2d Battalion, 8th Field Artillery
"Automatic"
2d Battalion, 8th Field Artillery is stationed at Fort Lewis, one of the finest Army Posts in the United States. The 2d Battalion, 8th Field Artillery is part of the 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division (Light). The 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division (Light) and 2d Battalion, 8th Field Artillery have very long and distinguished histories.
The Battalion's mission is to deploy rapidly and fight anywhere in the world at any time, as the unit has done many times in the past with outstanding success. As a result, training here is very challenging, exciting, and physically fit. The "Automatic" Battalion trains at a fast pace, works hard, and definitely knows how to have a good time. Fort Lewis offers a multitude of activities ranging from snow skiing, mountain biking, hiking, river rafting, and pro sports teams (basketball, football, and baseball) within a 45 minute drive.
At one time, the eight battalions of the 8th Field Artillery Regiment formed the largest field artillery regiment in the U.S. Army. The spirit of the "AUTOMATIC EIGHTH" continues to live on in the soldiers of the 2nd Battalion, 8th Field Artillery - the only 8th Field Artillery unit still on active service.
Battery B, 8th Field Artillery Battalion was inactivated 1 February 1957 in Hawaii and relieved from assignment to the 25th Infantry Division. Redesignated 1 July 1957 as Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 2nd Howitzer Battalion, 8th Artillery, it was assigned to the 7th Infantry Division ("Bayonet"), and activated in Korea (organic elements concurrently constituted and activated). The unit was further redesignated 1 July 1963 as the 2nd Battalion, 8th Artillery. With the departure of the 7th Infantry Division from Korea on 27 March 1971, the unit moved to Fort Lewis, Washington where it was inactivated on 2 April 1971. The battalion was redesignated 1 September 1971 as the 2nd Battalion, 8th Field Artillery. Re-activated 21 April 1975 at Fort Ord, California, the unit was assigned to the 7th Infantry Division. The battalion served with distinction in direct support of the 1st Brigade, 7th Infantry Division (Light) which included battalions from the 17th ("Buffalos") and 31st ("Polar Bears") Infantry Regiments, and then later the 9th Infantry Regiment ("Manchus").
In December 1989, the battalion turned in their M102 howitzers and became the first unit in the US Army to field the M119 howitzer (maximum range 14,000 meters, 19,000 with RAP). That same month, fire support elements deployed to Panama during Operation JUST CAUSE with the 1st Brigade Task Force (DRB-2). The brigade served as part of Task Force ATLANTIC until it re-deployed in February 1991. In April 1993, the unit moved from Fort Ord, California to Fort Lewis, Washington. On 9 August 1993, the 7th Infantry Division (Light) was inactivated at Fort Ord, California. Subsequently, the 2nd Battalion, 8th Field Artillery was relieved from assignment with the 7th Infantry Division and assigned to the 9th Regimental Combat Team. On 21 January 1995, the unit deployed to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba to support humanitarian operations conducted by Joint Task Group Bulkeley, JTF 160. Team Alpha, consisting of HHS and A Battery, operated Migrant Camp G. Team Bravo, consisting of B and C Batteries, operated Migrant Camp E. The battalion re-deployed to Fort Lewis on 7 June 1995. On 24 August 1995, the 9th RCT re-flagged as the 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division (Light) consisting of 1st Battalion 5th Infantry, 1st Battalion 24th Infantry, 5th Battalion 20th Infantry, 25th Forward Support Battalion and the 2nd Battalion 8th Field Artillery. Concurrently, the 2nd Battalion, 8th Field Artillery was relieved from assignment with the 9th RCT and assigned to the 25th Infantry Division as the direct support artillery unit to the 1st Brigade. With the activation of the 1st Brigade ("Lancers") at Fort Lewis, this is the first time an element of the 25th Infantry Division has served in the Continental United States.
In 2002, the 2-8 FA began its transformation to join the Army's second Stryker Brigade Combat Team as part of the Army's transformation to a more rapidly deployable and lethal force to fight the global war on terrorism.
On October 15, 2004, the "Automatic" battalion was again called to duty, this time as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The unit officially unfurled its Regimental and Battalion Colors at Forward Operating Base Endurance, northern Iraq on November 2, 2004. The 2-8 FA was part of the Army's second SBCT, replacing the 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division (SBCT) in the northern city of Mosul and surrounding areas.
