1st Battalion - 7th Field Artillery
"First Lightning"
On order, the 1st Battalion, 7th Field Artillery deploys, conducts contingency operations, and provides fire support to the 2nd Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, or other designated Headquarters.
Constituted 1 July 1916 in the Regular Army as Battery A, 7th Field Artillery. Organized 9 July 1916 at FT Sam Houston, TX (7th Field Artillery assigned 8 June 1917 to the 1st Expeditionary Division [Later redesignated as the 1st Infantry Division]). Reorganized and redesignated 1 October 1940 as Battery A, 7th Field Artillery Battalion.
Reorganized and redesignated 15 February 1957 as Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 1st Howitzer Battalion, 7th Field Artillery, an element of the 1st Infantry Division (organic elements constituted 8 February 1957 and activated 15 February 1957). Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 1st Howitzer Battalion, 7th Field Artillery, consolidated 1 September 1956 with Battery A, 7th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion [organized in 1898] and consolidated unit designated as Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 1st Howitzer Battalion, 7th Artillery.
Redesignated 20 January 1964 as the 1st Battalion, 7th Field Artillery.
Reorganized and redesignated (less former Battery A, 7th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion) 1 September 1971 as the 1st Battalion, 7th Field Artillery. Former Battery A, 7th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion, 7th Air Defense Artillery - hereafter a separate lineage. Inactivated 16 April 1983 at Fort Riley, KS, and relieved from assignment to the 1st Infantry Division.
Assigned 1 July 1986 to the 10th Mountain Division and activated at FT Drum, NY. Deactivated at Fort Drum, NY, December 1995.
April 1996, 5th Battalion, 41st Field Artillery was reflagged the 1st Battalion, 7th Field Artillery. Assigned to the 1st Infantry Division. In January 1996 the 1st Battalion, 7th Field Artillery deployed to Bosnia in support of Operation Joint Endeavor/Guard. In April of 1997 the Battalion returned to Schweinfurt, Germany.
