34th Field Artillery Regiment

The 34th Field Artillery Regiment is a field artillery regiment of the United States Army.

History
Prior to World War II

During World War I HQ and HQ Battery, 34th FA Brigade was Company "K", 117th, 30th Infantry Division and participated in campaigns Ypres-Lys, Somme, and the Battle of Flanders. During Ypres-Lys campaign the unit served with British units. In 1921 Company "K" was redesignated Howitzer company of the 117th Infantry and in 1937 it was redesignated Machine Gun Troop of the 109th Cavalry. On 1 October 1940 the unit was redesignated Headquarters Battery 181st Field Artillery Regiment During WW2 the 34th FA Brigade consisted of General Uncles and Staff Officers, Battery HQ and MSG. CEN. Personnel, S-1 Section, S-2 and Survey Section, S-3 Section, S-4 Section, Wire Communications Section, Radio Communications Section, Air-Liaison Section, Mess Personnel and Motor Maintenance Section.

Unit History during World War II

The 34th Field Artillery Brigade was initially called into Federal Service for World War II on 24 February 1941 as Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 181st Field Artillery Regiment. During the year the unit participated in the Arkansas-Louisiana maneuvers and in December, then war was declared, departed Camp Forrest, Tennessee for Camp Roberts, California to serve as coastal defense troops. While headquartered there the unit participated in Desert Maneuvers in California. On 1 March 1943 the unit was redesignated Headquarters and Headquarters Battery. 181st Field Artillery Group and on 12 March departed from Camp Roberts, arriving at Camp Beale, California on 13 March. At Camp Beale, the unit was faced with the task of organizing and training field artillery battalions. After training five battalions in a year at Camp Beale, the 181st Field Artillery Group was redesignated Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 34th Field Artillery Brigade, on 15 March 1944. From then until June the Brigade engaged in training required for overseas duty. On 9 June 1944 the Advance Detachment of the 34th Field Artillery Brigade left Camp Beale for duty in the European Theater of Operations.

Members of the Advance Detachment, 34th Artillery Brigade were Major John J. McDonald, Major Vernon G. Young, Major Murray M. Johnson, 1st Lt. Herman Dolling, Cpl. John G. Blackburn, Tec 5 Lloyd G. Kindel, Tec 5 Edward D. Williams and Pvt. Robert L. Scroggins. The Detachment left Marysville, California on 9 June and arrived in New York on 13 June. The Detachment then went to Ft. Hamilton, NY for processing. Upon arrival at Ft. Hamilton, no leaves or passes were granted the personnel, as they were alerted for shipment overseas on 15 June. Personnel boarded ship HMT "Athlone Castle", an English vessel, on 15 June. At 0240 hours, 16 June the vessel sailed for England. The ship joined a convoy of over fifty other vessels, including destroyer escorts. The detachment debarked at Liverpool, England on the morning of 29 June and proceeded to Birmingham, England, reporting to the Commanding General, XII Corps and was then assigned to the Third United States Army, The Detachment departed Birmingham, England on the 9 July and arrived at Llanmartin, Wales on the same day. Llanmartin was located a few miles from Newport in South Wales. The deatchment then went to work to ready things for the Headquarters Battery when it arrived.

Distinctive unit insignia
A Gold color metal and enamel device 1 1/8 inches (2.86 cm) in height overall, consisting of a shield blazoned: Gules, in front of a truck wheel Or a 155 mm howitzer projectile of the first, that part on the field fimbriated of the second. Attached below the shield, a Gold scroll doubled back and inscribed “WE SUPPORT” in Red letters. The red shield and its charges indicate the character of the Regiment. The distinctive unit insignia was originally approved for the 34th Field Artillery Regiment on 16 June 1938. It was redesignated for the 34th Field Artillery Battalion on 21 December 1940. It was redesignated for the 34th Artillery Regiment on 4 September 1958. It was redesignated for the 34th Field Artillery Regiment on 10 December 1971. The insignia was revised to update the description on 27 June 1989.
 * Description
 * Symbolism
 * Background

Coat of arms
Gules, in front of a truck wheel Or a 155 mm howitzer projectile of the first, that part on the field fimbriated of the second. On a wreath of the colors Or and Gules between the horns of a crescent of the second fimbriated of the first a torch in pale Sable inflamed Proper, overall an estoile of seven rays of the first. Motto WE SUPPORT.
 * Blazon
 * Shield
 * Crest

The red shield and its charges indicate the character of the Regiment. The flaming torch alludes to the unit’s participation in Operation Torch in North Africa during World War II. The crescent, adapted from the flag of Tunisia, alludes to the unit’s completion in four days of a 777 mile motor march over the mountainous terrain of that country and the seven pointed star denotes the unit’s participation in seven campaigns in Europe and Africa.
 * Symbolism
 * Shield
 * Crest

The coat or arms was originally approved for the 34th Field Artillery Regiment on 16 June 1938. It was redesignated for the 34th Field Artillery Battalion on 21 December 1940. It was redesignated for the 34th Artillery Regiment on 4 September 1958. It was amended to add a crest on 1 July 1965. It was redesignated for the 34th Field Artillery Regiment on 10 December 1971. The insignia was amended to correct the terminology in the symbolism on 27 June 1989.
 * Background

Current configuration

 * 1st Battalion 34th Field Artillery Regiment (United States)
 * 2nd Battalion 34th Field Artillery Regiment (United States)
 * 3rd Battalion 34th Field Artillery Regiment (United States)
 * 4th Battalion 34th Field Artillery Regiment (United States)
 * 5th Battalion 34th Field Artillery Regiment (United States)
 * 6th Battalion 34th Field Artillery Regiment (United States)