V Corps Artillery
"Thunderstrike"
The history of the artillery with V Corps can be traced prior to VCA's official activation in 1921. Artillery was present with Fifth Corps in 34 major battles of the Civil War: including Malvern Hill, Gettysburg, Chancellors Ville, Cold Harbor, and Antietam.
With the coming of the Spanish-American War in 1898, the artillery went ashore with V Corps to Cuba and Puerto Rico to participate in the campaigns of Las Guasimas, El Caney, and San Juan.
During World War I, V Corps and the artillery were again together while the battles of Lorraine, St. Mihiel, and Meuse-Argonne raged.
The lineage of VCA is derived from the HQ battery, 13th Field Artillery Brigade which was organized on 13 May 1921 at Camp Bragg, NC.
On 16 December 1940, the 76th FAB of the California National Guard from Santa Paula, CA was called to active duty. The Brigade trained at FT. Lewis and Yakima, WA and the Desert Training Center between 1941-43 before moving Ft. Leonard Wood, MO to prepare for shipment overseas. BG Charles G. Helmick assumed command of the unit on 25 July 1943 and remained in that capacity throughout the remainder of World War II.
The 76th arrived in England on 2 November 1943 and was stationed at Norton Manor, near Taunton, Somerset. On 2 March 1944 the 76th FAB was re-designated V Corps Artillery. General Helmick led the first elements ashore on Normandy on 6 June 1944 and the artillery of V Corps fired its first round the following day. Thereafter, the Corps Artillery moved with V Corps through France, Germany, and Czechoslovakia.
The distinctive unit insignia was originally approved for the Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 13th Field Artillery Brigade on 14 Mar 1941. It was redesignated for the Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, V Corps Artillery on 28 Jan 1952. It consists of a gold shell a pine tree of thirteen branches proper, all within an oval red band bearing the motto "Steadfast and Strong" and in the base a five pointed star in gold. The shell signifies the organization is an Artillery unit. The thirteen branch pine tree alludes to the number of the parent organization - 13th Field Artillery Brigade - while the star refers to the Brigade itself. Red and gold are the colors usually associated with Artillery.
