Unit Name: | 18th Field Artillery Regiment |
Dates: | 1916 |
Branch: | Army |
Garrison Label: | Home station |
Motto: | Per Aspera Ad Astra (Through Difficulties to the Stars) |
Identification Symbol Label: | Distinctive unit insignia |
The 18th Field Artillery Regiment is a field artillery regiment of the United States Army first formed in 1916.
The 18th Field Artillery was organized 1 June 1917 in the Regular Army.
A gold color metal and enamel device NaNinches in height consisting of a shield blazoned: Azure, three bendlets sinister Argent, a bend double-cottized potente counter-potente Or; on a canton Gules a mullet within a fish-hook fesswise, ring to dexter and barb to base, of the second (for the 5th Field Artillery).
The shield is the shoulder patch of the 3rd Division, the bend and bendlets are from the arms of Champagne. The canton indicates the parentage of the regiment. The fishhook and Star are from the coat of arms of the 5th Field Artillery; the union battle line of Gettysburg was in the shape of a fishhook and the corps badge of Slocum's 12th Corps was a star.
The distinctive unit insignia was originally approved for the 18th Field Artillery Regiment on 2 October 1923. It was amended to correct the method of wear on 25 May 1925. It was amended to correct the blazon on 12 July 1928. It was redesignated for the 18th Field Artillery Battalion on 4 September 1943. The insignia was redesignated for the 18th Artillery Regiment on 18 November 1958. It was again redesignated for the 18th Field Artillery Regiment effective 1 September 1971.
Azure, three bendlets sinister Argent, a bend double-cottized potente counter-potente Or; on a canton Gules a mullet within a fish-hook fesswise, ring to dexter and barb to base, of the second (for the 5th Field Artillery).
On a wreath of the colors Argent and Azure an eagle's head erased Or gorged with a collar Sable charged with a Lorraine cross of the first.
The shield is the shoulder patch of the 3rd Division, the bend and bendlets are from the arms of Champagne. The canton indicates the parentage of the regiment. The fishhook and Star are from the coat of arms of the 5th Field Artillery; the union battle line of Gettysburg was in the shape of a fishhook and the corps badge of Slocum's 12th Corps was a star.
The crest is from the coat of arms of St. Mihiel.
The motto is an extract from the citation received by the 18th.
The coat of arms was originally approved for the 18th Field Artillery Regiment on 18 May 1923. It was amended to correct the blazon on 12 July 1928. It was redesignated for the 18th Field Artillery Battalion on 4 September 1943. The insignia was redesignated for the 18th Artillery Regiment on 18 November 1958. It was again redesignated for the 18th Field Artillery Regiment effective 1 September 1971.