3rd Battalion History

Lineage

Constituted

1 July 1916 in the Regular Army as Battery C, 15th Field Artillery.

Organized 1 June 1917 at the State Fair Grounds, Syracuse, New York.

(15th Field Artillery assigned 21 September 1917 to the 2d Division.)

Inactivated 31 October 1929 Ft Sam Houston, Texas (15th Field Artillery concurrently relieved from assignment to the 2d Division and assigned to the 4th Division). (15th Field Artillery relieved 1 January 1930 from assignment to the 4th Division and assigned to the 2d Division [later redesignated 2nd Infantry Division].)

Activated 1 May 1939 at Ft Sam Houston, Texas.

Reorganized and redesignated 1 October 1940 as Battery C, 15th Field Artillery Battalion.

Reorganized and redesignated 20 February 1956 as Battery C, 15th Armored Field Artillery Battalion.

Inactivated 20 June 1957 at Fort Richardson, Alaska, and relieved from assignment to the 2d Infantry Division; concurrently, redesignated as Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 3d Battalion, 15th Artillery.

Redesignated 17 March 1959 as Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 3d Howitzer Battalion, 15th Artillery, withdrawn from the Regular Army, allotted to the Army Reserve, assigned to the 79th Infantry Division (organic elements concurrently constituted).

Battalion activated 6 April 1959 with Headquarters at Reading, Pennsylvania. Relieved 7 January 1963 from assignment to the 79th Infantry Division and assigned to the 157th Infantry Brigade. (Location of Headquarters changed 31 January 1966 to Chester, Pennsylvania.)

Redesignated 31 January 1968 as the 3d Battalion, 15th Artillery. (Location of Headquarters changed 10 August 1969 to Edgemont, Pennsylvania.)

Redesignated 1 September 1971 as the 3d Battalion, 15th Field Artillery. (Location of Headquarters changed 22 July 1974 to Pedricktown, New Jersey.)

Relieved 23 July 1976 from assignment to the 157th Infantry Brigade (location of Headquarters concurrently changed to Ft McClellan, Alabama). (Location of Headquarters changed 1 January 1988 to Anniston, Alabama).

Inactivated 15 September 1994 at Anniston Alabama.

Bibliography: McKenney, Janice E., Army Lineage Series, “Field Artillery Regular Army and Army Reserve” US Army Center of Military History, Government Printing Office, 1985, Page 239.

Lineage for the 3d Battalion 15th Field Artillery Regiment

Battery C, 15th Armored Field Artillery Battalion is REDESIGNATED as Hq and Hq Battery 3d Battalion 15th Field Artillery effective 20 June 1957

Hq & Hq Btry 3d Battalion 15th Artillery is REDESIGINATED as Hq & Hq Battery 3d Howitzer Battalion 15th Field Artillery and WITHDRAWN from the Regular Army; Battery A, B, Service Battery, 3d Howitzer Battalion 15th Field Artillery are CONSTITUTED; 3d Howitzer Battalion, 15th Artillery is ALLOTTED to the Army Reserve and ASSIGNED as an organic element of 79th Infantry Division effective 17 March 1959. Effective 6 April 1959 at the following locations Hq and Hq Btry at Reading PA, Btry A at Norristown PA, as (105mm) Btry B at Norristown PA as (155mm).

The former Btry F, 15th Field Artillery which was absorbed by C, 15th Field Artillery Battalion is RECONSTITUTED effective 20 June 1957; Battery F 15th Field Artillery is ENTITLED to SHARE HISTORY and HONORS EARNED by Battery C 15th Field Artillery Battalion, during the period 1 Oct 1940 to 20 June 1957.

Is REORGANIZED as (105/155mm) under TOE 6-115D effective 1 April 1960

Field Training at Camp A.P. Hill, VA for period 1 Jul - 15 Jul 1960

Field Training Camp Pickett VA 2 Jul 1961 Departed Camp Picket 14 Jul 1961

18 July is DESIGNATED as UNIT DAY (commemoration of its noteworthy accomplishments during time of armed conflict in WWI)

3d Howitzer Battalion 15th Artillery (less Btry B) is INACTIVATED effective 28 Feb 1963; Btry B is INACTIVATED effective 28 March 1963 - GO 66 and GO 83, XXI US Army Corps, 20 Feb and 19 March 1963, respectively - REVOKED - GO 158, XXI US Army Corps 7 Aug 1963

3d Howitzer Battalion 15th Artillery is Activated as (105mm)(SP) as follows; Hq & Hq Battery at Reading PA, B Btry at Easton PA; Btry C at Gettysburg PA; Svc Btry at Chester PA; Btry A at Norristown PA

RELIEVED from ASSIGNMENT as an organic element of 79th Infantry Division effective 7 Jan 1963

Btry C, 3d Battalion 15th Artillery is CONSTITUTED, ALLOTTED to the Army Reserve, effective 5 Nov 1962 - AGAO-O (17 Mar 64)

Battery C and Svc Btry 3d Battalion 15th Artillery are ACTIVATED as (105mm)(SP); Btry C under TOE 6-317D, 1960 at Gettysburg PA and Svc Btry at Chester PA under TOE 6-319D 1960, effective 7 Jan 1963

Battery B CHANGED LOCATION from Pottstown PA to Easton PA effective 7 Jan 1963

Hq & Hq Btry, Btry A and Btry B, 3d Howitzer Battalion 15th Artillery are REDESIGNATED as Hq & Hq Btry, Btry A and Btry B 3d Battalion 15th Artillery effective 7 Jan 1963

Is REORGANIZED: Hq & Hq Btry under TOE 6-316D, Btry A, B under TOE 6-317D effective 7 Jan 1963

Hq & Hq Btry is REORGANIZED as (105)(SP) under TOE 6-316D, effective 30 Apr 1964

CHANGED LOCATION as follows: Hq & Hq Btry from Reading PA to Chester PA; Btry B from Easton PA to Norristown PA; Btry C from Gettysburg PA to Norristown PA, effective 31 Jan 1966

HHB, Btry B & C REORGANIZED under TOE 6-316D and 6-317D effective 31 Jan 1966

Hq & Hq Btry, Btry A & Svc Btry Reorganized effective 31 Jan 1966

Svc Btry 3d Battalion 15th Artillery is INACTIVATED effective 31 Jan 1968

REORGANIZED as (105mm)(T) effective 31 Jan 1968

MTOE 6-185EK01, K00169 is approved with an AUTHORIZED STRENGTH of 35 Off, 4 WO and 433 Enlisted effective 1 Nov 1968

CHANGED LOCATION as follows: Hq & HQ Btry from Chester PA to Edgemont PA, Btry A from Norristown PA to Edgemont PA, Btry B from Norristown PA to Edgemont PA effective 10 Aug 1969

MTOE 6—185EK01, K00170 is approved and 3d BN 15th Arty will be REORGANIZED effective 25 Apr 1970

MTOE 6-375HAR01 is approved 13 May 1971 and 3d Bn 15th Arty will be REORGANIZED as (155mm, SP) effective 15 May 1971

3d Battalion 15th Artillery will be REDESIGNATED as 3d Battalion 15th Field Artillery effective 1 Sep 1971

MTOE 6-375HAR01, ARO172 is approved 18 May 1972 and 3d Bn 15th FA will be REORGANIZED Effective 1 Jun 1973

REORGANIZED under MTOE 6-375HAR01, AR0174 with an AUTH STR of 38 OFF, 6 WO, 508 ENL effective 30 June 1974 - AFFM-DDR US Army Forces Command 11 April 1974. HHB under TOE 6-376H with 18 OFF, 4 WO, 148 ENL; A, B & C under TOE 6-367H with 6 OFF, 99 ENL, (each); Svc Btry under TOE 6-369H with 2 OFF, 2 WO, 63 ENL

ASSIGNED to 79th USARCOM effective 1 Mar 1974

3d BN 15th FA will transfer on a CHANGE OF STATION from Edgemont USAR Center Edgemont PA to Pedrickstown NJ on or about 22 Jul 1974 for duty stated in TOE under which organized

REORGANIZED under MTOE 06375HAR01 AR0176 effective 30 May 1976 - DAAG-AMO-D (1 Apr 76)

REORGANIZED under MTOE 6-425HAR01, AR0176 and RELOCATED to Ft McClellan AL effective 23 Jul 76 - GO 279, First USA. 25 Jun 1976

REORGANIZED under MTOE 6-425HAR01 AR0177 effective 23 July 1976 Confirmed First US Army 2 Nov 1976

REORGANIZED under MTOE 6-425HAR01 AR0277 effective 30 Jun 1977 FORSCOM

REORGANIZED under MTOE 6-425HAR01 AR1079 effective 16 Feb 1979 FORSCOM

REORGANIZED under MTOE 6-425HAR01 AR2079 effective 16 Sept 1979 FORSCOM

REORGANIZED under MTOE 6-425HAR01 AR2081 effective 16 Sept 1981 CONFIRMED HQ’s First US Army 29 May 1981

REORGANIZED under MTOE 6-425HAR01 AR1083 Effective 16 March 1983 CONFIRMED First US Army 19 July 1982

REORGANIZED under MTOE 6-425HAR01 AR1085 Effective 16 Oct 1984 Confirmed Second US Army 15 Aug 1984

REORGANIZED under MTOE 6-425HAR01 AR2085 Effective 16 May 1985 Confirmed Second US Army 25 Jan 1985

REORGANIZED under MTOE 6-425HAR01 AR1086 Effective 16 March 1986 FORSCOM 9 April 1985Btry A 3d Bn 15th Field Arty will relocate from Edgemont PA to Cullman AL effective VOCO 1 May 1985 Second US Army 7 Oct 1985

Reorganized under MTOE 6-425HAR01 AR1088 effective 16 September 1988 FORSCOM 19 Sept 1986 CONFIRMED - HHB 3d Bn Field Artillery and Svc Btry 3d Bn 15 Field Artillery will relocate from Ft McClellan AL to Anniston AL effective 1 Nov 1987

Reorganized under MTOE 6-425LAR01 AR1091 effective 16 September 1991 HQs Forces Command

* INACTIVATION 3d Battalion 15th Field Artillery (155mm Towed) WRGDAA 2H, Orders F-49-24, 18 January 1994, with an effective date 15 Sept 1994; Military Structure Strength, 29 OFF, 2 WO, 456 Enl; 487 Aggregate Military Authorized Strength, 29 OFF, 2 WO, 449 Enl; 480 Aggregate

3d Battalion 15th FAR Significant Events

  • 1 June 1976 3rd Battalion Activated @ Ft McClellan AL
  • 1977 Issued Equipment Vietnam era M114A1 Howitzers and rolling stock
  • August 1977 First Round Fired FP-2 Pelham Range/ FT McClellan AL
  • 1978 3392nd USAR School FDC Training
  • 1978 CAPSTONE to 118th FA BDE GA NG
  • AT-78 @ Camp Shelby MS
  • AT-79 @ Ft Sill via Commercial Flight and Military Convoy all Rolling Stock
  • 1980 Partnership with JSU ROTC SMP until Inactivation 1994
  • AT-80 @ Camp Shelby MS
  • AT-81 @ Ft Stewart GA
  • AT-82 Ft Stewart GA ARTEP w/Nuclear Certification
  • Nuclear Mission Accreditation SVC Battery every ARTEP
  • 1983 CPX with 118th FA BDE @ Ft Stewart GA
  • AT-83 FT McClellan AL 1983
  • 1983 SVC BTY attains 100% Strength the first Battery to do so
  • AT-84 ARTEP w/Nuclear Certification
  • AT-85 FT Stewart GA ARTEP 100% Gunnery, 100% Nuclear Certification
  • AT-86 FT Stewart GA
  • 1986 the M198 Howitzer Issued throughout the year
  • AT-87 FT Stewart GA ARTEP w/Nuclear Certification 100% Gunnery
  • 1988 Battalion HQ’s and Service Battery moved from Ft McClellan AL to Bill Nichols Reserve Center Anniston AL
  • AT-88 Ft Stewart GA
  • AT-89 Ft Stewart GA
  • AT-90 Ft Stewart GA ARTEP Nuclear Cert. 100% Gunnery
  • Battalion Alerted for 200K Call Up Desert Shield
  • AT-91 FT Stewart GA
  • 1992 Battalion Nuclear Cert. Requirement Ended
  • AT-92 Ft Stewart GA Standard External Evaluation (SEE) 100% Gunnery 96% Overall Evaluation. All Fire Missions were first time GO’s
  • Fall of 1992 Battalion put on notice for JRTC Rotation 1993
  • AT-93 Ft McClellan School House of the Soldier
  • 1993 Battalion holds School House of the Soldier raising MOSQ with 3392nd USAR School
  • 1993 Began coordination for drawing SINCGARS
  • 1993 Coordination with 101st ABN to conduct Air Mobile Training AT-94 at Ft Campbell KY
  • Late Summer of 1993 BN alerted to possible Inactivation..…BN adopted two plans one for AT-94 at Ft Campbell and the other for Inactivation
  • January 1994 Battalion officially notified to Inactivate by 15 September 1994
  • Beginning March 1994 Battalion began Inactivation process moving men and equipment throughout the 121st ARCOM, Alabama National Guard and Active Duty. Closing down 3 remote Battery Reserve Centers with all station property turned in.
  • 3rd Battalion fired 73600 total rounds over 17 total years
  • Maintained a stellar safety record over 17 years with no loss of life or serious accidents
  • 1976-1994 Major Equipment Shortages consistently plagued the Battalion
  • 3rd Battalion Inactivated 10 September 1994 at the Bill Nichols Reserve Center Anniston Alabama