169th Field Artillery Battalion (United States)
The 169th Field Artillery Battalion was a battalion of the Field Artillery Branch of the U.S. Army National Guard.
| 169th Field Artillery Battalion | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1940 |
| Country |  United States |
| Allegiance | Colorado |
| Branch | Colorado Army National Guard |
| Type | Field artillery |
| Motto(s) | PROMPTNESS AND ENERGY |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | Lieutenant Colonel Harmon L. Edmondson |
The unit's history is primarily that of the 193rd Tank Battalion which served in the Pacific theater during World War II with the 27th Infantry Division, and During the Korean war.
Lineage
Constituted 1 September 1940 in the National Guard as the 193rd Tank Battalion and partially organized by redesignation of organizations from various states as follows;
- 30th Tank Company, Georgia National Guard, as Company A
- 31st Tank Company, Alabama National Guard, as Company B
- 36th Tank Company, Texas National Guard, as Company C
- 45th Tank Company, Colorado National Guard, as Company D
Organization completed and inducted into Federal service 20 January 1941 at Fort Benning, Georgia (Headquarters Company organized at Fort Benning from personnel of Companies which had been inducted 8 January 1941 at home stations
- Inactivated 21 January 1946 at Vancouver Barracks, Washington.
Allotted, less lettered companies to the Colorado National Guard 10 May 1946; concurrently 983rd Field Artillery Battalion consolidated with 193rd Tank Battalion,
- Organized and Federally recognized 17 April 1947 with headquarters at Colorado Springs.
Reorganized and redesignated 1 November 1949 as the 193rd Heavy Tank Battalion. Ordered into active federal service at Colorado Springs 3 September 1950.
- Released from active Federal service and reverted to state control 1 August 1952
Redesignated 1 December 1952 as the 193rd Tank Battalion.
- Battalion broken up 1 August 1955 and Headquarters and Service Company converted and redesignated as Headquarters and Headquarters Battery 169th Field Artillery Battalion; Concurrently, remainder of Battalion organized from existing units as follows
- Company A, 193rd Tank Battalion at Canon City redesignated Battery A
- Service Company, 157th Infantry at Englewood redesignated Battery B
- Company I, 157th Infantry at Burlington redesignated Service Battery
- Medical detachment, 193rd Tank Battalion at Colorado Springs redesignated Medical detachment.
Battalion broken up 1 February 1959 and elements converted, redesignated or consolidated as follows;
- Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, Battery C, and Medical detachment at Colorado Springs consolidated and redesignated as Company D 140th Signal Battalion.
- Battery A at Canon city redesignated as Service Battery 2nd Howitzer Battalion 157th Field Artillery
- Service Battery at Burlington redesignated as the 928 Medical Company.
Campaign streamers
World War I Streamer without inscription World War II
- Central Pacific
- New Guinea
- Leyte
- Luzon
- Southern Philippines
- Sicily (With Arrowhead)
- Naples Foggia (With Arrowhead)
- Anzio
- Rome-Arno
- Southern France (With Arrowhead)
- Rhineland
- Ardennes-Alsace
- Central Europe
Decorations
Philippine Presidential Unit Citation, streamer embroidered 17 OCTOBER 1944 TO 4 July 1945
Coat of arms
- Shield
Per fess indented azure and or, in chief a fleur-de-lis argent, in base a sheathed Roman sword, point to base and a snake coiled to strike vert
- Crest
The crest is that of the Colorado Army National Guard
- Background
The shield is blue and yellow in reference to early service of the 983rd Field Artillery Battalion as infantry and Cavalry. The fleur-de-lis indicates service in France during World War I while the Roman sword and snake refer to service during the war with Spain, and on the Mexican border respectively. The yellow base of the shield is representative of the plains of eastern Colorado and the indented division of the shield the mountainous portion of the state against the skyline.
References
This article incorporates public domain material from the United States Army Institute of Heraldry website http://www.tioh.hqda.pentagon.mil/Heraldry/ArmyDUISSICOA/ArmyHeraldryUnit.aspx?u=220.