The 56th Artillery Command is a two-star command of the
United States Army
The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...
that serves as the Force Field Artillery Headquarters for U.S. Army Europe and Africa, with a mission to synchronize, integrate, and control fires and effects in support of the theater land component. The unit was originally formed on September 14, 1942 as the 56th Coast Artillery Brigade and has been reorganized and redesignated several times until its inactivation on June 30, 1991 following the reunification of Germany and the end of the Cold War.
United States Army Europe and Africa
United States Army Europe and Africa (USAREUR-AF) is an Army Service Component Command (ASCC) /Theater Army responsible for directing United States Army operations throughout the U.S. European Command (EUCOM) and U.S. Africa Command (AFRICO ...
conducted the reactivation ceremony for the 56th Artillery Command on November 8, 2021 at Lucius D. Clay Kaserne,
Wiesbaden
Wiesbaden () is a city in central western Germany and the capital of the state of Hesse. , it had 290,955 inhabitants, plus approximately 21,000 United States citizens (mostly associated with the United States Army). The Wiesbaden urban area ...
, Germany.
[John Gordon IV, John Matsumura, RAND corporatio]
(2021) Army Theater Fires Command: Integration and Control of Very Long-Range Army Fires
RR-A809-1 The 56th Artillery Command's headquarters in located in
Mainz-Kastel
Mainz-Kastel is a district of the city Wiesbaden, which is the capital of the German state Hesse in western Germany.
Kastel is the historical bridgehead of Mainz, the capital of the German state Rhineland-Palatinate and is located on the right si ...
and is commanded by Major General
Stephen J. Maranian.
History
56th Coast Artillery Brigade
The 56th Coast Artillery Brigade was organized in the
Army of the United States
The Army of the United States is one of the four major service components of the United States Army (the others being the Regular Army, the United States Army Reserve and the Army National Guard of the United States), but it has been inactive si ...
on September 14, 1942 and over six months later, it was activated at
Camp Stewart
Fort Stewart is a United States Army post in the U.S. state of Georgia. It lies primarily in Liberty and Bryan counties, but also extends into smaller portions of Evans, Long and Tattnall counties. The population was 11,205 at the 2000 census. Th ...
,
Georgia
Georgia most commonly refers to:
* Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia
* Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States
Georgia may also refer to:
Places
Historical states and entities
* Related to the ...
on April 10, 1943. The unit was reorganized and redesignated as the 56th Antiaircraft Artillery Brigade on May 28, 1943 and deployed to the European Theater for operations in World War II. The 56th deployed from England to Belgium and played a crucial role in the defense of the Allies’ most important port, Antwerp Harbor, from October 1944 to March 1945. The 56th defended the port from V-1 and V-2 rockets, conducting 24 hour operations during a 175 day bombardment. For the Defense of Antwerp Harbor, the Headquarters Battery earned two Belgian Army Order of the Day citations and the Belgian Fourragère.
[For further details, see U.S. Army, "Antiaircraft Journal," Vol 88.] During World War Two, the 56th earned campaign participation credits for the Northern France, the Rhineland, and the Central Europe campaigns before participating in the occupation of Germany. Headquarters & Headquarters Battery is entitled to permanently display the Belgian Fourragère from the spearhead of its
guidon.
The 56th was inactivated December 3, 1945 at Camp Shanks, New York.
56th Antiaircraft Artillery Brigade
On February 10, 1951 the 56th Antiaircraft Artillery (AAA) Brigade was reactivated at
Camp Edwards
Camp Edwards is a United States military training installation which is located in western Cape Cod in Barnstable County, Massachusetts. Originally the Massachusetts Military Reservation (which was another name for it until 2013) acquired in Se ...
, Massachusetts and assigned to the
United States First Army
First Army is the oldest and longest-established field army of the United States Army. It served as a theater army, having seen service in both World War I and World War II, and supplied the US army with soldiers and equipment during the Korea ...
. On November 5, 1951 The 56th AAA Brigade transferred from Camp Edwards to
Fort Devens
Fort Devens is a United States Army Reserve military installation in the towns of Ayer and Shirley, in Middlesex County and Harvard in Worcester County in the U.S. state of Massachusetts. Due to extensive environmental contamination it was li ...
, Massachusetts and was assigned to the
Eastern Army Antiaircraft Command
Eastern may refer to:
Transportation
*China Eastern Airlines, a current Chinese airline based in Shanghai
*Eastern Air, former name of Zambia Skyways
*Eastern Air Lines, a defunct American airline that operated from 1926 to 1991
*Eastern Air Li ...
. They were then transferred to
Fort Totten, New York on 24 January 1953. The unit transferred back to Fort Devens on 15 July 1956. They were redesignated as the 56th Air Defense Artillery Brigade on 20 March 1958.
The 56th Artillery Brigade was inactivated on December 24, 1964 in Coventry, Rhode Island.
56th Artillery Group/Brigade
In April 18, 1963, the 56th Artillery Group was activated in
Schwäbisch Gmünd
Schwäbisch Gmünd (, until 1934: Gmünd; Swabian: ''Gmẽẽd'' or ''Gmend'') is a city in the eastern part of the German state of Baden-Württemberg. With a population of around 60,000, the city is the second largest in the Ostalb district a ...
, West Germany commanded by Col. Douglas C. France, Jr. The group prepared for the deployment of the new weapons system, the
Pershing 1
The MGM-31A Pershing was the missile used in the Pershing 1 and Pershing 1a field artillery missile systems. It was a solid-fueled two-stage theater ballistic missile designed and built by Martin Marietta to replace the PGM-11 Redstone missile as ...
nuclear missile. Headquarters & Headquarters Battery (HHB) was initially stationed at Hardt Kaserne (formerly Adolf Hitler Kaserne) and moved to Bismarck Kaserne in November 1968.
In 1965, the 56th Artillery Group assumed the critical role of a
Quick Reaction Alert
Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) is state of readiness and '' modus operandi'' of air defence maintained at all hours of the day by NATO air forces. The United States usually refers to Quick Reaction Alert as 'Airspace Control Alert'.
Some non-NATO c ...
(QRA) force and was required to maintain an element of each unit at the highest level of combat readiness. These elements were designated to react within seconds of verified orders, and the entire command was to be fully operational within 2 hours of any alert activation. The increased requirements of the QRA mission necessitated some modifications to upgrade the Pershing missile system and caused the Army to increase the number of launchers at each battalion from four to 36.
The 56th Artillery Group was redesignated as the 56th Artillery Brigade on August 17, 1970. The brigade was authorized an increased level in command positions in the firing units. Platoon leaders were captains, battery commanders were majors, battalion commanders were lieutenant colonels and the brigade commander was a colonel.
With the split of the Artillery Branch into Field Artillery and Air Defense Artillery, the brigade was redesignated as the 56th Field Artillery Brigade on March 15, 1972.
56th Field Artillery Brigade
The newly designated brigade was to command
1st Battalion, 41st Field Artillery Regiment
The 41st Field Artillery Regiment is a field artillery regiment of the United States Army.
History
*Prior to World War II
The 1st Battalion, 41st Field Artillery was constituted 26 August 1918 in the Regular Army as the 41st Artillery (Coast Ar ...
,
1st Battalion, 81st Field Artillery Regiment, and
3rd Battalion, 84th Field Artillery Regiment
The 84th Field Artillery Regiment is a field artillery regiment of the United States Army.
History
Pershing
3rd Battalion, 84th Field Artillery Regiment
The 3rd Missile Battalion, 84th Artillery Regiment was formed at Fort Sill in 1963 and d ...
as Pershing firing battalions. Also subordinate to the brigade was
2nd Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment, tasked to provide defensive support to the firing units according to their security needs. A host of additional units provided support from medical to logistical, ensuring the brigade's ability to operate.
![Heilbronn Waldheide 20050904](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d3/Heilbronn_Waldheide_20050904.jpg)
In November 1983, with the Soviets fully invested in the
SS-20
The RSD-10 ''Pioneer'' (russian: ракета средней дальности (РСД) «Пионер» tr.: ''raketa sredney dalnosti (RSD) "Pioner"''; en, Medium-Range Missile "Pioneer") was an intermediate-range ballistic missile with a ...
, and on the verge of bankruptcy, the Americans began fielding the Pershing II. By 1985 all three firing battalions were completely operational with
Pershing II
The Pershing II Weapon System was a solid-fuel rocket, solid-fueled multistage rocket, two-stage medium-range ballistic missile designed and built by Martin Marietta to replace the Pershing 1a Field Artillery Missile System as the United States ...
and the Soviet Union faced a threat they were financially unwilling to counter.
On January 11, 1985 three soldiers, SSG John Leach, SGT Todd A. Zephier, and PFC Darryl L. Shirley of Battery C, 3rd Battalion, 84th Field Artillery were killed in an explosion at Camp Redleg,
Heilbronn
Heilbronn () is a List of cities and towns in Germany, city in northern Baden-Württemberg, Germany, surrounded by Heilbronn (district), Heilbronn District. With over 126,000 residents, it is the sixth-largest city in the state.
From the late Mid ...
. The explosion occurred while removing a missile stage from the storage container during an assembly operation. An investigation revealed that the
Kevlar
Kevlar (para-aramid) is a strong, heat-resistant synthetic fiber, related to other aramids such as Nomex and Technora. Developed by Stephanie Kwolek at DuPont in 1965, the high-strength material was first used commercially in the early 1970s a ...
rocket bottle had accumulated a
triboelectric charge in the cold dry weather; as the engine was removed from the container the electrical charge began to flow and created a hot spot that ignited the propellant.
A moratorium on missile movement was enacted through late 1986 when new grounding and handling procedures were put into place.
56th Field Artillery Command
In January 1986, there was a major reorganization; the 56th Field Artillery Brigade was redesignated the 56th Field Artillery Command and authorized a
major general
Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...
as its commander. 1st Battalion, 81st Field Artillery inactivated and reformed as 1st Battalion,
9th Field Artillery in Neu-Ulm. 1st Battalion, 41st Field Artillery inactivated and reformed as 2nd Battalion, 9th Field Artillery in Schwäbisch-Gmünd. 3rd Battalion, 84th Field Artillery inactivated and reformed as 4th Battalion, 9th Field Artillery in Heilbronn. Along with 3rd Battalion, 9th Field Artillery at Fort Sill, the four firing units were then under the 9th Field Artillery Regiment. Additionally, the 55th Maintenance Battalion redesignated as 55th Support Battalion, E Company, 55th Maintenance Battalion deactivated and reformed as the 193rd Aviation Company,
and the communications assets at each battery, were removed and consolidated into the 38th Signal Battalion.
Under the reorganization, the 56th Field Artillery Command would always report directly to the highest commander in Europe at the time. Therefore, during peacetime, they reported to the Commander in Chief of
United States Army Europe
United States Army Europe and Africa (USAREUR-AF) is an Army Service Component Command (ASCC) /Theater Army responsible for directing United States Army operations throughout the U.S. European Command (EUCOM) and U.S. Africa Command (AFRICO ...
(CINCUSAREUR), whereas, during heightened tension or war, command passed to
NATO
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO, ; french: Organisation du traité de l'Atlantique nord, ), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance between 30 member states – 28 European and two No ...
, with
Allied Air Forces Central Europe
Allied Air Forces Central Europe (AAFCE) was the NATO command tasked with air and air defense operations in NATOs Allied Forces Central Europe (AFCENT) area of command.
History
Allied Air Forces Central Europe was activated on 2 April 1951 at Fon ...
as their next higher headquarters.
Additionally, command levels for the field artillery batteries were increased by one grade over similar units.
Platoon
A platoon is a military unit typically composed of two or more squads, sections, or patrols. Platoon organization varies depending on the country and the branch, but a platoon can be composed of 50 people, although specific platoons may range ...
s were commanded by a
captain
Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...
, and
batteries
Battery most often refers to:
* Electric battery, a device that provides electrical power
* Battery (crime), a crime involving unlawful physical contact
Battery may also refer to:
Energy source
*Automotive battery, a device to provide power t ...
by a
major
Major (commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicators ...
.
Battalion
A battalion is a military unit, typically consisting of 300 to 1,200 soldiers commanded by a lieutenant colonel, and subdivided into a number of companies (usually each commanded by a major or a captain). In some countries, battalions are ...
s continued to follow a
lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colone ...
while the command itself was led by a
brigadier general
Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...
and later a
major general
Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...
. These actions were meant to mitigate the increased responsibilities inherent with the mission they bore.
The
Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty
The Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF Treaty, formally the Treaty Between the United States of America and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics on the Elimination of Their Intermediate-Range and Shorter-Range Missiles; / ДРСМ ...
was ratified on May 27, 1988.
The firing batteries began to draw down their equipment as the missile launchers were destroyed. The Pershing first- and second-stage motors, reentry vehicles, warhead and radar section airframes were returned to
Pueblo Depot Activity
Pueblo Depot Activity ''(PUDA)'', formerly known as the Pueblo Ordnance Depot and the Pueblo Army Depot, was a U.S. Army ammunition storage and supply facility. Responsibility for the depot fell upon the United States Army Ordnance Corps, and the f ...
for elimination. On June 30, 1991, the 56th FA was inactivated, and "discontinued" on September 30, 1991.
Commanders
* April 1963: Colonel Douglas Carter France, Jr.
* August 1965: Colonel Rex H. Hampton, Sr.
* 15 July 1967: Colonel Patrick William Powers
* November 1968: Colonel James Edward Convey, Jr.
* September 1970: Colonel Patrick William Powers; promoted to Brig. Gen.
* December 1972: Brigadier General Tom Judson Perkins; died 24 February 1973
* February 1973: Colonel Richard Donald Boyle; acting commander
* May 1973: Brigadier General Milton Eugene Key
* January 1975: Brigadier General Robert B. Hankins
* July 1978: Colonel Richard Donald Boyle; promoted to Brigadier General
* July 1980: Colonel Sidney Davis; promoted to Brigadier General 8 September 1980
* July 1982: Brigadier General William Earl Sweet
* 1984: Brigadier General Raymond E. Haddock; promoted to Major General 4 August 1987
* 1987: Brigadier General Roger K. Bean; promoted to Major General 24 August 1989
266th Chemical Detachment
The 266th Chemical Detachment was activated as part of the 56th Field Artillery Brigade on 13 September 1972. The detachment was attached to Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 56th Field Artillery Brigade and was garrisoned at Bismark Kaserne in Schwäbisch Gmünd.
55th Support Battalion
The 55th Maintenance Battalion activated as part of the 56th Field Artillery Brigade in 1982. The
579th Ordnance Company deactivated and reformed as Headquarters Company and D Company. The three service batteries in the field artillery battalions deactivated and reformed as forward service companies A, B and C under the 55th.
The aviation sections of each field artillery battalion reorganized as E Company.
38th Signal Battalion
When the 56th FAC reorganized on 17 January 1986, the communication's sections from each of the subordinate field artillery battalions were consolidated into the reactivated 38th Signal Battalion. The subordinate units of the 38th were:
* Headquarters and Headquarters Company (HHC) in
Schwäbisch Gmünd
Schwäbisch Gmünd (, until 1934: Gmünd; Swabian: ''Gmẽẽd'' or ''Gmend'') is a city in the eastern part of the German state of Baden-Württemberg. With a population of around 60,000, the city is the second largest in the Ostalb district a ...
* A Company supporting
2nd Battalion, 9th Field Artillery Regiment in
Schwäbisch Gmünd
Schwäbisch Gmünd (, until 1934: Gmünd; Swabian: ''Gmẽẽd'' or ''Gmend'') is a city in the eastern part of the German state of Baden-Württemberg. With a population of around 60,000, the city is the second largest in the Ostalb district a ...
* B Company supporting
1st Battalion, 9th Field Artillery Regiment
The 9th Field Artillery Regiment is a field artillery regiment of the United States Army first formed in 1916. The regiment served in Hawaii during World War I, 3rd, 4th, 7th, and 9th Divisions between the world wars, and with 3rd Infantry Divis ...
in
Neu-Ulm
Neu-Ulm ( Swabian: ''Nej-Ulm'') is the capital of the Neu-Ulm district and a town in Swabia, Bavaria. Neighbouring towns include Ulm, Senden, Pfaffenhofen an der Roth, Holzheim, Nersingen and Elchingen. The population is 58,978 (31 December 2019 ...
* C Company supporting
4th Battalion, 9th Field Artillery Regiment
The 9th Field Artillery Regiment is a field artillery regiment of the United States Army first formed in 1916. The regiment served in Hawaii during World War I, 3rd, 4th, 7th, and 9th Divisions between the world wars, and with 3rd Infantry Divis ...
in
Heilbronn
Heilbronn () is a List of cities and towns in Germany, city in northern Baden-Württemberg, Germany, surrounded by Heilbronn (district), Heilbronn District. With over 126,000 residents, it is the sixth-largest city in the state.
From the late Mid ...
* D Company in
Schwäbisch Gmünd
Schwäbisch Gmünd (, until 1934: Gmünd; Swabian: ''Gmẽẽd'' or ''Gmend'') is a city in the eastern part of the German state of Baden-Württemberg. With a population of around 60,000, the city is the second largest in the Ostalb district a ...
193rd Aviation Company
![Stephen_J](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/58/Stephen_J._Maranian_%283%29.jpg)
Under the January 1986 reorganization, E Company,
55th Maintenance Battalion
The 55th Support Battalion was a unit of the United States Army, which was last active from 9 July 1982 to 15 June 1991.
Heraldry
Distinctive unit insignia: When the 55th Maintenance Battalion was reactivated in 1982, a new distinctive unit insi ...
was deactivated and reformed as the 193rd Aviation Company at Cooke Barracks in
Göppingen
Göppingen ( Swabian: ''Geppenge'' or ''Gebbenga'') is a town in southern Germany, part of the Stuttgart Region of Baden-Württemberg. It is the capital of the district Göppingen. Göppingen is home to the toy company Märklin, and it is the b ...
. The unit operated thirteen
Bell UH-1 Iroquois
The Bell UH-1 Iroquois (nicknamed "Huey") is a utility military helicopter designed and produced by the American aerospace company Bell Helicopter. It is the first member of the prolific Huey family, as well as the first turbine-powered helic ...
helicopters. In June 1988, UH-1H airframe number 68-15387 of the 193rd struck a power line during low visibility conditions and crashed near Hittistetten,
Senden
The town of Senden is the second-largest town of the district of Neu-Ulm in Bavaria and is located at the border to Baden-Württemberg. The town belongs to the Donau-Iller-Nahverkehrsverbund. Senden's neighbours are Neu-Ulm in the north, Weißen ...
, West Germany, killing three soldiers.
Decorations
In 1968 the group created the
Pershing Professionals Badge
The Pershing Professionals Badge is a local individual award created by the 56th Artillery Group to recognize proficiency on the nuclear Pershing missile system. It was awarded from December 1968 through 1979.
Originally awarded only as bronze, ...
to recognize individual proficiency on the Pershing missile system. It was awarded through 1979.
The
Superior Unit Award
The Superior Unit Award is a decoration of the United States Army which is awarded in peacetime to any unit of the Army which displays outstanding meritorious performance of a difficult and challenging mission carried out under extraordinary circum ...
was presented to the 56th Field Artillery Command and its subordinate units for service during the Pershing II fielding, 1 November 1983 through 31 December 1986.
Twenty-first century
On August 12, 2021, U.S. Army Europe and Africa announced that the commnad would be reactivated in October 2021 as the 56th Artillery Command. The two-star Theater Fires Command is led by
MG Stephen J. Maranian and headquartered in
Mainz-Kastel
Mainz-Kastel is a district of the city Wiesbaden, which is the capital of the German state Hesse in western Germany.
Kastel is the historical bridgehead of Mainz, the capital of the German state Rhineland-Palatinate and is located on the right si ...
, near the Army's four-star headquarters in
Wiesbaden
Wiesbaden () is a city in central western Germany and the capital of the state of Hesse. , it had 290,955 inhabitants, plus approximately 21,000 United States citizens (mostly associated with the United States Army). The Wiesbaden urban area ...
.
[Andrew Eversde]
(4 Nov 2021) Army reactivates theater artillery command amid Russian build-up near Ukraine
European Theater Fires Command
Subordinate units
April 1963
* Headquarters and Headquarters Battery (HHB)
*
4th Battalion, 41st Field Artillery Regiment (4-41st FAR)
*
1st Battalion, 81st Field Artillery Regiment (1-81st FAR)
*
3rd Battalion, 84th Field Artillery Regiment
The 84th Field Artillery Regiment is a field artillery regiment of the United States Army.
History
Pershing
3rd Battalion, 84th Field Artillery Regiment
The 3rd Missile Battalion, 84th Artillery Regiment was formed at Fort Sill in 1963 and d ...
(3-84th FAR)
September 1970
* Headquarters and Headquarters Battery (HHB)
* 4th Battalion, 41st Field Artillery Regiment (4-41st FAR)
* 1st Battalion, 81st Field Artillery Regiment (1-81st FAR)
* 3rd Battalion, 84th Field Artillery Regiment (3-84th FAR)
*
2nd Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment
September 1972
* Headquarters and Headquarters Battery (HHB)
*
266th Chemical Detachment
*
1st Battalion, 41st Field Artillery Regiment
The 41st Field Artillery Regiment is a field artillery regiment of the United States Army.
History
*Prior to World War II
The 1st Battalion, 41st Field Artillery was constituted 26 August 1918 in the Regular Army as the 41st Artillery (Coast Ar ...
(1-41st FAR)
* 1st Battalion, 81st Field Artillery Regiment (1-81st FAR)
* 3rd Battalion, 84th Field Artillery Regiment (3-84th FAR)
* 2nd Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment
1982
* Headquarters and Headquarters Battery (HHB)
* 266th Chemical Detachment
* 1st Battalion, 41st Field Artillery Regiment (1-41st FAR)
* 1st Battalion, 81st Field Artillery Regiment (1-81st FAR)
* 3rd Battalion, 84th Field Artillery Regiment (3-84th FAR)
* 2nd Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment
*
55th Maintenance Battalion
The 55th Support Battalion was a unit of the United States Army, which was last active from 9 July 1982 to 15 June 1991.
Heraldry
Distinctive unit insignia: When the 55th Maintenance Battalion was reactivated in 1982, a new distinctive unit insi ...
January 1986 - May 1991
[
* Headquarters and Headquarters Battery (HHB)
* 266th Chemical Detachment
* ]1st Battalion, 9th Field Artillery Regiment
The 9th Field Artillery Regiment is a field artillery regiment of the United States Army first formed in 1916. The regiment served in Hawaii during World War I, 3rd, 4th, 7th, and 9th Divisions between the world wars, and with 3rd Infantry Divis ...
(1-9th FAR)
* 2nd Battalion, 9th Field Artillery Regiment (2-9th FAR)
* 4th Battalion, 9th Field Artillery Regiment
The 9th Field Artillery Regiment is a field artillery regiment of the United States Army first formed in 1916. The regiment served in Hawaii during World War I, 3rd, 4th, 7th, and 9th Divisions between the world wars, and with 3rd Infantry Divis ...
(4-9th FAR)
* 2nd Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment
* 55th Support Battalion
* 193rd Aviation Company
* 38th Signal Battalion
The 38th Signal Battalion is a unit of the United States Army. It was last active from 17 January 1986 to 15 June 1991.
Coat of arms
Shield: Tenné, three lightning flashes—two per saltire and one per pale argent—centered overall a sinister g ...
October 2021
* Headquarters and Headquarters Battery (HHB)
* 2nd Multi-Domain Task Force (MDTF)
In popular culture
* The character is wearing the inverted insignia of the 56th Field Artillery Command.
* The gatefold photo has four of the band members wearing the insignia of the 56th Field Artillery Command.
* A fictionalized of a Stasi
The Ministry for State Security, commonly known as the (),An abbreviation of . was the Intelligence agency, state security service of the East Germany from 1950 to 1990.
The Stasi's function was similar to the KGB, serving as a means of maint ...
agent who infiltrates the West German command during the fielding of Pershing II
The Pershing II Weapon System was a solid-fuel rocket, solid-fueled multistage rocket, two-stage medium-range ballistic missile designed and built by Martin Marietta to replace the Pershing 1a Field Artillery Missile System as the United States ...
in 1983. The commander of the 56th Field Artillery Command is Maj. Gen. Arnold Jackson, shown wearing the unit insignia. In real life this would have been Brig. Gen. William Earl Sweet.
Heraldry
Shoulder sleeve insignia
Description. On a disc shaped embroidered item edged with a 1/8 inch (.32 cm) White border, upon a torteau and between two lightning bolts chevronwise Or, a stylized missile ascending palewise Sable, emitting fire Gules, all edged Argent, and a demi-cloud in base of the last. The overall dimensions are 3 inches (7.62 cm) in diameter.
Symbolism: Scarlet and gold (yellow) are the colors used for Field Artillery; blue denotes the assigned infantry support. The destructive power and target capability of the missile are suggested by the red disc at center and the upright missile signifies the readiness of the unit. The lightning flashes refer to the ability of the missile team to act and strike quickly in event of need.[ ]
Background: The shoulder sleeve insignia was originally approved for the 56th Artillery Brigade on 9 June 1971. It was redesignated for the 56th Field Artillery Brigade on 7 April 1972. The insignia was redesignated effective 17 January 1986 for the 56th Field Artillery Command. It was redesignated for the 56th Artillery Command on 4 August 2021.
Previous insignia: From 1963 to 1970, the authorized shoulder sleeve insignia was the emblem of the Seventh United States Army
The Seventh Army was a United States army created during World War II that evolved into the United States Army Europe (USAREUR) during the 1950s and 1960s. It served in North Africa and Italy in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations and Fran ...
. From 1970 to 1971, the Pershing tab was worn with the Seventh Army insignia.
Distinctive unit insignia
The distinctive unit insignia
A distinctive unit insignia (DUI) is a metallic Heraldry, heraldic badge or device worn by soldiers in the United States Army. The DUI design is derived from the coat of arms authorized for a unit. DUIs may also be called "distinctive insignia" (D ...
(DUI) was authorized for wear only for Headquarters and Headquarters Battery (HHB).
2021-
Description: A gold metal device 1 3/16 inches (3.02 cm) in height overall, consisting of a trilobated cloud Gules throughout, bearing and upon two cannons in saltire, points to chief, a domed tower Argent with an archway Sable (as depicted on the coat of arms of the city of Antwerp, Belgium) surmounted on a field fesswise in base Vert. Overall in base, a semi-circular Gold scroll inscribed “QUICK RELIABLE ACCURATE” in Black letters.
Symbolism: Scarlet and yellow (gold) are the colors used for Field Artillery. The trilobated cloud symbolizes the Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 56th Field Artillery Brigade’s Northern France, Central Europe and Rhineland Campaigns during World War II. The crossed cannons with the Antwerp Tower allude to the Headquarters Battery’s two Belgian Army Order of the Day Citations, the Belgian Fourragere for action at Antwerp and the Defense of Antwerp Harbor. Red and green are the colors of the Belgian Fourragere. The “Pershing Missile” alludes to the unique mission of the unit as a participant in the Army’s first Nuclear Strike Force with missiles on constant alert (QRA).
Background: The distinctive unit insignia was originally approved for the 56th Field Artillery Brigade on 11 April 1972. It was redesignated effective 17 January 1986 for the 56th Field Artillery Command. It was redesignated for the 56th Artillery Command on 4 August 2021.
1972
Description: A gold color metal and enamel device in height overall consisting of a scarlet background with a trilobated cloud at the top bearing two black crossed cannons behind a white domed tower with black archway, (as depicted on the coat of arms of the city of Antwerp
Antwerp (; nl, Antwerpen ; french: Anvers ; es, Amberes) is the largest city in Belgium by area at and the capital of Antwerp Province in the Flemish Region. With a population of 520,504, , Belgium) on a green base, surmounted overall by a vertical gold Pershing missile; all above a semi-circular gold scroll inscribed "Quick Reliable Accurate" in black letters.
Symbolism: Scarlet and yellow (gold) are the colors used for Field Artillery
Field artillery is a category of mobile artillery used to support armies in the field. These weapons are specialized for mobility, tactical proficiency, short range, long range, and extremely long range target engagement.
Until the early 20t ...
. The trilobated cloud symbolizes the Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 56th Field Artillery Brigade's Northern France, Central Europe and Rhineland
The Rhineland (german: Rheinland; french: Rhénanie; nl, Rijnland; ksh, Rhingland; Latinised name: ''Rhenania'') is a loosely defined area of Western Germany along the Rhine, chiefly its middle section.
Term
Historically, the Rhinelands ...
Campaigns during World War II. The crossed cannons with the Antwerp Tower allude to the Headquarters Battery's two Belgian Army Order of the Day Citations, the 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 ...
for action at Antwerp and the Defense of Antwerp Harbor. Red and green are the colors of the Belgian Fourragere. The Pershing missile alludes to the unique mission of the unit as a participant in the Army's first nuclear strike force with missiles on constant alert (QRA).
Background: The distinctive unit insignia was originally approved for the 56th Field Artillery Brigade on 11 April 1972. It was redesignated effective 17 January 1986 for the 56th Field Artillery Command.[
Note: The older DUI was worn from 1967 to 1972.
]
1968
Description: A gold colored metal and enamel device in height overall, vesica on top and ovaloid in base consisting of a gold missile with billowing white exhaust behind and between two vertical gold cannon firing black bomb bursts on a red background. All arched by a gold nebuly and encircled in base by a gold scroll bearing the inscription "QUICK, RELIABLE, ACCURATE" in black letters.
Symbolism: Scarlet is the color used for Artillery. The cannon barrels symbolize the basic mission of the organization. The missile alludes to the "Pershing Missile" and to the unique mission of the unit as a participant in the Army's first Nuclear Strike Force with missiles on constant alert (QRA).
Background: The distinctive unit insignia was approved on 24 September 1968. It was rescinded on 14 February 1975.[
]
References
Bibliography
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{{Pershing missile
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Military units and formations disestablished in 1991
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Pershing missile
Military units and formations established in 1942
1942 establishments in the United States