18th Field Artillery Brigade
The 18th Field Artillery Brigade is the only Airborne general support Field Artillery Brigade in the United States Army.
The mission of the unit is to deploy designated artillery packages via parachute assault, air land, or over the shore to deliver conventional cannon, rocket, and missile fires in support of XVIII Airborne Corps world wide combat operations and crises response contingency missions.
XVIII Airborne Corps Artillery was activated in 1951 at Fort Bragg as a major subordinate command of the XVIII Airborne Corps. In 1956, it was organized with two field artillery groups and a field artillery observer battalion. From 1956 to 1969, Corps Artillery went to a series of reorganizations, activating battalions and deploying them to Vietnam. In 1969, the Corps Artillery began to take form and consisted of three cannon battalions. These units are the 1st Battalion, 321st Field Artillery Regiment (Airborne), 3rd Battalion, 321st Field Artillery Regiment, and 1st Battalion, 377th Field Artillery Regiment (Air Assault).
In 1978, Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, XVIII Airborne Corps Artillery was reorganized and redesignated as Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 18th Field Artillery Brigade. The three battalions of the brigade turned in their M114 Howitzers and received the M198 Howitzers. On 16 April 1984, B Battery 26th Field Artillery (Target Acquisition Battery) joined the brigade bringing with it the new Q-36 Radar.
On 16 November 1984, the Corps Artillery was reorganized as a Provisional Corps Artillery of the Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 18th Field Artillery Brigade and a Field Artillery Section from the Corps Staff.
In March 1987, under the Army of Excellence initiative, Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, XVIII Airborne Corps Artillery was activated. In March 1988, the current organization of the Corps Artillery was completed when the 3rd Battalion, 27th Field Artillery Regiment was activated to provide the Corps with Long Range Multiple Launch Rocket System fires.
In August 1992, the 42nd Field Artillery Brigade with the 4th Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery, upon relocating from Hanau, Germany became part of XVIII Airborne Corps Artillery stationed at Fort Polk, LA.
