17th Field Artillery Brigade
"Thunderbolt"
The 17th Field Artillery Brigade was initially constituted on July 31, 1918 as an element of the 17th "Thunderbolt" Division at Camp Bowie, Texas. The unit was demobilized after World War I, in February 1919, at Fort Sill.
In October 1936, Headquarters, 17th Field Artillery Brigade was reconstituted and consolidated as Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 17th Field Artillery Brigade.
In January 1943, the brigade was again activated at Fort Sill. In March 1944, the unit was reorganized and redesignated Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, VII Corps Artillery. During World War II the unit earned five battle streamers for its valorous participation in Normandy, Northern France, Rhineland, Ardennes-Alsace, and Central Europe. Following World War II, the unit was deactivated.
The unit was activated in January 1951 and served with distinction in the Federal Republic of Germany until its inactivation in June 1975. In March 1978 the unit was again activated and redesignated as Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 17th Field Artillery Brigade. On January 15, 1992 the Thunderbolt Brigade colors were transferred from Augsburg, Germany to Fort Sill as an enhanced CONUS Contingency Capability Unit, and was assigned to III Armored Corps Artillery.
The 17th "Thunderbolt" Field Artillery Brigade is composed of HHB, 17th Brigade, 5-3d FA (MLRS), 1-12th FA (MLRS), 3-18th FA (155-PALADIN).
The Thunderbolt Brigade began the year 2000 by deploying 5-3 FA's 0&1 section to the NTC and welcoming back B/5-3 FA (TF Comanche Thunder) from Kuwait. The brigade headquarters provided command and control on many exercises, including a brigade FTX, culminating with an EXEVAL for 3-18 FA, Paladin, in June. In September, key leaders deployed to Korea for a combined counterfire exercise with the 2d Infantry Div Arty and ROK Corps Arty.
Elements of the 17th Field Artillery Brigade deployed to Iraq in 2003 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. During the summer of 2003 the brigade was involved in the construction and repairing of Iraqi schools and other faciliites.
