1st Battalion - 125th Field Artillery Regiment
"Strike"
The 1-125 FA has been assigned a mission as part of a NATO Composite Force (NCF). This NCF mission is as a part of the NATO forces for the defense of Norway and includes forces from Norway and Germany as well as the US. The battalion will be training annually in Norway as part of the Norwegian 6th Infantry Division. The 1-125 FA also has a mission is to provide and coordinate Direct Support Field Artillery Fires to the 1st BDE, 34th Infantry Division.
The 1-125 FA has the M109A5 self propelled howitzers, the M577 command tracks, and the IFSAS tactical computer system. The 1-125 is continually upgrading equipment and the training proficiency of its soldiers.
The lineage of the 125th Field Artillery traces back to the 3rd regiment, Minnesota Volunteer Infantry which was organized on 15 April 1887. The Regiment was mustered into federal service in 1898 during the Spanish American War.
When called into federal service for World War I in July 1917, the 3rd Regiment was primarily a northern Minnesota organization. The Minnesota units were reorganized into the 34th (Red Bull) Division on 1 October 1917 and became the new 125th Field Artillery Regiment. Troops of the 34th Division units landed in France in 1918 and of the Division units only the 125th Field Artillery earned a battle steamer in World War I.
In February 1941, the Regiment was inducted into federal service for World War II. In January 1942, the Regimental Headquarters was disbanded and the 1st Battalion was redesignated the 125th Field Artillery Battalion. The 125th FA Battalion distinguished itself in WW II where it was frequently teamed with the 135th Infantry Regiment. The battalion fired over 250,000 rounds of artillery ammunition in 480 days of combat, more than any other battalion.
The Battalion was again ordered into active Federal service on 16 January 1951 for the Korean conflict and served at Camp Rucker, AL until 2 December 1954 when released from active duty. Many soldiers of the battalion saw action in Korea as replacement troops.
The Unit was reorganized in 1959, 1963, 1968, and finally in 1972 as the 1st Battalion, 125th Field Artillery.
In March of 1990, the Battalion deployed to the Republic of Korea to participate in Team Spirit 90 as part of I Corps. This was the first overseas deployment of a battalion sized element from Minnesota since WW II. While in Korea the Battalion received a fully trained status in every category evaluated.
