The 83rd Field Artillery Regiment is a

regiment A regiment is a military unit. Its role and size varies markedly, depending on the country, service and/or a specialisation. In Medieval Europe, the term "regiment" denoted any large body of front-line soldiers, recruited or conscripted ...

of the Field Artillery Branch of the

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land warfare, land military branch, service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight Uniformed services of the United States, U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army o ...

. The 1st Battalion, 83rd Artillery was formed in 1966 at

Fort Sill Fort Sill is a United States Army post north of Lawton, Oklahoma, about 85 miles (136.8 km) southwest of Oklahoma City. It covers almost . The fort was first built during the Indian Wars. It is designated as a National Historic Landma ...

, Oklahoma. The

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 ...

departed for

Vietnam Vietnam or Viet Nam ( vi, Việt Nam, ), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,., group="n" is a country in Southeast Asia, at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of and population of 96 million, making it ...

in October 1966 and remained there until 1971 when the unit was stood down. In Vietnam, the 83rd was originally at Bear Cat, Nui Dat and Xuân Lộc but later moved to many other locations in Vietnam. The battalion was associated with XXIV Corps and the 54th and

108th Artillery Group 1 (one, unit, unity) is a number representing a single or the only entity. 1 is also a numerical digit and represents a single unit of counting or measurement. For example, a line segment of ''unit length'' is a line segment of length ...

s while in Vietnam. From 1966-1969 A Battery, 1st Battalion, 83rd Field Artillery was located at the 1st Australian Task Force base at Nui Dat, Phước Tuy Province and supported Australian and New Zealand operations in the region.

Lineage

Constituted 1 July 1916 in the Regular Army as the 25th Cavalry. Organized 5 June 1917 at

Fort D.A. Russell (Wyoming) Fort D. A. Russell, also known as Fort Francis E. Warren, Francis E. Warren Air Force Base and Fort David A. Russell, was a post and base of operations for the United States Army, and later the Air Force, located in Cheyenne, Wyoming. The fort ha ...

. Converted and redesignated 1 November 1917 as the 83rd Field Artillery. Assigned 17 December 1917 to the

8th Infantry Division (United States) The 8th Infantry Division, ("Pathfinder") was an infantry division of the United States Army during the 20th century. The division served in World War I, World War II, and Operation Desert Storm. Initially activated in January 1918, the unit di ...

. * Relieved 5 September 1919 from assignment to the 8th Division. Inactivated (less 1st Battalion) 7 January 1922 at

Camp Benning Fort Benning is a United States Army post near Columbus, Georgia, adjacent to the Alabama–Georgia border. Fort Benning supports more than 120,000 active-duty military, family members, reserve component soldiers, retirees and civilian employees ...

, Georgia. * Disbanded (less 1st Battalion) 28 February 1927 (1st Battalion concurrently reorganized and redesignated as the 83rd Field Artillery Battalion). Regiment (less 1st Battalion) * reconstituted 17 March 1930 in the Regular Army and assigned to the 8th Division (83rd Field Artillery Battalion concurrently reorganized and redesignated as the 1st Battalion, 83rd Field Artillery). * Relieved 1 October 1933 from assignment to the 8th Division and assigned to the

4th Infantry Division (United States) The 4th Infantry Division is a Division (military), division of the United States Army based at Fort Carson, Colorado. It is composed of a division headquarters battalion, three brigade combat teams (two Stryker and one armor), a combat avia ...

(2d Battalion concurrently activated at

Fort Bragg Fort Bragg is a military installation of the United States Army in North Carolina, and is one of the largest military installations in the world by population, with around 54,000 military personnel. The military reservation is located within C ...

, North Carolina). * Relieved 16 October 1939 from assignment to the 4th Division. * Assigned 1 June 1940 to the 4th Division and activated (less 1st and 2d Battalions) at Fort Benning, Georgia. * Relieved 20 July 1940 from assignment to the 4th Division and assigned to the 8th Division. Reorganized and redesignated 9 January 1941 as the 83rd Field Artillery Battalion. Relieved 1 June 1941 from assignment to the 8th Division. * Reorganized and redesignated 21 October 1942 as the 83rd Armored Field Artillery Battalion. Assigned 6 July 1945 to the

9th Armored Division (United States) The 9th Armored Division (the "Phantom Division") was an armored division of the United States Army during World War II. In honor of their World War II service, the 9th was officially nicknamed the "Phantom Division." The 9th Armored Divi ...

. Inactivated 7 October 1945 at

Camp Patrick Henry Camp may refer to: Outdoor accommodation and recreation * Campsite or campground, a recreational outdoor sleeping and eating site * a temporary settlement for nomads * Camp, a term used in New England, Northern Ontario and New Brunswick to descri ...

, Virginia. * Redesignated 1 August 1946 as the 83rd Field Artillery Battalion; concurrently, relieved from assignment to the 9th Armored Division and activated at Fort Benning, Georgia. * Inactivated 23 November 1948 at Fort Benning, Georgia. * Activated 11 February 1950 at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. * Inactivated 1 June 1958 at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. * Reorganized and redesignated 1 July 1959 as the 83rd Artillery, a parent regiment under the

Combat Arms Regimental System The Combat Arms Regimental System (CARS), was the method of assigning unit designations to units of some of the combat arms branches of the United States Army, including Infantry, Special Forces, Field Artillery, and Armor, from 1957 to 1981. ...

. Redesignated 1 September 1971 as the 83rd Field Artillery. In Vietnam the regiment's campaigns included Counteroffensive, Phase II; Counteroffensive, Phase III; Tet Counteroffensive; Counteroffensive, Phase IV; Counteroffensive, Phase V; Counteroffensive, Phase VI; Tet 69/Counteroffensive Summer–Fall 1969; Winter–Spring 1970; Sanctuary Counteroffensive; Counteroffensive, Phase VII.

Distinctive unit insignia

* Description A gold color metal and enamel device 1 5/32 inches (2.94 cm) in height overall consisting of the shield and motto of the coat of arms. * Symbolism The shield is yellow for Cavalry and red for Artillery. The blue chevronel denotes the Regiment's short period of service overseas during World War I. The Cheyenne warbonnet refers to the birthplace of the organization in Wyoming. The bear, from the crest of the state of California, commemorates service in the 8th Division at Camp Fremont, California. The canton represents the Regiment's formation by transfer of men from the 1st Cavalry (formerly 1st Dragoons) in 1917. * Background The distinctive unit insignia was originally approved for the 83d Field Artillery Regiment on 15 November 1923. It was redesignated for the 83d Field Artillery Battalion on 5 October 1942. It was redesignated for the 83d Armored Field Artillery Battalion on 13 May 1943. The insignia was redesignated for the 83d Field Artillery Battalion on 30 June 1950. It was again redesignated for the 83d Artillery Regiment on 21 November 1958. Effective 1 September 1971, the insignia was redesignated for the 83d Field Artillery Regiment. It was amended to reflect the change in symbolism on 10 January 1973. The insignia was amended to correct the symbolism on 12 October 1984.

Coat of arms

Blazon

* Shield Party per chevron Or and Gules, a chevronel Azure between in sinister chief a Cheyenne warbonnet and in base a grizzly bear passant both Proper. On a canton Tenné a dragon passant of the first. * Crest On a wreath of the colors, Or and Gules, a bison statant Argent. Motto FLAGRANTE BELLO (During Hostilities). * Symbolism * Shield The shield is yellow for Cavalry and red for Artillery. The blue chevronel denotes the Regiment's short period of service overseas during World War I. The Cheyenne warbonnet refers to the birthplace of the organization in Wyoming. The bear, from the crest of the state of California, commemorates service in the 8th Division at Camp Fremont, California. The canton represents the Regiment's formation by transfer of men from the 1st Cavalry (formerly 1st Dragoons) in 1917. * Crest The crest also symbolizes the birthplace of the organization. * Background The coat of arms was originally approved for the 83d Field Artillery Regiment on 18 March 1920. It was redesignated for the 83d Field Artillery Battalion on 5 October 1942. It was redesignated for the 83d Armored Field Artillery Battalion on 13 May 1943. The insignia was redesignated for the 83d Field Artillery Battalion on 30 June 1950. It was again redesignated for the 83d Artillery Regiment on 21 November 1958. Effective 1 September 1971, the insignia was redesignated for the 83d Field Artillery Regiment. It was amended to reflect the change in symbolism on 10 January 1973. The coat of arms was amended to correct the symbolism on 12 October 1984.

References

* https://web.archive.org/web/20110722213622/http://www.tioh.hqda.pentagon.mil/Heraldry/ArmyDUISSICOA/ArmyHeraldryUnit.aspx?u=3460

External links

http://www.1stbn83rdartyvietnam.com/Unit_History/83rd_Unit_History.htm {{Artillery Regiments (United States) Field artillery regiments of the United States Army, 083 Military units and formations established in 1917