User:Daniel Ewer/34th Infantry Division Artillery

The 34th Infantry Division Artillery (34th DIVARTY) was the brigade-sized artillery unit for the 47th “Viking” Infantry Division and the 34th "Red Bull" Infantry Division of the Minnesota National Guard.

==History==
With the beginning of World War II, the 34th Infantry Division reorganized under the triangular configuration. The Division was composed of three infantry regiments, the 133rd Infantry Regiment was supported by the 175th Field Artillery, the 135th Infantry Regiment was supported by the 125th Field Artillery, and the 168th Infantry Regiment was supported by the 151st Field Artillery. The 185th Field Artillery supported the Division with 155mm howitzers. Beginning in January 1942, all Artillery Regiments, in Infantry Divisions were reorganized as battalions.

34th Infantry Division artillery at Camp Ripley, Minn.

Each Infantry Division had three towed 105mm howitzer battalions (54 howitzers) and one towed 155mm howitzer battalion (18 howitzers).

After World War II, the colors of the 34th “Red Bull” Infantry Division were cased and the Minnesota National Guard formed the new 47th “Viking” Infantry Division in February 20, 1947.

In 1956, the Army unveiled pentomic infantry armor and airborne divisions. Pentomic infantry divisions had one towed 105mm howitzer battalions with 5 batteries (36 guns), one composite (general support) battalion of two towed 155mm howitzer batteries (12 guns), one towed 8-inch battery (4 guns) and a self-propelled M31 Honest John battery (2 launchers) of 762 mm artillery rockets.

In 1959, the 47th Division underwent a major reorganization to the Pentomic structure. The artillery elements were re-designated, being expanded into multiple battalions bearing the same numerical designation, as in the three battalions of the 151st Artillery. The 47th Signal Company became the 147th Signal Battalion, drawing its new companies from the 151st Field Artillery and the 47th Reconnaissance Company. The Honest John rockets were added to the 47th Division’s armaments giving it atomic capability.

Early in the 1960’s, the Army developed the Reorganization Objective Army Divisions (ROAD). The reorganization gave the divisions 12 more conventional field pieces than the Pentomic Divisions and improved the field artillery’s ability to fight on the conventional battlefield. Infantry divisions had three 105mm howitzer battalions (54 howitzers) with three batteries each and a composite battalion of three 155mm howitzer batteries (18 guns) and an 8-inch howitzer battery (4 guns) and one rocket battalion of two Honest John batteries with two launchers. In 1963, the 47th Division was again reorganized, this time according to the ROAD concept. The 175th Artillery was returned to the Division.

47th Division Artillery Headquarters, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Direct Support – 105mm M101A1 towed howitzers
• 1st Battalion, 151st Field Artillery, headquartered in Duluth, Minnesota, was in Direct Support of 1st Brigade, headquartered in Stillwater, Minnesota
• 1st Battalion, 194th Field Artillery, headquartered in Fort Dodge, Iowa was in Direct Support of 2nd Brigade, headquartered in Boone, Iowa
• 2nd Battalion, 123rd Field Artillery, headquartered in Rock Island, Illinois was in Direct Support of 66th Brigade, headquartered in Decatur, Illinois
• 1st Battalion, 175th Field Artillery (155mm-M114 towed) headquartered in Montevideo, Minnesota was the Division’s General Support
• 1st Battalion, 125th Field Artillery (155mm-M114 towed) headquartered in New Ulm, Minnesota was a “Select Reserve Force,” a non-divisional organization with a General Support-Reinforcing role. The Headquarters moved to Brooklyn Park, Minnesota.

On February 10, 1991, the 47th Division was re-designated the 34th Infantry Division (medium). The 1st Battalion, 125th Field Artillery role became the Direct Support Battalion for the 1st Brigade. The 1st Battalion, 175th Field Artillery was re-designated 1st Battalion, 151st Field Artillery in General Support of the Division.

In 1996, F Battery, 151st Field Artillery (Roseville) was formed to give the Division its General Support artillery unit. The 1st Battalion, 151st Field Artillery (M198, 155mm towed) became part of the 135th Field Artillery Brigade (Missouri).

In 1997, the 66th Infantry Brigade (Illinois) reorganized to support the 35th Division (Kansas). The 32nd Mechanized Infantry Brigade (Wisconsin) joined the 34th Division with its’ 1st Battalion, 120th Field Artillery, nicknamed the “Red Fox Battalion” from Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin, M109A5, 155mm self-propelled howitzers in direct support.

Commanders

Brig. Gen. Fritz Q Peterson, SEP 1946 - APR 1957

Brig. Gen. Edwin R. Bodey, April 1957 - 16 APR 1962

Brig. Gen. Donald C. Grant, 17 APR 1962 - 30 MAR 1963

Col. Clarence D. Nesgoda, 1 APR 1963 - 31 JAN 1968

Col. James S. O’Brien, 1 FEB 1968 - 30 AUG 1968

Col. Robert G. Walker, 1 SEP 1968 - 15 DEC 1971

Col. Peter J. Sajevic, 16 DEC 1971 - 17 DEC 1976

Col. Gordon E. Johnson, 18 DEC 1976 - 28 MAY 1980

Col. Harold E. Bruns, 29 MAY 1980 - 30 MAY 1982

Col. Phillip L. Potter, 31 MAY 1982 - 31 AUG 1984

Col. Kenneth B. Digre., 1 SEP 1984 - 30 SEP 1985

Col. Roger D. Delgehausen, 10 OCT - 18 OCT 1987

Col. Clayton A. Hovda, 19 OCT 1987 - 31 OCT 1988

Col. Louis O. Bode, 1 NOV 1988 - 31 DEC 1993

Col. Tracy T. Warnock, 1 JAN 1994 - 31 DEC 1996

Col. John Trost, JAN 1997 – OCT 2000

Col. Zieska

Col. John Kreye

Col. Wayne Hayes

See Reference link for commander photos.

External Links

Additional photos: http://picasaweb.google.com/MinnesotaNationalGuard/DIVARTYRemembered