2nd Battalion, 319th Airborne Field Artillery Regiment
"Black Falcons"
Organized at Camp Gordon, Georgia on 2 September 1917 as Battery B, 319th Field Artillery Regiment, the 2nd Battalion was an original element of the 82d Division. During WWI, the 2nd Battalion participated in the St. Mihiel, Meuse-Argonne, and Lorraine Campaigns, supporting the Division for 105 straight days on the French front line with its horse drawn 155mm howitzers. During WWII, the artillerymen of the 319th Glider Field Artillery Regiment supported the 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment through 37 straight days of combat. The Regiment received six combat streamers and eight unit decorations for combat during WWII. Included among these decorations were two Presidential Unit Citations earned for operations at Chiunzi, Italy, and St. Mere-Eglise, respectively. On 17 September 1944, the invasion of the Netherlands, codenamed Operation MARKET GARDEN, afforded the unit another opportunity to execute its Airborne mission. The battalion fired 34,423 rounds supporting combat operations in and around Nijmegen and Arnheim and was awarded a combat streamer for its actions.
The unit remained part of the 82 Airborne Division after WWII, redesignated Battery B, 319th Airborne Field Artillery Battalion. Transferred to the 101st Airborne Division in 1964, Battery B became the 2nd Battalion. The battalion remained with the 101st Airborne Division for eight years, providing direct support to its 3rd Brigade in Vietnam, receiving 12 campaign streamers and seven American and Vietnamese Citations for its actions. Additionally, 2nd Battalion was awarded the Valorous Unit Citation for combat operations in the A Shau Valley. Shortly after returning to Fort Campbell, 2nd Battalion was deactivated. However, in October 1986, the battalion was reactivated and returned to duty with the 82d Airborne Division. On 20 December 1989, three years after its reactivation, 2nd Battalion conducted its first combat Airborne operation since WWII when 30 fire support specialists from Battery C participated in the parachute assault on Torrijos Airport as part of Task Force 4-325. These 30 Paratroopers aided the task force in successfully countering actions of the Panamanian forces.
Operation DESERT SHIELD saw 2nd Battalion deploy to Saudi Arabia as part of the United States’ first ground combat element in the area. At the commencement of DESERT STORM, the unit moved 700 miles north from Ab Qaig, occupying attack positions near the Iraqi border, eventually becoming the first American artillery unit to enter Iraq. Awarded the Meritorious Unit Commendation, the battalion redeployed to Fort Bragg in March 1991. Demonstrating capabilities beyond its combat mission, the battalion deployed to Florida as part of Task Force All American, supporting the Hurricane Andrew Relief Effort in August 1992. September 1994 brought 2nd Battalion to the brink of another combat mission as battalion fire support personnel prepared for the invasion of Haiti – Operation RESTORE DEMOCRACY – with 2nd Brigade, 82d Airborne Division. The remainder of the battalion stood ready and supported the outload.
In February 2003 the 2nd Battalion once again faced combat operations as Saddam Hussein defiantly faced down the United Nations as Operation IRAQI FREEDOM began. The battalion supported 2nd Brigade in their push to Baghdad. Shortly after crossing the Iraqi border the battalion participated in the battle at As Sammawah where they accurately massed over 1000 rounds in support of 2nd BCT. Upon declaration of completion of major combat operations, the battalion began Stability and Support Operations in the Al Rasheed District of Baghdad. During this phase of the operation the Paratroopers of the 2nd Battalion provided counterfire coverage for First Armored Division and all of Baghdad as well as conducted MSR security on the infamous airport road. During the last seven months of the deployment 2nd Battalion fired over 600 artillery rounds against enemy forces in and around Baghdad, conducted over 500 combat patrols and numerous raids in support of 2nd BCT. The battalion was awarded its fourth Presidential Unit Citation for its service during the initial phases of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM.
In December 2004, Bravo Battery and Charlie Battery deployed with the White and Blue Falcons to provide security for the first free, democratic elections in Iraq. Over the course of four months, Black Falcon Paratroopers decisively engaged the enemy while serving as rifle batteries working directly for the maneuver battalions. Throughout the remainder of 2005, the battalion would provide Paratroopers to support six more deployments with Fire Supporters deploying to Iraq and Afghanistan, Firing Batteries deploying to West Point and Egypt, and the Battalion deploying to Louisiana in support of recovery operations after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita made landfall.
