1st Armored Division Artillery
"Iron Steel"
The Redlegs of "Iron Steel" stand ready and able to provide devastating fires for the Iron Soldiers of the 1st Armored Division.
The Headquarters of the 1st Armored Division Artillery was organized as part of the 1st Armored Division in 1940. It was activated on July 15th as the Artillery Section, Headquarters, 1st Armored Division, at Fort Knox, Kentucky. On 1 March 1942, it was redesignated as Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, Division Artillery, 1st Armored Division.
During the Second World War, The Division Artillery fought in North Africa and Italy, earning six campaign streamers. It was inactivated on 18 April 1946 at the port of embarkation, New York, New York. On 7 March 1951, it was reactivated at Fort Hood, Texas, and inactivated 23 December 1957 at Fort Polk, Louisiana. On 3 February 1962, the unit was once again activated at Fort Hood, Texas. In May 1971, the unit was inactivated at Fort Hood, Texas and reactivated in Zindorf in place of former elements of the 4th Armored Division Artillery.
On 9 November 1990, the Division Artillery was notified to deploy to Saudi Arabia. As part of Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, the 1st Armored Division Artillery has added two additional battle streamers for service in Southwest Asia.
In December 1995, the Division Artillery deployed to Bosnia-Herzegovina, as part of Task Force Eagle, in support of Operation Joint Endeavor. In 1997 the Division Artillery deployed to Bosnia-Herzegovina for Operation Joint Guard and Operation Joint Forge. In 1998 the Division Artillery planned and executed Rolling Steel, the first large scale Maneuver Rights Exercise in Germany since 1993. The year 1999 saw elements of the Division Artillery deploy to peacekeeping operations with Operation Allied Force in Albania and Operation Joint Guardian in Kosovo.
