The 141st Field Artillery Regiment (Washington Artillery) is a United States field artillery regiment.

History

The 141st Field Artillery is an historic American military unit that is currently part of the

Louisiana Army National Guard The Louisiana Army National Guard (French: Garde nationale de Louisiane) is a component of the Louisiana National Guard, and the state's reserve force within the United States Army. The Constitution of the United States specifically charges the ...

headquartered in New Orleans, Louisiana. It traces its lineage to a

militia A militia () is generally an army or some other fighting organization of non-professional soldiers, citizens of a country, or subjects of a state, who may perform military service during a time of need, as opposed to a professional force of r ...

artillery battery back to 1838, and its heritage includes substantial combat service in several major wars. It earned the

Presidential Unit Citation (US) The Presidential Unit Citation (PUC), originally called the Distinguished Unit Citation, is awarded to units of the uniformed services of the United States, and those of allied countries, for extraordinary heroism in action against an armed enem ...

for its service in World War II. The Washington Artillery was founded on 7 September 1838, as the Washington Artillery Company. It received its regimental flag in August 1846 after serving under

Zachary Taylor Zachary Taylor (November 24, 1784 – July 9, 1850) was an American military leader who served as the 12th president of the United States from 1849 until his death in 1850. Taylor was a career officer in the United States Army, rising to th ...

in the

Mexican–American War The Mexican–American War, also known in the United States as the Mexican War and in Mexico as the (''United States intervention in Mexico''), was an armed conflict between the United States and Mexico from 1846 to 1848. It followed the 1 ...

. 26 May 1861 the Unit was mustered into the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states ...

; four

companies A company, abbreviated as co., is a legal entity representing an association of people, whether natural, legal or a mixture of both, with a specific objective. Company members share a common purpose and unite to achieve specific, declared go ...

served in the

Army of Northern Virginia The Army of Northern Virginia was the primary military force of the Confederate States of America in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War. It was also the primary command structure of the Department of Northern Virginia. It was most oft ...

and a fifth was in the

Army of Tennessee The Army of Tennessee was the principal Confederate army operating between the Appalachian Mountains and the Mississippi River during the American Civil War. It was formed in late 1862 and fought until the end of the war in 1865, participating in ...

. Elements of the Washington Artillery participated in over sixty major actions. A few notable engagements include: Battle of Antietam,

Battle of Perryville The Battle of Perryville, also known as the Battle of Chaplin Hills, was fought on October 8, 1862, in the Chaplin Hills west of Perryville, Kentucky, as the culmination of the Confederate Heartland Offensive (Kentucky Campaign) during the ...

Battle of Gettysburg The Battle of Gettysburg () was fought July 1–3, 1863, in and around the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, by Union and Confederate forces during the American Civil War. In the battle, Union Major General George Meade's Army of the Po ...

, Battle of Shiloh,

Battle of Chickamauga The Battle of Chickamauga, fought on September 19–20, 1863, between U.S. and Confederate forces in the American Civil War, marked the end of a Union offensive, the Chickamauga Campaign, in southeastern Tennessee and northwestern Georgia. I ...

, Battle of Fredericksburg,

First Battle of Manassas The First Battle of Bull Run (the name used by Union forces), also known as the Battle of First Manassas

, and the

Battle of Cold Harbor The Battle of Cold Harbor was fought during the American Civil War near Mechanicsville, Virginia, from May 31 to June 12, 1864, with the most significant fighting occurring on June 3. It was one of the final battles of Union Lt. Gen. Ulysses ...

. After the Civil War, it was reorganized as an independent unit called the "Louisiana Volunteer Field Artillery" where it served the United States in the occupation of Cuba. It later was called into service to protect the Mexican border in 1916. A year later it received the designation 141st Artillery. In early 1941, the 141st Field Artillery was mobilized for World War II where it earned the Presidential Unit Citation; a duplicate unit was formed, the 935th Field Artillery Battalion, with both serving in Europe and North Africa. The anti-tank batteries of the battalion were separated in mid-1941, and formed the

773rd Tank Destroyer Battalion The 773rd Tank Destroyer Battalion was a tank destroyer battalion of the United States Army active during the Second World War. Early service The battalion was activated in July 1941, as the 73rd Provisional Anti-Tank Battalion, to take part i ...

. On 1 July 1959, the 141st and 935th Field Artillery Battalions were consolidated with Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 204th Antiaircraft Artillery Group, 527th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion, and the 219th Antiaircraft Artillery Detachment to form the 141st Artillery, a parent regiment under the Combat Arms Regimental System to consist of the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Howitzer Battalions, elements of the 39th Infantry Division, the 4th Automatic Weapons Battalion, and the 5th Detachment. The 141st Artillery was redesignated on 1 May 1972 as the 141st Field Artillery to consist of the 1st Battalion, an element of the 256th infantry Brigade. It was withdrawn 30 June 1986 from the Combat Arms Regimental System and reorganized under the United States Army Regimental System. In 2004 through 2005 and again in 2010, the 141st FA as part of the 256th Infantry Brigade mobilized to

Baghdad Baghdad (; ar, بَغْدَاد , ) is the capital of Iraq and the second-largest city in the Arab world after Cairo. It is located on the Tigris near the ruins of the ancient city of Babylon and the Sassanid Persian capital of Ctesiphon. I ...

, Iraq, in support of Operations Iraqi Freedom and New Dawn. On 29 August 2005, Hurricane Katrina struck the

Gulf Coast The Gulf Coast of the United States, also known as the Gulf South, is the coast, coastline along the Southern United States where they meet the Gulf of Mexico. The list of U.S. states and territories by coastline, coastal states that have a shor ...

of Louisiana and Mississippi while most members of the Washington Artillery were still serving their final weeks of deployment in Iraq. Following the return of the battalion to Louisiana, a detachment immediately mobilized to New Orleans to aid law enforcement with rescue efforts. With the help of the

Louisiana State Police The Louisiana State Police (French: Police d’Etat de Louisiane) is the state police agency of Louisiana, which has jurisdiction anywhere in the state, headquartered in Baton Rouge. It falls under the authority of the Louisiana Department of P ...

, those efforts transitioned into a support mission for the New Orleans Police Department.

Joint Task Force Gator Joint Task Force Gator was a Joint Task Force of the Louisiana National Guard mobilized to provide command and control for state military assets deployed in support of New Orleans Law Enforcement for rescue efforts after Hurricane Katrina. The Joi ...

was created to help combat the rise of looting and other crimes resulting from the loss of law enforcement officers in the New Orleans area. After three-and-a-half years of assisting local police and patrolling the city, the task force was released from duty on 28 February 2009.

Regimental colors and streamers

Regimental colors of the Washington Artillery Regimental Colors Washington Artillery

Presidential Unit Citation *

Meritorious Unit Commendation These are the Campaign streamers awarded to the Regiment:

Campaign Streamer Mexican American War No Inscription

''Streamer without inscription''

First Manassas The First Battle of Bull Run (the name used by Union forces), also known as the Battle of First Manassas

Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the second-longest river and chief river of the second-largest drainage system in North America, second only to the Hudson Bay drainage system. From its traditional source of Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota, it fl ...

Peninsula 1862 * Campaign Streamer CSA Shiloh

Shiloh 1862 * Campaign Streamer CSA Second Manassas

Second Manassas The Second Battle of Bull Run or Battle of Second Manassas was fought August 28–30, 1862, in Prince William County, Virginia, as part of the American Civil War. It was the culmination of the Northern Virginia Campaign waged by Confederat ...

Sharpsburg * Campaign Streamer CSA Fredericksburg

Fredericksburg * Campaign Streamer CSA Murfreesborough

Murfreesborough * Campaign Streamer CSA Chancellorsville

Chancellorsville * Campaign Streamer CSA Gettysburg

Gettysburg * Campaign Streamer CSA Chickamauga

Chickamauga Chickamauga may refer to: Entertainment * "Chickamauga", an 1889 short story by American author Ambrose Bierce * "Chickamauga", a 1937 short story by Thomas Wolfe * "Chickamauga", a song by Uncle Tupelo from their 1993 album ''Anodyne'' * ''Chic ...

Chattanooga * Campaign Streamer CSA Atlanta

Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...

Cold Harbor The Battle of Cold Harbor was fought during the American Civil War near Mechanicsville, Virginia, from May 31 to June 12, 1864, with the most significant fighting occurring on June 3. It was one of the final battles of Union Lt. Gen. Ulysses S ...

Petersburg * Campaign Streamer CSA Franklin

Franklin Franklin may refer to: People * Franklin (given name) * Franklin (surname) * Franklin (class), a member of a historical English social class Places Australia * Franklin, Tasmania, a township * Division of Franklin, federal electoral d ...

Nashville * Campaign Streamer CSA Appomattox

Appomattox World War I * Campaign Streamer WWI Victory

''Streamer without inscription'' World War II * Campaign Streamer Algeria-French Morocco with Arrowhead

Algeria-French Morocco * Campaign Streamer Anzio

Anzio *

Campaign Streamer Ardennes-Alsace 1944–1945

Ardennes-Alsace * Campaign Streamer Central Europe 1945

Central Europe 1945 * Campaign Streamer Naples-Foggia 1943–1944

Naples-Foggia * Campaign Streamer WWII Normandy 1944

Normandy Normandy (; french: link=no, Normandie ; nrf, Normaundie, Nouormandie ; from Old French , plural of ''Normant'', originally from the word for "northman" in several Scandinavian languages) is a geographical and cultural region in Northwestern ...

Campaign Streamer WWII North Apennines 1944–1945

North Apennines * Campaign Streamer WWII Northern France 1944

Northern France 1944 * Campaign Streamer WWII Po Valley 1945

Po Valley * Campaign Streamer WWII Rhineland 1944–1945

Rhineland * Campaign Streamer WWII Rome-Arno 1944

Rome-Arno * Campaign Streamer WWII Sicily with Arrowhead

Sicily *

Campaign Streamer WWII Southern France with Arrowhead

Southern France 1944 * Campaign Streamer WWII Tunisia 1942–1943

Tunisia Operation Iraqi Freedom * Campaign Streamer Iraqi governance 2004-2005

Iraqi Governance File-Washington Artillery Colours Unfurl

Washington Artillery Change of Command 2011

Current

The 141st Field Artillery currently consists of the 1st Battalion, 141st Field Artillery. It is assigned as the fires battalion for the 256th Infantry Brigade Combat Team of the

headquartered in the famed

Jackson Barracks Jackson Barracks is the headquarters of the Louisiana National Guard. It is located in the Lower 9th Ward of New Orleans, Louisiana. The base was established in 1834 and was originally known as New Orleans Barracks. On July 7, 1866, it was rena ...

Commanders

*CPT Elisha L. Tracy (Washington Artillery Company) *CPT Henry Forno (1st Company Native American Artillery) *CPT Isaac F. Stocton (Company "A" Washington Infantry) *CPT Joseph E. Ealer (Washington Artillery Company) *CPT R.O. Smith *LT Rinaldo Banister Sr. *CPT Augustus A. Soria *CPT H.I. Hunting *COL James B. Walton (Washington Artillery BN –

CSA CSA may refer to: Arts and media * Canadian Screen Awards, annual awards given by the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television * Commission on Superhuman Activities, a fictional American government agency in Marvel Comics * Crime Syndicate of Amer ...

) *COL Benjamin F. Eshleman *COL John B. Walton (Post-

Reconstruction Reconstruction may refer to: Politics, history, and sociology *Reconstruction (law), the transfer of a company's (or several companies') business to a new company *'' Perestroika'' (Russian for "reconstruction"), a late 20th century Soviet Unio ...

) *COL William M. Owen *COL John B. Richardson *MAJ William D. Gardiner *COL Thomas McCabe-Hyman *MAJ Allison Owen *CPT Luther E. Hall (141 Field Artillery) *MAJ Guy Molony *MAJ Raymond H. Fleming (2nd BN Field Artillery) *LTC Henry Curtis (141 Sep BN Field Artillery – Motorized) *LTC Edward P. Benezech Sr. (1st BN, 141 FA Regiment) *LTC Thurber G. Rickey (2nd BN, 141 FA Regiment) *LTC Bernard Rausch (141 FA – WWII) *LTC Duncan Gillis (141 FA – HQ and SVC Battery) *LTC Numa P. Avendano (935th and 2nd BN 141 FA) *LTC Ragnvald B. Rordam (141 Artillery BN) *LTC Louis O. D'Amico (935th and 2nd BN 141 FA) *LTC Armand J. Duplantier Jr. (1st and 2nd BN 141 FA), descendant of

Armand Duplantier Armand Gabriel Allard du Plantier (1753 – 9 Oct 1827) was a French cavalry officer who served in the American Revolutionary War as an '' aide-de-camp'' to General Lafayette. Early life Armand was born in Voiron, France, the son of Joseph Antoine ...

(1753-1827), aide-de-camp to General Lafayette *LTC Pierre J. Bouis (1st and 3rd BN 141 FA) *LTC William B. Cox (4th BN 141 FA) *LTC Cecil A Haskins (4th BN 141 FA) *LTC Edward P. Benezech Jr. (2nd BN 141 FA) *LTC Vincent Beninate (4th BN 141 FA) *LTC Douglas Ruello (2nd BN 141 FA) *LTC Thomas P. Breslin (1st BN 141 FA – 105mm Towed) *LTC Emile J. St. Pierre *LTC Charles A. Bourgeois Jr. *LTC Richard J. Gregory *MAJ Silton J. Constance ( 155mm SP) *LTC Harry M Bonnet *LTC Russel A Mayeur Sr. *LTC Urban B. Martinez Jr. *LTC Rene' C. Jacques *LTC Urban B. Martinez Jr. *LTC Ronald A. Waller *LTC Glenn M. Appe *LTC Ivan M. Jones Jr. *LTC Thomas W. Acosta Jr. *LTC John R. Hennigan Jr. *MAJ Russell L. Hooper ( 155mm "Paladin") *LTC Jonathan T. Ball *LTC Jordan T. Jones *LTC Brian P. Champagne ( 105mmT Infantry UA) *LTC Steven M. Finney *LTC Kenneth T. Baillie *MAJ Jarod W. Martin *LTC Joseph M. Barnett *LTC Christopher S. McElrath *LTC Christian T. Cannon (current commander) Command Sergeants Major *CSM Remy Poirrier *CSM Ernest Simoneaux *CSM Frank Appel *CSM Adam Robatham *CSM Jules ST. Germain *CSM Gerald Leonick *CSM Melvin Laurent *CSM William Schmidt *CSM Robert Smith *CSM Patrick Tyrell *CSM Henry Wellmeyer *CSM Harold Butler *CSM Robert Stiefvater *CSM Clifford Ockman *CSM Darrel Graf *CSM Edward Daigle *CSM Jimmy Vicellio *CSM Matthew Drees *CSM Jimmy Hankins *CSM James Booth

References

External links

Louisiana National Guard 1/141 Official Home Page (No Longer Updated)1/141st Field Artillery (Washington Artillery) Unofficial Home PageWashington Artillery of New OrleansWashington Artillery Veterans Association141st FA Distinctive Unit Insignia @ The Institute of HeraldryWashington Artillery Early Uniforms (Unofficial)

Washington Artillery Service Record / HistoryArchived
2009-10-19
"The Washington Artillery, 5th Company, at the Battle of Perryville"
– Article by Civil War historian/author Bryan S. Bush {{Artillery Regiments (United States)

141 141 may refer to: * 141 (number), an integer * AD 141, a year of the Julian calendar * 141 BC __NOTOC__ Year 141 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Caepio and Pompeius (or ...

Military units and formations in Louisiana Military units and formations established in 1838 United States Army regiments of World War I