142nd Field Artillery Regiment

142nd Field Artillery Regiment
The Institute of Heraldry, Department of the Army · Public domain · source
Unit name	142nd Field Artillery Regiment
Dates	1917–present
Country	United States
Allegiance	National Guard
Branch	Army
Type	Field artillery
Role	Fire support
Size	Regiment
Garrison	Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Motto	"So it is"
Battles	World War I, World War II, Operation Iraqi Freedom, Global War on Terrorism
Identification symbol label	Distinctive unit insignia

142nd Field Artillery Regiment is a regiment of the National Guard with origins in the early 20th century and service across multiple major conflicts, including World War I, World War II, and operations in the Iraq War. The regiment has been aligned with state and federal forces such as the Oklahoma National Guard, the National Guard Bureau, and the United States Army Reserve, and has provided indirect fire support in domestic and expeditionary missions alongside units like the 101st Airborne Division, the 45th Infantry Division (United States), and the Field Artillery Branch (United States).

History

The unit traces roots to pre-World War I militia formations in Oklahoma Territory, reorganized during the National Defense Act of 1916 and federalized for World War I mobilization at camps including Camp Doniphan and Camp Shelby alongside formations such as the 36th Infantry Division (United States), the 35th Infantry Division (United States), and the 42nd Division (United States). Between wars the regiment served under the Oklahoma National Guard and underwent federal activations during World War II and the Korean War mobilizations, training at locations like Fort Sill, Fort Bliss, and Camp Shelby with elements attached to formations such as the 45th Infantry Division (United States) and the 3rd Infantry Division (United States). Cold War reorganizations followed guidance from the Pentomic reorganization, the Combat Arms Regimental System, and the United States Army Regimental System while the regiment supported civil operations for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, state governors, and the Oklahoma Office of Homeland Security during domestic emergencies.

Lineage and Honors

Lineage of the regiment reflects consolidations, redesignations, and federal service in wartime, aligning with documentation standards from the United States Army Center of Military History and honors such as campaign credits for St. Mihiel, Meuse-Argonne, Sicily Campaign, Normandy Campaign, and later credits for Iraq War campaigns including the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Decorations and citations have been awarded by institutions like the Department of the Army, the Secretary of the Army, and theater commands including United States Central Command, with unit citations tied to service alongside formations such as the 1st Cavalry Division and coalition partners represented by the Multinational Force Iraq.

Organizational Structure

The regiment has comprised battalions such as 1st Battalion, 142nd Field Artillery, and subordinate batteries organized under brigade combat teams like the 45th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (United States) and attached to higher commands such as the National Guard Bureau, the United States Army Forces Command, and the III Corps. Structure over time mirrored doctrinal shifts including transitions between battery, battalion, and regiment levels under systems like the Combat Arms Regimental System and the Brigade Combat Team model, with liaison and support relationships to units such as the 109th Field Artillery Brigade, the Missouri National Guard, and the Texas Army National Guard.

Equipment and Armament

Historically the regiment employed tube artillery such as the 75 mm field gun, the 105 mm howitzer, and the 155 mm howitzer systems used by formations like the U.S. Army Field Artillery Branch, later transitioning to modern systems including the M109 Paladin, the M198 howitzer, and variants of the M777 howitzer in line with Army equipment modernization programs. Support vehicles and fire-control systems have included the M992 FAASV, the AN/TPQ-36 Firefinder radar, the Advanced Field Artillery Tactical Data System (AFATDS), and logistical platforms like the Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck (HEMTT) to integrate with commands such as Army Fires Command.

Deployments and Operations

Elements of the regiment mobilized for World War I operations in the Western Front (World War I), deployed during World War II in theaters including the European theatre of World War II and the Italian Campaign, and activated for Operation Iraqi Freedom where batteries supported counterinsurgency, convoy support, and base defense missions under commands like Multi-National Division Center and Coalition forces. The regiment has also supported homeland operations, providing disaster response after events such as Hurricane Katrina, operations with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and state missions directed by the Governor of Oklahoma.

Notable Personnel

Personnel associated with the regiment have included senior leaders and decorated artillery officers who later served in positions within the Field Artillery Branch (United States), the Oklahoma National Guard, and joint commands such as United States Central Command and United States Army Forces Command, receiving individual awards issued by the Department of Defense, the Secretary of Defense, and foreign decorations through coalition activities with partners like the British Army and Australian Army.

Insignia and Traditions

Distinctive unit insignia and coat of arms were approved in accordance with heraldic practices of the Institute of Heraldry (United States), with symbols referencing state heritage such as the Great Seal of Oklahoma, artillery motifs like the crossed cannons, and mottoes reflecting lineage traditions preserved by the United States Army Institute of Heraldry. Regimental traditions include annual observances, affiliations with veteran organizations such as the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars, and ceremonial functions performed at venues like the Oklahoma State Capitol and Fort Sill.

Category:Field artillery regiments of the United States Army