41st Field Artillery Brigade
"Railgunners"
The 41st Artillery (Coast Artillery Corps) was formed on 26 August 1918, at Fort Monroe, Virginia. Several months later the unit was demobilized. On 15 January 1921, the colors were transferred to the Pacific Theater, where the 41st Artillery was reconstituted as the Hawaiian Railway Battalion. On 1 July 1924, the unit was re-designated as the 41st Coast Artillery and remained in Hawaii until its inactivation on 30 June 1931.
On 21 April 1942, the Coast Artillery was again activated, this time at Fort Hase, Hawaii, where it served until25 May 1944. It was awarded the Asiatic Pacific Streamer for its role in World War II. At that time, it was retired from the roles of the regular Army and incorporated into the Hawaiian Department.
On 28 June 1950, Headquarters Battery, 41st Coast Artillery was reconstituted on the inactive roles as Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 41st Field Artillery Group. The group was activated on 18 January 1952 at Fort Sill, Oklahoma.
In April 1967, the 41st Field Artillery Group was deployed to the Republic of Vietnam.
On 15 November 1969, the 41st Field Artillery Group was inactivated in the Republic of Vietnam and its colors were returned to the United States.
On 15 March 1972, the 41st Field Artillery Group was reactivated, this time, in Babenhausen, Germany. The unit was re-designated as the 41st Field Artillery Brigade on 16 June 1982, and was assigned to V Corps Artillery. On 1 September 1986, the 41st Field Artillery was authorized the distinctive unit designation "RAILGUNNERS" in honor of its origin in the Railway Coast Artillery.
V Corps' 41st Field Artillery Brigade from Babenhausen, Germany launched its main weapon 16 March 2000 in Grafenwoehr, Germany; the Multiple Launch Rocket System. The exercise, named Railgunner XV, allowed the 41st FA to test the MLRS in the most real-life way since the system's beginning in 1984. The 41st FA fires its MLRS two or three times a year, but in previous training, it has always been from a fixed position. Fixed firing allows the weapon system to be tested, but doesn't make the soldier think like he would on the battlefield. For the first time, the 41st FA had approximately 500 meters to maneuver the MLRS. Soldiers had to think and react as if they were in war, and they took advantage of the opportunity.
