1st Battalion, 321st Field Artillery Regiment
| 1st Battalion, 321st Field Artillery Regiment | |
|---|---|
Coat of arms
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| Country |
 United States
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| Branch | Army |
| Type | Field artillery |
| Size | battalion |
| Garrison/HQ | inactive |
| Motto(s) | "Noli Me Tangere" (Don’t Tread On Me) |
| Insignia | |
| Distinctive unit insignia |  |
The 1st Battalion, 321st Field Artillery Regiment (1-321 FAR) is an inactive field artillery battalion of the United States Army. The battalion served in World War I, World War II, Vietnam and the Global War on Terror with the 82nd Airborne and 101st Airborne Divisions, and with the 18th Field Artillery Brigade. The battalion officially inactivated in March 2014, and its firing batteries were distributed throughout the 82nd Airborne Division.
1-321 FAR traces its lineage to Battery A, 321st Field Artillery, which organized on 2 September 1917 at Camp Gordon, Georgia. After training at Camp Gordon until May 1918, the battery shipped to France, and participated with the regiment in the St. Mihiel, Meuse Argonne and Lorraine 1918 campaigns. Following the Armistice, the battery redeployed to the United States and was demobilized at Camp Dix, New Jersey in May 1919.
1st Battalion, 321st Artillery (1-321) deployed to Vietnam attached to the 2d Brigade, 101st Airborne Division from 12 – 17 December 1967. After 30 days of in-country training, during which the battalion fired missions in support of the 2d Brigade, the battalion supported Operations MANCHESTER, SAN ANGELO and ATTALA. From 10–11 January 1968, the battalion fired 1,935 in support of a 25th Infantry Division fire support base, resulting in “a large number of enemy killed.” During its first two months in Vietnam, the battalion fired 19,150 rounds.
The battalion began February 1968 near LZ El Paso near Phu Bai in the I Corps Tactical Zone, in direct support to 2d Brigade, which was under the Operational Control of the 1st Air Cavalry Division. On 9 February 1968, the battalion received FADAC computers and selected personnel from the battalion received five days of FADAC training at the 1st Infantry Division Artillery at Phu Loi. After the termination of Operation MANCHESTER on 18 February 1968, 1-321 supported 2d Brigade operations north of Hue, eventually occupying LZ Sally. On 9 March 1968, Battery C, 2-11 FA was attached to 1-321 for reinforcing 155mm fires. 2d Brigade and 1-321 terminated participation in Operation JEB STUART and returned to 101st Division control on 10 March. On 11 March 1968, 2d Brigade initiated Operation CARENTAN. On 18 March 1968 at 0400 hours, elements of Battery B repulsed an enemy ground attack against FSB Minky with direct and indirect fire, killing 30 NVA. On 28 April 1968, 2d Brigade surrounded a number of NVA companies, and 1-321 fired on the cordoned areas until 1 May 1968, resulting in 141 NVA killed and 95 prisoners when US forces entered the areas.
The 1-321 began May 1968 supporting 2d Brigade in Operation CARENTAN II, with batteries located at FSBs Mongoose, Omaha and Birmingham. On 5 May 1968, Battery C displaced by air from FSB Birmingham to FSB Omaha, replacing Battery B, which then moved to LZ Pinky. ON 15 May 1968, Battery A moved by road to FSB Mongoose to support 1-501 Infantry east of Hue. On 17 May 1968, Operation CARENTAN terminated and Operation NEVADE EAGLE began. On 4 July 1968, Battery A moved by road to Camp Eagle to fire a 50-gun salute and returned to FSB Mongoose. On 23 July 1968, Battery A moved by air from FSB Boyd to FSB Veghel, allowing Battery A, 2-320 to occupy FSB Son in support of operations in the A Shau Valley. During the quarter, the battalion transferred 70 Soldiers (officers, section chiefs, FDC personnel and other specialists) to 2-320 FA, which had been deployed with 1st Brigade since 1965 to sustain Battery D, 2-320, a provisional battery created to support 1st Brigade’s fourth maneuver battalion, 3-506 Infantry.
August 1968 began with 1-321 headquarters at FSB Sally, Battery A at FSB Mongoose, Battery B at FSB T-Bone and Battery C at FSB Georgia. The battalion was engaged in preparing for Operation SOMERSET PLAIN and NEVADA EAGLE. On 10 August 1968, Battery C fired counter-battery fire at enemy 130mm and 152mm positions that had engaged Company D, 1-327 Infantry. On 9–10 August 1968, Battery A fired into a cordon established by 1-501 Infantry to force the enemy onto the waiting infantry, resulting in 42 VC killed and 104 detainees. On 15 August 1968, the battalion massed fires with the ARVN battery at FSB Geronimo to counterfire against rockets fired at Hue. On 19 August 1968, LTC George E. Peters, the battalion commander, was wounded by enemy artillery that scored at direct hit on the 2d Brigade TOC at FSB Georgia. On 20 August, Battery C redeployed from FSB Georgia to FSB Omaha. From 4–8 September 1968, Battery A’s positions were flooded, causing movement to FSB Shirley. Battery C remained at FSB Omaha, but repositioned to higher ground within the FSB. On 6 September 1968, LTC Don L. Walton assumed command of the battalion. On 10 September 1968, Battery C moved from FSB Omaha to FSB Sally. On 11 September 1968, Battery A conducted an air assault from FSB Shirley to FSB Binh Loc in support of a combined US-ARVN operation. On 13 September 1968, Battery B, 2-320 moved by air from FSB Panther II to FSB Anzio to reinforce the battalion’s fires in support of the Vinh Loc operation. On 18 September 1968, Battery A, 2-319, returning to the 101st from operations with the 25th Infantry Division, closed at Camp Eagle and began reinforcing the battalion. On 24 September 1968, Battery A returned from FSB Vinh Loc to FSB Sandy as the combined operation terminated. On 15 October 1968, Battery B conducted an air assault from FSB T-Bone to FSB Tomahawk.
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