The 258th Field Artillery Regiment or "Washington Greys" is a

field artillery Field artillery is a category of mobile artillery used to support army, armies in the field. These weapons are specialized for mobility, tactical proficiency, short range, long range, and extremely long range target engagement. Until the ear ...

unit of the

New York Army National Guard The New York Army National Guard is a component of the New York National Guard and the Army National Guard. Nationwide, the Army National Guard comprises approximately one half of the United States Army's available combat forces and approximate ...

that traces its lineage from 1789 to present. Circa 1957–1966 it consisted of four battalions.

History

Predecessors of the 258th Field Artillery Regiment fought in the

War of 1812 The War of 1812 was fought by the United States and its allies against the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, United Kingdom and its allies in North America. It began when the United States United States declaration of war on the Uni ...

, the

Spanish–American War The Spanish–American War (April 21 – August 13, 1898) was fought between Restoration (Spain), Spain and the United States in 1898. It began with the sinking of the USS Maine (1889), USS ''Maine'' in Havana Harbor in Cuba, and resulted in the ...

, the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

Korean War The Korean War (25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953) was an armed conflict on the Korean Peninsula fought between North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea; DPRK) and South Korea (Republic of Korea; ROK) and their allies. North Korea was s ...

, and the Global War on Terrorism. The 258th Field Artillery is one of only nineteen

Army National Guard units with campaign credit for the War of 1812 Twenty-four current units of the Army National Guard perpetuate the lineages of militia units mustered into federal service during the War of 1812. Militia units from nine states that were part of the Union by the end of the War of 1812 (Delaware, ...

Early history

The 258th Field Artillery Regiment can trace its origins to the formation of an artillery battery in 1784 under the command of Capt. Jacob Sebring. On April 30, 1789, Capt. Sebring's battery formed part of the escort for General

George Washington George Washington (, 1799) was a Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father and the first president of the United States, serving from 1789 to 1797. As commander of the Continental Army, Washington led Patriot (American Revoluti ...

's inauguration in New York City. Since that time the battery and its descendants have proudly claimed the title "Washington Grays" due to the gray coats of their uniform during that time. The regiment was formed on October 9, 1809, as the 4th Regiment, New York State Artillery, organized from existing batteries. It was redesignated on June 13, 1812, as the 3rd Regiment, New York State Artillery. The unit was brought into federal service for the

in 1812, and again in 1814. The regiment served with distinction during the

Fort Gansevoort Fort Gansevoort is a former United States Army fort in the New York City borough of Manhattan. It was also known as the White Fort due to its whitewashed exterior. History The fort was named for Peter Gansevoort, a Revolutionary War offi ...

and Fort Green defending the harbor of New York. In 1847, it was redesignated as the 8th New York Regiment,

New York State Militia The New York Guard (NYG) is the State Defense Force (SDF) of New York State, and is one of the four branches of the New York Military Forces (NYMF), the other three branches being the New York Army National Guard, New York Air National Guard ...

(NYSM). and throughout the first half of the 19th century was called for service in many civil disturbances including the Flour Riot, Abolition Riot
Stone Cutter's Riot
(1835), Stevedore Riot (1836)
Croton Water Riot
Great Fire (1845), Astor Place Riot (1849),

Police Riot A police riot is a riot carried out by the police; more specifically, it is a riot that police are responsible for instigating, escalating or sustaining as a violent confrontation. Police riots are often characterized by widespread police bruta ...

(1857), Dead Rabbit Riot (1857), Sepoy Riot 1858), and Quarantine Riot (1858).

American Civil War

The unit served three periods of federal service in the

. As the 8th NYSM, the unit was organized in April, 1861 for 90 days' service, leaving New York state for Washington, D.C., on the 20th and mustering in to federal service on the 26th. It served in the

defenses of Washington The Civil War Defenses of Washington were a group of Union Army fortifications that protected the federal capital city, Washington, D.C., from invasion by the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. Some of these fortifications ar ...

, DC until July. The unit was part of Porter's 1st Brigade, Hunter's 2nd Division, McDowell's Army of Northeast Virginia at the

First Battle of Bull Run The First Battle of Bull Run, called the Battle of First Manassas
. by Confederate States ...

on July 21, 1861.
The Manassas Campaign, Virginia, July 21, 1861 - Union order of battle
Official Records, Series I, Volume II, pages
314-315
'' The 8th returned to New York City, mustering out there on August 2, 1861. Following redesignation as the 8th Regiment,

New York National Guard New or NEW may refer to: Music * New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz * ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013 ** "New" (Paul McCartney song), 2013 * ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator, 1995 * "New" (Daya song), 2017 * "New" (No Doubt song), 19 ...

, the unit was mustered in again on May 29, 1862, for 90 days' service. It served in the defenses of Washington, D.C., as part of the garrison of that city, and was mustered out of service on September 9, 1862. It was called up for a third time in June, 1863, for 30 days' service in response to Robert E. Lee's invasion of Pennsylvania in June of that year. It served in

Harrisburg, Pennsylvania Harrisburg ( ; ) is the capital city of the U.S. commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the seat of Dauphin County. With a population of 50,099 as of 2020, Harrisburg is the ninth-most populous city in Pennsylvania. It is the larger of the two pr ...

, as part of the garrison of that city and 1st Brigade, 1st Division, Dept. of the Susquehanna, and was mustered out of service on July 23, 1863. During its service the regiment lost by death, killed in action, 64 enlisted men; of wounds received in action, 29 enlisted men; of disease and other causes, I officer, 39 enlisted men; total, 1 officer, 132 enlisted men; aggregate, 133; of whom 20 enlisted men died in the hands of the enemy. Colonel Felix Prince Salm received authority, May 11, 1863, to reorganize the 8th Regiment, of infantry, mustered out by reason of expiration of service, for a term of service of three years. This authority was revoked, October 14, 1863, and the men enlisted were assigned to the 178th New York Infantry. The 8th also had an artillery battery known as "Varian's 1st Troop Washington Grays". This battery mustered into federal service on April 19, 1861, and left New York for Annapolis, Maryland. On May 18 moved near a lighthouse at Smith's Point on Chesapeake Bay. Outpost duty in Northern Virginia through June 17. Attached to Keyes' Brigade, Tyler's Division, McDowell's Army of Northeast Virginia, to July. Mustered out July 20, 1861, the day before the First Battle of Bull Run. The unit's guns served in the battle with Blenkers' Brigade, Miles' Division as "Brookwood's New York Battery" under Captain Charles Brookwood, manned by detachments from the 8th Militia and 29th New York Volunteer Infantry. The battery was federalized again with the remainder of the regiment in June–July, 1863 as above. The 4th Independent Battery Light Artillery was recruited and organized in New York City as Company L, Artillery Company, Serrell's Engineers, and part of the 1st Troop, Washington Greys. It was mustered in the United States service for three years at Staten Island on October 24, 1861, and left the State the next day commanded by. Capt. James E. Smith. Later in October it received its arms, Parrott guns, and was designated Battery C, and a few weeks later, Battery D, N. Y. Light Artillery. December 7, 1861, it received its numerical designation from the State. It took part in the following engagements:

Siege of Yorktown The siege of Yorktown, also known as the Battle of Yorktown and the surrender at Yorktown, was the final battle of the American Revolutionary War. It was won decisively by the Continental Army, led by George Washington, with support from the Ma ...

Williamsburg Williamsburg may refer to: Places *Colonial Williamsburg, a living-history museum and private foundation in Virginia *Williamsburg, Brooklyn, neighborhood in New York City *Williamsburg, former name of Kernville (former town), California *Williams ...

, Fair Oaks, Seven Days, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Auburn, Bristoe Station and the

Mine Run campaign The Battle of Mine Run, also known as Payne's Farm, or New Hope Church, or the Mine Run campaign (November 27 – December 2, 1863), was conducted in Orange County, Virginia, in the American Civil War. An unsuccessful attempt of the Union ...

. It was discontinued on Dec. 4, 1863, commanded by 1st Lieut. William T. McLean and its members were transferred to the 1st N. Y. engineers, the 5th and 15th N. Y. batteries, and Battery B, ist N. Y. artillery. The 4th lost during service 5 men killed and mortally wounded, and 1 officer and 11 men died of disease and other causes. The Battery distinguished itself at

Battle of Gettysburg The Battle of Gettysburg () was a three-day battle in the American Civil War, which was fought between the Union and Confederate armies between July 1 and July 3, 1863, in and around Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The battle, won by the Union, ...

, where it materially aided in seizing and retaining

Little Round Top Little Round Top is the smaller of two rocky hills south of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania—the companion to the adjacent, taller hill named Big Round Top. It was the site of an unsuccessful assault by Confederate troops against the Union left ...

from

John Bell Hood John Bell Hood (June 1 or June 29, 1831 – August 30, 1879) was a Confederate general during the American Civil War. Hood's impetuosity led to high losses among his troops as he moved up in rank. Bruce Catton wrote that "the decision to replace ...

Division. At the time of the assault by Hood’s Division of the

Confederate Army The Confederate States Army (CSA), also called the Confederate army or the Southern army, was the military land force of the Confederate States of America (commonly referred to as the Confederacy) during the American Civil War (1861–1865), fi ...

, this battery, supported by the 4th Maine Infantry Regiment, formed the extreme left of the Third Corps line. Three guns of the two sections in action on this crest were captured by the Confederates. The third section was in position to the right and continued the action until nearly 6 p.m., its loss during this battle being 2 killed, 10 wounded, and 1 missing. In August 1861, the detachments of the 8th NYSM and 29th NY Vols. that had served the 1st Troop's guns were reorganized as the 2nd New York Independent Battery, Light Artillery (Blenker's Battery). The unit served in Washington, D.C., until April 1862, operating in the Shenandoah Valley to August 1862, fighting in the

Battle of Cross Keys The Battle of Cross Keys was fought on June 8, 1862, in Rockingham County, Virginia, as part of Confederate Army Maj. Gen. Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson's campaign through the Shenandoah Valley during the American Civil War. Together, the batt ...

and

Second Battle of Bull Run 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 Confederate ...

. In early May 1863, the unit was in the

Battle of Chancellorsville The Battle of Chancellorsville, April 30 – May 6, 1863, was a major battle of the American Civil War (1861–1865), and the principal engagement of the Chancellorsville campaign. Confederate General Robert E. Lee's risky decision to divide h ...

. After transferring three-year men to Battery I, 1st New York Light Artillery, the unit mustered out on June 13, 1863. On May 13, 1847, a detachment was constituted in the New York State Militia as the 14th Regiment. It was Mustered into Federal service May 23, 1861 in Washington, D.C. and Redesignated 7 December 1861 as the

84th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment The 14th Regiment New York State Militia (also called the 14th Brooklyn Chasseurs and officially known during the American Civil War as 84th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment) was a volunteer militia regiment from the City of Brooklyn, New ...

. During its service the regiment lost by death, killed in action, 5 officers, 83 enlisted men; of wounds received in action, 3 officers, 61 enlisted men; of disease and other causes, 74 enlisted men; total, 8 officers, 218 enlisted men; aggregate, 226; of whom 17 enlisted men died in the hands of the enemy. It was Mustered out of Federal service June 6, 1864 in New York City. It was Reorganized in the New York National Guard as the 14th Infantry Regiment. Mustered into Federal service 13–16 May 1898 at Hempstead as the 14th New York Volunteer Infantry; mustered out of Federal service 27 October 1898 in Brooklyn, NY. In the second half of the 19th century, the 8th Regiment was called out for several strikes and riots such as the Orange Riot (1871), the

Great Railroad Strike The Great Railroad Strike of 1877, sometimes referred to as the Great Upheaval, began on July 14 in Martinsburg, West Virginia, after the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (B&O) cut wages for the third time in a year. The Great Railroad Strike of 187 ...

(1877), th
Brooklyn Trolley Strike
(1895) and New York City Draft Riots (1863).

Spanish–American War through 1913

The 8th briefly returned to federal service in 1898 during the Spanish–American War as the 8th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment, mustering in by May 19 and mustering out on November 3. It did not deploy outside the United States. In 1906 the 8th Infantry Regiment was reorganized and redesignated as the 8th Infantry Battalion. It was reorganized and redesignated 21 January 1908 as the 8th Infantry Regiment. It was then converted and redesignated 23 January 1908 as the 8th Artillery District, Coast Artillery Corps.

World War I

The 8th Artillery District was reorganized and redesignated 10 August 1914 as the 8th Coast Defense Command,

Coast Artillery Corps The U.S. Army Coast Artillery Corps (CAC) was an Corps#Administrative corps, administrative corps responsible for coastal defence and fortification, coastal, harbor, and anti-aircraft Seacoast defense in the United States, defense of the United ...

. In 1917 the unit relocated from Manhattan to the new

Kingsbridge Armory The Kingsbridge Armory, also known as the Eighth Regiment Armory, is a decommissioned armory at Jerome Avenue and West Kingsbridge Road in the Kingsbridge Heights neighborhood of the Bronx in New York City. It was built in the 1910s, from a desi ...

the Bronx The Bronx ( ) is the northernmost of the five Boroughs of New York City, boroughs of New York City, coextensive with Bronx County, in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. It shares a land border with Westchester County, New York, West ...

. Mustered into Federal service 22 July 1917 at New York; drafted into Federal service 5 August 1917. Companies of the 8th Coast Defense Command were reorganized and redesignated 22 January–1 February 1918 as elements of the 58th Artillery (Coast Artillery Corps), the

Coast Defenses of Southern New York The Harbor Defenses of New York was a United States Army Coast Artillery Corps harbor defense command. It coordinated the coast defenses of New York City from 1895 to 1950, beginning with the Endicott program, some of which were located in New J ...

, and the

Coast Defenses of Eastern New York The Harbor Defenses of New York was a United States Army Coast Artillery Corps Harbor Defense Command, harbor defense command. It coordinated the coastal defence and fortification, coast defenses of New York City from 1895 to 1950, beginning with ...

. Men were drawn from the Headquarters and Supply Companies of the 58th Artillery's Coast Defenses of Eastern New York and the Third Battalion of the Coast Defenses of Baltimore. On April 6, 1918, Battery F formed the guard of honor for President Wilson in Baltimore, and he commended it for its performance. The regiment trained for war in Fort Totten and Fort Schuyler, New York. Throughout May its battalions departed from Hoboke for

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

. Its total number assembled in Brest reached 66 officers and 1,811 men by May 31. They then departed for training alongside the French army at

Ambazac Ambazac (; ) is a commune in the Haute-Vienne department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region in western France. Population Personalities * Maurice Boitel, painter artist, he painted in Ambazac between 1947 et 1996 * Raymond Desèze, barrister an ...

. On June 2, the 58th Artillery was assigned to the 32nd Artillery Brigade, and equipped with breech-loaded Vickers Mk 6. 8-inch howitzers. They were mounted on two types of “caterpillars,” engines of agricultural origin that generated up to 75 or 120 horsepower. On October 20, the regiment departed for the front and its three battalions were divided. The First and Second Battalions established camp at Montjoie near Manonville during the

St. Mihiel Offensive The Battle of Saint-Mihiel was a major World War I battle fought from 12 to 15 September 1918, involving the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) and 110,000 French troops under the command of General John J. Pershing of the United States agains ...

. Meanwhile, the Third Battalion moved to the Adrian barracks near Jezainville. After establishing camps, the battalions began scouting ideal locations to set up their batteries, and then the work of camouflaging, setting up telephone wires, and digging in. The First Battalion set up its guns in the valley of Foret des Vencheres, firing its first shot on October 31, and its last of the war only four minutes before the signing of the armistice on November 11. On the night of November 8, the battalion’s batteries were scouted and strafed by German airplanes. The sortee was followed by severe and accurate shelling with explosives and gas. One shell scored a direct hit on Battery A’s powder dump. The shelling killed one man, the regiment’s only man to die in action during the war. The Second Battalion was also assigned to Foret des Vencheres. Its targets on the German side of no-man’s-land were Onville, Waville, Vandelainville, and Pagny-sur-Moselle. A few days prior to the armistice, the Second Battalion advanced to Sainte Marie Farm just northeast of Vilcey. For the caliber of the unit’s guns, the position was very close to the German lines and the troops who set up the position suffered twenty casualties, wounded, from shelling and gas. The battalion was intended to assist an advance on the Metz front that never took place because the armistice was signed on November 11. The Third Battalion was assigned to positions at Meurthe-et-Moselle and directed its fire on German positions near Vittonville. New York elements of the 58th Artillery (Coast Artillery Corps) demobilized 7 May 1919 at Camp Upton, New York; elements of the Coast Defenses of Southern New York in December 1918 at

Fort Wadsworth Fort Wadsworth is a former United States military installation on Staten Island in New York City, situated on The Narrows which divide New York Bay into Upper and Lower bays, a natural point for defense of the Upper Bay, Manhattan, and beyon ...

, New York; and elements of the Coast Defenses of Eastern New York in December 1918 at Fort Totten, New York.

Interwar period

The former 8th Coast Defense Command was consolidated with the 8th Coast Defense Command, New York Guard, and reorganized in the New York National Guard as the 193rd Field Artillery with headquarters federally recognized 11 May 1921 at Bronx. It was redesignated as the 258th Field Artillery ( 155 mm gun) on 28 November 1921 and assigned to II Corps.

World War II

On 3 February 1941 the regiment was inducted into federal service and moved to

Fort Ethan Allen Fort Ethan Allen was a United States Army installation in Vermont, named for American Revolutionary War figure Ethan Allen. Established as a cavalry post in 1894 and closed in 1944, today it is the center of a designated national historic distr ...

, Vermont; assigned to 71st Field Artillery Brigade,

VI Corps 6 Corps, 6th Corps, Sixth Corps, or VI Corps may refer to: France * VI Cavalry Corps (Grande Armée), a cavalry formation of the Imperial French army during the Napoleonic Wars * VI Corps (Grande Armée), a formation of the Imperial French army dur ...

. Moved to

Madison Barracks File:Madison Barracks.jpg File:Madison Barracks02.jpg File:Madison Barracks Stone Tower.jpg File:Madison Barracks Stone Tower 02.jpg Madison Barracks was a military installation established in 1813 or 1815 at Sackets Harbor that was built for oc ...

, NY on 2 June 1941; moved to

Pine Camp Fort Drum is a U.S. Army military reservation and a census-designated place (CDP) in Jefferson County, near the western border of northern New York, United States. The population of the CDP portion of the base was 12,955 at the 2010 census. I ...

, NY on 18 May 1942. On 8 February 1943 the regiment was broken up (triangularized) in accordance with an Army-wide reorganization. It became the 258th Field Artillery Group (former Headquarters & Headquarters Battery), 258th Field Artillery Battalion (former 1st Battalion) and the 991st Field Artillery Battalion (former 2nd Battalion). All were deployed to Europe. The 258th Field Artillery Group departed the

New York port of embarkation The New York Port of Embarkation (NYPOE) was a United States Army command responsible for the movement of troops and supplies from the United States to overseas commands. The command had facilities in New York and New Jersey, roughly covering th ...

on 22 January 1944, arrived in England on 28 January 1944 and moved to Normandy, France on 8 July 1944. Moved into Holland on 16 September 1944 and Germany 19 November 1944. The unit was at Alsfeld, Germany in August 1945. Campaign credit includes the Normandy, Northern France, Rhineland, and Central Europe campaigns. Returned to

Boston Port of Embarkation The Boston Port of Embarkation (BPOE) was a United States Army command responsible for the movement of troops and supplies from the United States to overseas commands. In World War I it was a sub-port of the New York Port of Embarkation. During ...

24 September 1945 and inactivated the next day. The 258th Field Artillery Battalion was a self-propelled unit equipped with twelve 155 mm

M12 gun motor carriage The 155 mm gun motor carriage M12 was a U.S. self-propelled gun developed during World War II. It mounted a 155 mm gun derived from the French Canon de 155 mm GPF field gun. Development The idea for the M12 was first proposed in 1941 and t ...

s. It departed the New York port of embarkation on 22 January 1944, arrived in England on 28 January 1944 and moved to France on 2 July 1944. Campaign credit includes the Normandy, Northern France, Rhineland, and Central Europe campaigns. In August 1945 the unit was at Lehrbach, Germany. Returned to Boston port of embarkation 18 December 1945 and inactivated the next day. The 991st Field Artillery Battalion departed the New York port of embarkation on 22 January 1944, arrived in England on 28 January 1944 and moved to France on 11 July 1944. It was attached to the 3rd Armored Division or

VII Corps 7th Corps, Seventh Corps, or VII Corps may refer to: * VII Corps (Grande Armée), a corps of the Imperial French army during the Napoleonic Wars * VII Corps (German Empire), a unit of the Imperial German Army prior to and during World War I * VII ...

for most of the war, as a self-propelled unit equipped with twelve 155 mm M12 gun motor carriages. Batteries were detached to support divisions in combat as necessary. The 991st FA landed on Omaha Beach, Normandy on July 11, 1944 where it was bombed and strafed by German airplanes within hours of landing. Battery B of the 991st was credited with firing the first shells into German soil and Battery C was given credit for its role in the capture of Aachen. The 991st was also the first American unit to use captured 155 mm enemy shells. The Germans were using captured French

Canon de 155 mm GPF The Canon de 155 Grande Puissance Filloux (GPF) modèle 1917 was a WWI-era French-designed 155 mm gun used by the French Army and the United States Army during the first half of the 20th century in towed and self-propelled mountings. His ...

guns ( German designation 15.5 cm K 418(f)), similar to the GPF-derived

155 mm gun M1918 The Canon de 155 Grande Puissance Filloux (GPF) modèle 1917 was a WWI-era French-designed 155 mm gun used by the French Army and the United States Army during the first half of the 20th century in towed and self-propelled mountings. His ...

on the

the 991st was armed with. The 991st also deployed a single pilot M40 gun motor carriage with the 155 mm "Long Tom" gun.Hunnicutt – ''Sherman: A History of the American Medium Tank'', p 353-355, 570. Campaign credit includes the Normandy, Northern France, Ardennes-Alsace (Battle of the Bulge), Rhineland, and Central Europe campaigns. The unit was in Allstedt, Germany in August 1945. Returned to Boston Port of Embarkation 15 November 1945 and inactivated the next day.

After World War II

In 1957 the battalion of the 258th FA at

had all four batteries equipped with 105 mm towed artillery pieces. In 1959 all the units were switched to

155 mm The 155 mm calibre is widely used for artillery guns. Land warfare Historic calibres France - 1874 The caliber originated in France after the Franco-Prussian War, Franco-Prussian War (1870–1871). A French artillery committee met on 2 ...

towed. At some time prior to 1962, the unit again changed to 8-inch howitzer towed. Additionally, in 1962 one battery was upgraded to the Honest John Rocket. 1st Battalion (155mm towed), 2nd Bn (105mm towed), 3rd Bn (105mm towed), and the 4th Rocket/Howitzer Battalion armed with 8" Howitzer and Honest John Rocket were all located in the Kingsbridge Armory, Bronx, NY. They were part of the 42nd Infantry Division Artillery (DIVARTY). The 3rd Battalion was deactivated first; then in 1967 the 2nd Battalion, followed in 1973 by the 4th Battalion. In 2001, During the

September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks, also known as 9/11, were four coordinated Islamist terrorist suicide attacks by al-Qaeda against the United States in 2001. Nineteen terrorists hijacked four commercial airliners, crashing the first two into ...

, members of the 258 FA were among the first to arrive at the scene of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and for the next several weeks actively assisted in the security and relief efforts at the site. In 2004, B Battery (temporarily redesignated Company G 89th Military Police Brigade) commanded by CPT Seth Morgulas (now Colonel and commander of the 369th Sustainment Brigade) and C Battery commanded by CPT Andrew Espinoza deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom II/III. B Battery was awarded the Meritorious Unit Citation for its service. In 2008, the 1st Battalion, 258th Field Artillery was composed of three batteries and a support company. Battery A was located in New Windsor, New York. Battery B in

Bronx The Bronx ( ) is the northernmost of the five Boroughs of New York City, boroughs of New York City, coextensive with Bronx County, in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. It shares a land border with Westchester County, New York, West ...

, New York. Headquarters and Headquarters Battery was in

Jamaica Jamaica is an island country in the Caribbean Sea and the West Indies. At , it is the third-largest island—after Cuba and Hispaniola—of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean. Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, west of Hispaniola (the is ...

, New York and Company G, 427th BSB in Jamaica, NY. The battalion was equipped with the M119 105 mm towed howitzer. It was planned that the battalion would re-equip with the M777 155 mm towed howitzer in 2019, at

Fort Sill Fort Sill is a United States Army post north of Lawton, Oklahoma, about 85 miles (137 km) southwest of Oklahoma City. It covers almost . The fort was first built during the Indian Wars. It is designated as a National Historic Landmark a ...

, OK. Since 2001 the battalion has sent soldiers to both

Operation Enduring Freedom Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) was the official name used by the U.S. government for both the first stage (2001–2014) of the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021) and the larger-scale Global War on Terrorism. On 7 October 2001, in response ...

and

Operation Iraqi Freedom The Iraq War (), also referred to as the Second Gulf War, was a prolonged conflict in Iraq lasting from 2003 to 2011. It began with the invasion by a United States-led coalition, which resulted in the overthrow of the Ba'athist governm ...

. It is part of the

27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team The 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team ("Empire") is an Brigade Combat Team (United States)#Infantry brigade combat team, infantry brigade combat team of the New York Army National Guard, one of the brigades that make up the 42nd Infantry Divisi ...

, part of the 42nd Infantry Division.

Campaign participation credit

: Streamer without inscription *

First Battle of Bull Run The First Battle of Bull Run, called the Battle of First Manassas
. by Confederate States ...

Battle of Antietam The Battle of Antietam ( ), also called the Battle of Sharpsburg, particularly in the Southern United States, took place during the American Civil War on September 17, 1862, between Confederate General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virgi ...

Battle of Fredericksburg The Battle of Fredericksburg was fought December 11–15, 1862, in and around Fredericksburg, Virginia, in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War. The combat between the Union Army, Union Army of the Potomac commanded by Major general ( ...

Battle of the Wilderness The Battle of the Wilderness was fought on May 5–7, 1864, during the American Civil War. It was the first battle of Lieutenant general (United States), Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant's 1864 Virginia Overland Campaign against General (C ...

Battle of Spotsylvania Court House The Battle of Spotsylvania Court House, sometimes more simply referred to as the Battle of Spotsylvania (or the 19th-century spelling Spottsylvania), was the second major battle in Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant and Maj. Gen. George G. Meade's 18 ...

, Virginia 1861, Virginia 1862, Virginia 1863 *

Second Battle of the Somme The Second Battle of the Somme of 1918 was fought during the First World War on the Western Front from late August to early September, in the basin of the River Somme. It was part of a series of successful counter-offensives in response to th ...

, Ypres-Lys, Meuse-Argonne, Flanders 1918, Lorraine 1918 *

: Central Pacific, Bismarck Archipelago, Eastern Mandates,

Battle of Leyte The Battle of Leyte (; ; ) in the Pacific campaign of World War II was the amphibious invasion of the island of Leyte in the Philippines by American forces and Filipino guerrillas under the overall command of General Douglas MacArthur, who fou ...

Battle of Luzon The Battle of Luzon (; ; ) was a land battle of the Pacific Theater of Operations of World War II by the Allied forces of the U.S., its colony the Philippines, Mexico, and allies against forces of the Empire of Japan. The battle resulted in a U ...

, Western Pacific, Southern Philippines (with arrowhead), Ryukyus,

Tunisia Campaign The Tunisian campaign (also known as the battle of Tunisia) was a series of battles that took place in Tunisia during the North African campaign of the Second World War, between Axis and Allied forces from 17 November 1942 to 13 May 1943. The ...

,Naples-Foggia, Rome-Arno,

Normandy Normandy (; or ) is a geographical and cultural region in northwestern Europe, roughly coextensive with the historical Duchy of Normandy. Normandy comprises Normandy (administrative region), mainland Normandy (a part of France) and insular N ...

(with arrowhead), Northern France, Rhineland,Ardennes-Alsace, Central Europe *

: First UN Counter Offensive, CCF Spring Offensive, UN Summer-Fall Offensive, Second Korean Winter, Korea, Summer-Fall 1952, Third Korean Winter, Korea, Summer 1953 * War on Terrorism:

Headquarters Battery (Jamaica), 1st Battalion, additionally entitled to: *

: Champagne-Marne, Aisne-Marne, St. Mihiel, Champagne 1918 *

: North Apennines, Po Valley

Unit decorations

Navy Unit Commendation The Navy Unit Commendation (NUC) is a United States Navy and United States Coast Guard unit award that was established by order of the Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal on 18 December 1944. History Navy A navy, naval force, military m ...

, Streamer embroidered ENIWETOK ATOLL *

Philippine Presidential Unit Citation The Philippine Presidential Unit citation BadgeThe AFP Adjutant General, ''Awards and Decorations Handbook'', 1997, OTAG, p. 65. is a unit decoration of the Republic of the Philippines. It has been awarded to certain units of the United States ...

, Streamer embroidered 17 OCTOBER 1944 TO 4 JULY 1945 Headquarters Battery (Jamaica) and Battery B (Bronx), 1st Battalion, each additionally entitled to: *

Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation The Presidential Unit Citation () is a military unit award of the government of Republic of Korea that may be presented to South Korean and foreign military units for outstanding performance in defense of the Republic of Korea. In recognition of a ...

, Streamer embroidered KOREA 1951-1952 Battery B (Bronx), 1st Battalion, additionally entitled to: *

Meritorious Unit Commendation The Meritorious Unit Commendation (MUC; pronounced ''muck'') is a mid-level unit award of the United States Armed Forces. The U.S. Army awards units the Army MUC for exceptionally meritorious conduct in performance of outstanding achievement or ...

(Army), Streamer embroidered IRAQ 2004-2005 *

Belgian Fourragere Belgian may refer to: * Something of, or related to, Belgium * Belgians, people from Belgium or of Belgian descent * Languages of Belgium, languages spoken in Belgium, such as Dutch, French, and German *Ancient Belgian language, an extinct language ...

1940: Cited in the Order of the Day of the Belgian Army for action in Belgium Cited in the Order of the Day of the Belgian Army for action in the Ardennes

Distinctive unit insignia

* Description A Gold color metal and enamel device 1 3/16 inches (3.02 cm) in height overall consisting of a shield blazoned: Gules, two bars Gray fimbriated Or in chief three mullets of the second (Gray) fimbriated of the third (Or). Attached below the shield a Gold scroll inscribed “PARATUS ET FIDELIS” in Red letters. * Symbolism The shield is the shield of George Washington modified by reversing the colors and using gray piped with gold, instead of silver, and giving a red shield for Artillery. The arms of the Father of our Country are not to be borne by any organization and the shield of the regiment is accordingly modified. The reason for this selection is that it is a tradition that one company of this regiment paraded as an escort to General Washington on the occasion of his inauguration as President on 30 April 1789, and in commemoration of that event, assumed the name of “Washington Greys” which it has borne to this date. It was then an Artillery organization and wore a gray uniform. * Background The distinctive unit insignia was originally approved for the 258th Field Artillery Regiment on 19 January 1925. It was redesignated for the 258th Field Artillery Battalion on 12 March 1954. It was redesignated for the 258th Artillery Regiment on 22 March 1962. The insignia was amended to add a motto on 18 October 1968. It was redesignated for the 258th Field Artillery Regiment on 31 July 1972.

Coat of arms

*Blazon ** Shield: Gules, two bars Gray fimbriated Or in chief three mullets of the second (Gray) fimbriated of the third (Or). ** Crest: That for the regiments and separate battalions of the New York Army National Guard: On a wreath of the colors Or and Gules, the full-rigged ship “Half Moon” all Proper. **Motto PARATUS ET FIDELIS (Ready And Faithful). * Symbolism ** Shield: The shield is the shield of George Washington modified by reversing the colors and using gray piped with gold, instead of silver, and giving a red shield for Artillery. The arms of the Father of our Country are not to be borne by any organization and the shield of the regiment is accordingly modified. The reason for this selection is that it is a tradition that one company of this regiment paraded as an escort to General Washington on the occasion of his inauguration as President on 30 April 1789, and in commemoration of that event, assumed the name of “Washington Greys” which it has borne to this date. It was then an Artillery organization and wore a gray uniform. ** Crest: The crest is that of the New York Army National Guard. *Background: The coat of arms was originally approved for the 258th Field Artillery Regiment on 19 January 1925. It was redesignated for the 258th Field Artillery Battalion on 12 March 1954. It was redesignated for the 258th Artillery Regiment on 22 March 1962. The insignia was redesignated for the 258th Field Artillery Regiment on 31 July 1972.

References

Bibliography

*
258th Field Artillery Regiment at The Institute of Heraldry
*

External links

258th Field Artillery Association
* - 258th Field Artillery, Army Lineage Series {{Artillery Regiments (United States) Military units and formations in New York (state) Field artillery regiments of the United States Army Field artillery regiments of the United States Army National Guard Military units and formations established in 1809