1st Battalion - 10th Field Artillery Regiment
"Rock's Support"
The 10th Field Artillery Regiment was constituted 1 July 1916 in the Regular Army as the 10th Field Artillery.
The 1st Battalion, 10th Field Artillery was constituted on 1 July 1916 in the Regular Army as Battery A, 10th Field Artillery. It was organized to Active Duty on 1 June 1917 at Douglas, AZ. On November 12, 1917 the 10th Field Artillery was assigned to the 3d Division (later redesignated the 3d Infantry Division). The unit then deployed for duty in Europe during World War I and during the War was credited for participation in 5 campaigns: Champagne-Marne; Aisne-Marne; St Mihiel; Meuse-Argonne; and Champagne-Marne 1918.
Additionally, the unit was decorated with the following decorations during World War I: The Presidential Unit Citation, Streamer embroidered COLMAR and the French Croix de Guerre with Gilt Star, World War I, Streamer embroidered Champagne-Marne and Aisne Marne.
It was during this war that the Regiment adopted its motto "The Rock's Support". The motto finds its roots in the fact that the 10th Field Artillery was in the 3d Division during the legendary stand on the Marne. The 10th found itself on the right of the division supporting the 38th Infantry. With the help of the fires of the 10th, the 38th held its ground along the muddy banks of the Marne.
It was also during World War I that the 10th FA had its first soldier to receive the Medal of Honor, 1LT George Price Hays. At the outset of an unprecedented artillery bombardment by the enemy on the 14th and 15th of July 1918, LT Hays lines of communication were destroyed beyond repair. Despite the hazards associated with being a runner, LT Hays immediately set out to establish liaison with the neighboring command and two neighboring French batteries, LT Hays visited these French positions so frequently that he was mainly responsible for the accurate fires therefrom. While thus engaged, seven horses were shot out from under him and LT Hays was severely wounded. His activities under the most severe fires were an important factor in checking the advance of the enemy
On 1 October 1940, the regiment was reorganized and redesigned as the 10th Field Artillery Battalion. The unit was reorganized and redesignated on 1 October 1940 as Battery A, 10th Field Artillery Battalion.
The 10th Field Artillery was again served with distinction during World War II, earning 10 campaign streamers. Its campaign credits include: Algeria-French Morocco; Tunisia ; Sicily (with Arrowhead); Naples-Foggia; Anzio (with Arrowhead); Rome-Arno; Southern France (with Arrowhead); Rhineland; Ardennes-Alsace; and Central Europe.
The 10th's decorations from World War II include: French Croix de Gueere with Palm, Streamer embroidered COLMAR; French Croix de Guerre, World War II, Fourragere; and the Bravery Gold Medal of Greece, Streamer embroidered COLMAR.
It was during the Second World War that the Regiment's 2d Medal of Honor Recipient was recognized. Technician 5th Grade (Corporal), Forest E. Peden, Battery C, 10th Field Artillery. CPL Peden was a forward observer near Biesheim, France, on 3 February 1945, when a group of about 45 infantrymen, with whom he was advancing, was ambushed. Enemy forces outnumbering the Americans by four to one poured withering artillery, mortar, machine-gun, and small arms fire into the stricken unit from the flanks, forcing the men to seek the cover of a ditch which they had already found occupied by enemy foot troops. As the opposing infantrymen struggled in hand to hand combat, CPL Peden courageously went to the assistance of two wounded soldiers and rendered first aid under heavy fire. With radio communications inoperative, he realized the unit would be wiped out unless help could be secured from the rear. On his own initiative, he ran 800 yards to the battalion command post through a hail of bullets, which pierced his jacket, and there secured two tanks to go to the relief of his hard pressed comrades. Knowing the terrible risk involved, he climbed the hull of the lead tank and guided it into battle. Through a murderous concentration of fire, the tank lumbered onward, bullets and shell fragments ricocheting from its steel armor within inches of the completely exposed rider, until it reached the ditch. As it was about to go into action, it was turned into a flaming pyre by a direct hit that killed CPL Peden. His death was not in vain, reinforcements found the trapped Americans and drove off the enemy.
Only 5 short years later, the 10th FA was fighitng again, but this time on the Korean Peninsula. During the Korean War, the 10th Field Artillery was credited with participation in 8 more campaigns: CCF intervention; First UN Counteroffensive; CCF Spring offensive; UN Summer Fall Offensive; Second Korean Winter; Korea, Summer-Fall 1952; Third Korean Winter; and Korea, Summer 1953.
The 10th was decorated in the Korean War with the Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation, Streamer embroidered Uijonbu Corridor and the Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation, Streamer Embroidered Iron Triangle.
On 1 July 1957, the regiment was relieved from assignment to the 3d Infantry Division, and concurrently reorganized and redesignated as the 10th Artillery, a parent regiment under the Combat Arms regimental System. Meanwhile, Battery A was reorganized and redesignated on 1 July 1957 as Headquarters Battery, 1st Howitzer Battalion, 10th Artillery, an element of the 3d Infantry Division. All of the elements of the division were concurrently constituted and activated at this time.
The unit was once again redesignated on 3 June 1963 as the 1st Battalion, 10th Artillery.
The unit was again redesignated 1 September 1971 as the 10th Field artillery. The 1st Battalion was itself redesignated as the 1st Battalion, 10th Field Artillery.
On 16 March 1987 it was withdrawn from the Combat Arms Regimental System and organized under the United States Army Regimental System.
On 16 February 1996, the 4th Bn, 41st Field Artillery was reflagged and redesignated as 1st Battalion, 10th Field Artillery at Fort Benning, GA.
A report from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, dated Sept. 24, 2002, the 110th Field Artillery Bn returned to the US from Kuwait on Sept 23rd and was expected to be joined by the rest of the brigade in the coming weeks.
