2d Battalion, 20th Field Artillery (United States)

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name= 2nd Battalion 20th Field Artillery


caption= Duty Not Reward
dates= first constituted 1 July 1916
country= United States
branch= U.S. Army
type= MLRS
role= Fire Support
size= Battalion
command_structure= 41st Fires Brigade
current_commander= LTC Timothy W. Bush
garrison= Fort Hood, Texas
ceremonial_chief=
colonel_of_the_regiment=
nickname=Deep Strike
patron=
motto= Duty Not Reward
colors= gold and red
identification_symbol=
march=
mascot=
battles= World War I
* St. Mihiel, Lorraine 1918
World War II
* Normandy (with arrowhead)
* Northern France
* Rhineland
* Ardennes-Alsace
* Central Europe
Vietnam
* Defense
* Counteroffensive
* Counteroffensive Phase II
* Counteroffensive Phase III
* Counteroffensive Phase IV
* Counteroffensive Phase V
* Counteroffensive Phase VI
* Tet 69/Counteroffensive, Summer-Fall 1969
* Winter-Spring 1970
* Sanctuary Counteroffensive
* Counteroffensive Phase VII
Operation Iraqi Freedom
* OIF 1 2003
* OIF 5 2005-2006
notable_commanders=
anniversaries=
decorations=Presidential Unit Citation (Army), Streamer embroidered PLEIKU PROVINCE
Valorous Unit Award, Streamer embroidered TAM QUAN
Valorous Unit Award, Streamer embroidered FISH HOOD
Belgian Fourragere 1940
Cited in the Order of the Day of the Belgian Army for action in Belgium
Cited in the Order of the Day of the Belgian Army for action in the Ardennes
Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm, Streamer embroidered VIETNAM 1965-1969
Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm, Streamer Embroidered VIETNAM 1970-1971
Republic of Vietnam Civil Action Honor Medal, First Class, Streamer embroidered VIETNAM 1969-1970
battle_honours=

The 2nd Battalion, 20th Field Artillery nickamed "Deep Strike," is a United States Army Field Artillery Battalion, currently assigned to Fires Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, and equipped with the M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System.

History

The Deep Strike Battalion was first constituted 1 July 1916 in the Regular Army as Battery B, 20th Field Artillery and was activated in June 1940 at Fort Benning, Georgia, as an element of the 4th Division, later re-designated as the 4th Infantry Division. In 1957 the Battalion was assigned to the 1st Cavalry Division and activated in Korea. In 1960 the Battalion was re-designated the 2nd Rocket Howitzer Battalion, 20th Field Artillery until taking its present moniker of 2nd Battalion, 20th Field Artillery in a 1971 redesignation.

During the Vietnam War the 2/20th was an Aerial Rocket Artillery battalion, equipped with UH-1 B and C model and AH-1G model helicopters. [Stanton, Shelby L: "Vietnam Order of Battle", page 72.] It was known as "Blue Max." In 1972, the Battalion was relieved from assignment to the 1st Cavalry Division, assigned to the 4th Infantry Division, and activated at Fort Carson, Colorado.

In 1976 the battalion was attached to 8th Infantry Division in Wiesbaden, Germany, where it would remain until it was deactivated in 1984, subsequently reactivated in 1987 and again deactivated in 1992. In September 1998, 9-1 Field Artillery was reflagged as the 2nd Battalion, 20th Field Artillery Battalion. In 2001 the battalion supported the Army’s testing and fielding of the M270A1 launcher and became the first M270A1 MLRS unit in the Army. Soldiers with the 2nd Battalion, 20th Field Artillery Regiment, held a launching ceremony April 17 to present the new MLRS to the 4th Infantry Division. The ceremony consisted of a live-fire exercise attended by key members of the 4th Infantry Division and the 49th Armored Division, Texas National Guard.

In March 2003 the Battalion deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom where they performed not only their traditional field artillery tasks, to include firing the Division’s first deep missile fires in combat, but performed armed reconnaissance missions, joint security patrols, cordon and searches, raids, and a wide variety of civil military operations. The Battalion redeployed in March 2004. Returning back to FT Hood the unit under went training equipment maintenance until it was once again called into action in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in December 2005. Upon the Battalions return from deployment in December 2006 it was increased in size by the addition of a 3rd Firing Battery (Charlie), and adding a radar unit (A/26)and making the 67th FSC which was ad-hoced at the beginning of deployment a permanent part of the Battalion thus increasing the power and potencey of the unit.

Current Deployment

The 2nd Battalion 20th Field Artillery Regiment of Fires Brigade, 4th Infantry Division deployed in December 2005 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom where it conducted operations and continued to field new MLRS technology. In January 2006 the Task Force fired the division’s first M31 GMLRS (Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System) in support of operations across Iraq.

The Texas National Guard's 2nd Battalion, 131st Field Artillery Regiment and Delta Battery, 2/20th Field Artillery would round out the 2/20th Field Artillery Battalion in a contingency.

Notes

ee also

Aerial Rocket Artillery

References

cite book
last = Stanton
first = Shelby L.
authorlink =
coauthors = Westmoreland, William C.
title = Vietnam Order of Battle
publisher = Stackpole Books
date = 2003
location = Mechanicsburg, PA
url =
doi =
id = ISBN 0 8117 0071 2

External links

* [http://www.geocities.com/wally_here/A_Battery_20_Artillery.htm "A" Battery, Korea]
* [http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/agency/army/2-20fa.htm Today's 2/20th] GlobalSecurity.org
* [http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/news/2006/01/mil-060113-arnews02.htm First Fires Brigade now in theater] GlobalSecurity.org