1-214th Field Artillery

The unit was organized from existing volunteer companies and mustered into Confederate service September-October 1861 as the 1st and 2nd Battalions, Georgia Cavalry. It was then consolidated on 20 January 1863 to form the 5th Georgia Cavalry Regiment. The unit surrendered 26 April 1865 near Greensboro, North Carolina, with the Army of Tennessee, commanded by General Joseph E. Johnston.

After the Civil War, the unit was reorganized in the Georgia Volunteers as the 1st Squadron, Cavalry on 11 June 1875, and then was expanded, reorganized, and redesignated as the 1st Regiment, Georgia Cavalry as of 11 November 1889. On 2 December 1907, it was again reorganized and redesignated as the 1st and 2nd squadrons of Cavalry.

2nd Squadron was mustered into Federal service on 5 August 1917. Later that year the squadron was reorganized and reassigned as elements of the 106th Field Signal Battalion, 106th Train Headquarters and Military Police, and Headquarters Troop, 31st Division. 106th Field Signal Battalion was demobilized 10 May 1919 at Camp Jackson, South Carolina. 106th Train Headquarters and Military Police demobilized 14 January 1919 at Camp Gordon, Georgia. Headquarters Troop, 31st Division was demobilized in October of 1918 at Camp Mills, New York.

Former 2nd Squadron was reorganized and Federally recognized 6 March 1922 in the Georgia National Guard as the 1st Squadron, 108th Cavalry, with Headquarters in Hinesville. Headquarters and 1st Squadron, 108th Cavalry was then converted and redesignated on 12 October 1940 as the 101st Separate Battalion, Coast Artillery.

On 10 February 1941, the 101st Separate Coast Artillery Battalion was Inducted into Federal Service at Home Stations. In June 1944, the unit was redesignated as the 101st Antiaircraft Artillery Automatic Weapons Battalion. Demobilization came at Camp Stoneman, California on 28 December, 1945.

Answering the Nation’s call once more, the Unit was mobilized for active service from 14 August 1950 to 13 April 1952 at Home Stations.

On 1 July 1959 the unit was consolidated with Headquarters, 214th Artillery Group and the 250th and 950th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalions to form the 214th Artillery, a parent regiment under the Combat Arms Regimental System, to consist of the 1st, 2nd, and 4th Gun Battalions, the 3rd Automatic Weapons Battalion, and the 5th Detachment. 1st Battalion was redesignated as the 1st Howitzer Battalion in 1962 and then reassigned in 1963 to be part of the 48th Armored Division. Redesignated as the 1st Battalion, 214th Field Artillery on 1 May 1972.

The 1st Battalion, 214th Field Artillery was again mobilized for Federal Service on 15 March 2003 for Operation Enduring Freedom and subsequently, for Operation Noble Eagle III and returned to Home Station on 11 February 2004.

A security force made up of Soldiers from the Georgia Army National Guard was mobilized for Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) under the Service Battery, 1st Battalion, 214th Field Artillery flag on 22 January 2006. This unit was deployed to Camp Cedar in Iraq with a mission to perform base security.

Battery C (Waynesboro) was mobilized for an Operation Iraqi Freedom in June 2007 and deployed to Camp Buca, Iraq. Their mission was to conduct detainee operations and they returned home in June of 2008.

Currently the 1-214th Field Artillery Battalion is comprised of units in Elberton, Winder, Washington, Thomson, and Waynesboro. They are equipped with the Self Propelled M109A6 (Paladin) Howitzer. Their artillery mission on the battle field is to destroy, neutralize, or suppress the enemy with cannon fires in support of other combined arms operations.

In addition to its traditional field artillery mission the unit was recently assigned as the security element for the 78th Homeland Response Force. The mission of the HRF is to provide a response capability to assist civil authorities in saving lives and mitigating suffering in response to Chemical, Biological, Radiological, or Nuclear incidents.

Campaign Participation Credit

CIVIL WAR (Confederate Services)

Atlanta

South Carolina 1862

South Carolina 1863

Florida 1864

North Carolina 1865

WORLD WAR II

East Indies

Papua

Guadalcanal

New Guinea

Leyte

Luzon

(Battery C and Service Battery entitled to)

WORLD WAR II

Normandy

Northern France

Rhineland

Ardennes-Alsace

Central Europe