional campaign streamers.
Redesignated 1 October 2005 as the 77th Field Artillery Regiment.
Beginning in 2009, battalion’s from the 77th FA regiment deployed for the first combat tour in Afghanistan with the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division. 2-77 FA has continued to deploy with the 4th Infantry Division every two years since 2009, and currently the battalion has over 200 Soldiers down range serving for a fifth tour. To date the battalions of the 77th FA Regiment have earned two campaign streamers in Afghanistan and have been recognized for four Meritorious Unit Citations for actions in combat.
For over 100 years Artillerymen have served with honor and distinction under the Regimental colors of the 77th Field Artillery, contributing to the success of the United States Army in the major wars and conflicts of the 20th and 21st centuries. Today Soldiers of the 77th Field Artillery Regiment carry a proud lineage forward, maintaining combat readiness, expertise in field artillery operations and fire support to deliver lethal and effective Fires to enable success on the front lines of our Nation’s conflicts.
EN GARDE! KING OF BATTLE!
CAMPAIGN PARTICIPATION CREDIT
World War I
Vietnam
*Aisne-Marne
*Defense
*St Mihiel
*Counteroffensive
*Meuse-Argonne
*Counteroffensive, Phase II
*Champaigne 1918
*Counteroffensive, Phase III
*Lorraine 1918
*Tet
Counteroffensive
*Counteroffensive, Phase IV
World War II
*Counteroffensive, Phase V
*Sicily (with
arrowhead)
*Counteroffensive, Phase VI
*Naples-Foggia
*Tet
69/Counteroffensive
*Anzio
*Summer-Fall 1969
*Rome-Arno
*Winter-Spring
1970
*Southern France
(with arrowhead)
*Sanctuary
Counteroffensive
North
Apinnies
*Counteroffensive, Phase VII
*Rhineland
*Ardennes-Alsace
War on Terrorism
*Central Europe
Afghanistan:
Po
Valley
*Consolidation II
*Consolidation III
Iraq:
*Iraqi Governance
*National Resolution
UNIT DECORATIONS
77th Field Artillery Battalion, Korean War
1st Battalion, 77th Field Artillery Regiment
2nd Battalion, 77th Field Artillery Rregiment
3rd Battalion, 77th Field Artillery Rregiment
4th Battalion, 77th Field Artillery Rregiment
5th Battalion, 77th Field Artillery Rregiment
6th Battalion, 77th Field Artillery Rregiment
March 15, 2019