3rd Infantry Division (Mechanized) Artillery
Fires Brigade
(DIVARTY)
"Marne Thunder"
In 2004, as part of the Army's transformation towards a modular force, the title and composition of DIVARTY was changed to the Fires Brigade.
The mission of the 3rd Infantry Division (Mechanized) Artillery is to deploy to a contingency area by air, sea, and land and provide fire support for mobile, combined arms offensive and defensive operations worldwide.
3rd Infantry Division (Mechanized) Artillery is organized with three M109A6 (155SP) battalions: 1st Battalion, 9th Field Artillery (DS, 2d Bde); 1st Battalion, 10th Field Artillery (DS, 3d Bde); 1st Battalion, 41st Field Artillery (DS, 1st Bde); and the 1st Battalion, 39th Field Artillery (MLRS). The 1st Battalion, 10th Field Artillery, is stationed at Fort Benning, GA, with the 3d Bde. In addition, the DIVARTY also has a separate battery, HHB DIVARTY.
The 1st Battalion, 118th Field Artillery is attached in times of mobilization. 1st Battalion, 3d Air Defense Artillery falls under administrative authority of Division Artillery.
Headquarters Battery, 3d Division Artillery, was constituted on 12 November 1917 in the Regular Army as Headquarters, 3d Field Artillery Brigade, and assigned to the 3d Division. It was initially organized on 26 November 1917 at Camp Stanley, TX. It served in France with the 3d Division in the Champagne-Marne, Aisne-Marne, St. Mihiel, Meuse-Argonne, and Champagne 1918 Campaigns. It was disbanded on 16 October 1939 at Fort Lewis, Washington, and reconstituted on 1 October 1940 in the Regular Army as Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 3d Division Artillery at Fort Lewis, WA.
During World War II, the Division Artillery served with the 3d Division in nine campaigns throughout North Africa, the Mediterranean, Italy, Southern France, and Central Europe. It was awarded campaign streamer arrowheads for amphibious landings at Sicily, Anzio, and Southern France. The Division Artillery was also awarded the Presidential Unit Citation and the French Croix de Guerre with Palm for actions in the Colmar Pocket, and the Fourragere, French Croix de Guerre, for service in WWII.
The Division Artillery deployed to the Republic of Korea in 1950 and served in eight campaigns from the Intervention to the Summer Campaign of 1953. The Unit awards include the Republic of Korea Presidential Citation, with streamers for UIJONGBU and THE IRON TRIANGLE, and the Chryssoun Aristion Andrias (Bravery Gold Medal of Greece), embroidered Korea.
DIVARTY was redesignated 1 July 1957 as Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 3d Infantry Division Artillery and in 1958 returned to the Federal Republic of Germany. For almost twenty years the DIVARTY stood guard on the front line in Europe. 3d Infantry Division (Mechanized) Artillery was inactivated in the Federal Republic of Germany, and reactivated at Fort Stewart, GA, on 15 February 1996.
