5th Field Artillery Regiment
| 5th Field Artillery Regiment | |
|---|---|
Coat of arms
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| Active | 1907 |
| Country |
 United States
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| Branch | Army |
| Type | Field artillery |
| Motto(s) | "Faithful and True" |
| Insignia | |
| Distinctive unit insignia |  |
| Former Distinctive unit insignia |  |
| U.S. Field Artillery Regiments | |
|---|---|
| Previous | Next |
| 4th Field Artillery | 6th Field Artillery |
The 5th Field Artillery Regiment was constituted as part of the Regular Army in January 1907. Individual battalions have lineages that date back further. As of 2013, only two battalions are active.
A gold color metal and enamel device 1 inch (2.54 cm) in diameter which is an adaptation of the crest and motto of the coat of arms.
The crest is that of the Hamilton family (Alexander Hamilton being a former commander of one of the elements of the regiment).
The distinctive unit insignia was originally approved for the 5th Field Artillery Regiment on 21 January 1924. It was redesignated for the 5th Field Artillery Battalion on 13 September 1944. The insignia was cancelled on 19 April 1960. It was reinstated and authorized for the 5th Field Artillery Regiment effective 1 September 1971.
1st Battalion, 5th Field Artillery is the oldest regular army unit on active duty.
The New York Provincial Company of Artillery was led first in the Revolutionary War by Captain and one of the Founding Fathers of the United States Alexander Hamilton, the unit fought at Long Island, Trenton, Princeton, Brandywine, Germantown, Monmouth, Yorktown, and New York. After participating in the final victory at Yorktown, the unit was selected as the only Continental Army unit to remain on active duty status. Later the unit fought in the War of 1812; and in the Miami, Creek, Seminole, Little Big Horn and Pine Ridge Indian campaigns. The unit also participated multiple campaigns in the Mexican War.
Remaining loyal to the Union, "Hamilton's Own" fought valiantly in the Valley, Manassas, Antietam, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, and the Virginia 1861 Campaigns.
After earning a campaign streamer at Santiago, the 1st Battalion, 5th Field Artillery went to the Philippines and participated in the campaigns at Cavite, Luzon 1899, Samar 1900, and Samar 1901. An officer of the battalion, First Lieutenant (later Brigadier General) Gruber composed the Caisson Song. The song that was the 1st Battalion, 5th Field Artillery's regimental march later became the Artillery and then the Army Song. The battalion was assigned to the 1st Infantry Division and sent to France in 1917. The unit deployed as the 5th Field Artillery Regiment to fight at Montdidier-Noyon, Aisne-Marne, St. Mihiel, Meuse-Argonne, Lorraine 1917, Lorraine 1918, and Picardy. Captain Charles S. Chapman (Sr.) commanded the force through all 5 major battles of WW I, returning to Fullerton, California to resume civilian life. Remaining with the 1st Infantry Division, the battalion participated in every major European campaign during World War II. Campaign credits earned were Algeria-French Morocco, Tunisia, Sicily, Normandy, Northern France, Rhineland, Ardennes-Alsace, and Central Europe.
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