Field Artillery Branch ( United States ) The Field Artillery branch was founded on 17 November 1775 by the Continental Congress , which unanimously elected Henry Knox " Colonel of the Regiment of Artillery " . The regiment formally entered service on 1 January 1776 . Although Field Artillery and Air Defense Artillery are separate branches , both inherit the traditions of the Artillery branch . Mission statement . The mission of the Field Artillery is to destroy , defeat , or disrupt the enemy with integrated fires to enable maneuver commanders to dominate in unified land operations . The mission of the Firing Battery is to destroy , neutralize , or suppress the enemy by cannon , rocket , and missile fires and to help integrate all fire support assets into combined arms operations . History . The Field Artillery is one of the Army ' s combat arms , traditionally one of the three major branches ( with Infantry and Armor ) . It refers to those units that use artillery weapons systems to deliver surface - to - surface long range indirect fire . Indirect fire means that the projectile does not follow the line of sight to the target . Mortar s are not field artillery weapons ; they are organic to infantry units and are manned by infantry personnel . The term field artillery is to distinguish from the Air Defense Artillery , and historically , from the U . S . Army Coast Artillery Corps ( or Coastal Defense Artillery ) , a branch which existed from 1901 – 1950 . In 1950 , the two branches were unified and called simply Artillery , until Air Defense Artillery was made into a separate branch in 1968 . The insignia of the Field Artillery branch is a pair of crossed field guns ( 19th century style cannons ) in gold , and dates back to 1834 . The officially stated mission of the Field Artillery is to destroy , neutralize , or suppress the enemy by cannon , rocket , and missile fire and to help integrate all fire support assets into combined arms operations . The home of the Field Artillery and the Field Artillery School are at Fort Sill , Oklahoma . Field artillery is called the " King of Battle " . Conflicts in the 20th century saw artillery become exponentially more effective as indirect fire methods were introduced immediately prior to World War I . During World War I and World War II , field artillery was the single highest casualty - producing weapons system on any battlefield . Members of the Field Artillery are referred to as " redlegs " because during the American Civil War they were distinguished by scarlet stripes down the legs of their uniform pants . The use of colors to distinguish branches of the United States Army dates to 1851 . Branch colors are found on the shoulder straps of officers wearing the blue dress uniform and on branch of service scarves authorized for wear with a variety of uniforms . Publications . The professional journal of the Field Artillery is published at Fort Sill . Known as the " Field Artillery Journal " in 1911 , it went through many name changes through " Field Artillery " in 1987 . The journal merged with " Air Defense Artillery " in 2007 to become " Fires " . Weapons . M119 A2 – 105mm Towed Howitzer M777A2 – 155mm Towed Howitzer M110A2 — 203mm Self - Propelled Howitzer - 8 in . M109A6 , Paladin – 155mm Self - Propelled Howitzer M270 A1 – 270mm MLRS ( Multiple Launch Rocket System ) M142 – 270mm HIMARS ( High Mobility Artillery Rocket System ) Current . The U . S . Army employs several types of field artillery weapons systems . The four towed howitzer weapon systems in use are the M102 ( 105 mm ) , used primarily by honor guards , the M119A1 / A2 ( 105 mm ) , the M198 ( 155 mm ) howitzers , and the M777 155 mm howitzer . The M109A6 Paladin is a 155 mm self - propelled howitzer . The M270A1 Multiple Launch Rocket System ( MLRS ) is the Field Artillery ' s heaviest and longest - ranged weapons system , a self - propelled rocket launcher using either 270 mm unguided rockets or the Army Tactical Missile System ( ATACMS ) Block I missile . The United States Marine Corps is currently transitioning from the M198 howitzer to the M777 . Organization . In 1789 after the Revolution there was only one battalion of four companies of artillery . In 1794 a " Corps of Artillerists and Engineers " was organized , which included the four companies of artillery then in service and had sixteen companies in four battalions . In 1802 there was a reduction of the army . The Engineers were separated from the Artillery and the latter formed into one regiment of 20 companies . In 1808 a regiment of ten companies called the " Light Artillery " was formed . In 1812 two more regiments were added . In 1821 four regiments were created from existing units on the following lines . In 1901 the regimental organization of the US Army artillery was abolished , more companies were added , and given numerical designations . in 1907 the Coast Artillery Corps was established , and the Field Artillery re - regimented In 1916 Congress enacted the National Defense Act and 15 more regiments were authorized . In 1917 the numbers from 1 through 100 were reserved for the Regular Army , from 101 through 300 for the National Guard , and 301 and above for the National Army . Under this system the 1st through 21st and 76th through 83d were organized in the Regular Army ; the 101st through 151st , in the National Guard ; and , the 25th through 75th , 84th and 85th , and the 301st through 351st in the National Army . A 1918 expansion added the 22nd Field Artillery Regiment through the 39th Field Artillery Regiment with some exceptions , notably Philippine Scouts units . The Coast Artillery Corps constantly reorganized the numbered companies until 1924 . but during World War I created 61 regiments from the numbered companies , for service with the AEF . most of these were disbanded immediately after the war . In 1924 the Coast Artillery Corps tried to go back to the regimental system , and numbered companies were returned to letter designations . ( in order to promote some esprit - de - corps , the first 7 regiments were linked to the original 7 regiments of artillery ) . 977 Coast artillery units were created before the branch ' s demise in 1950 . In 1933 another expansion created numerous serially numbered battalions and many regiments were taken apart and reduced to battalion size , and during World War II a new designation was applied to some units , the " Armored Field Artillery Battalion " Army Anti - Aircraft Command ARAACOM was created July 1950 , and In 1957 , ARAACOM was renamed to US Army Air Defense Command ( USARADCOM ) , A new system , the U . S . Army Combat Arms Regimental System , or CARS , was adopted in 1957 to replace the old regimental system . CARS uses the Army ' s traditional regiments as parent organizations for historical purposes , but the primary building blocks are divisions , and brigades became battalions . Each battalion carries an association with a parent regiment , even though the regimental organization no longer exists . In some brigades several numbered battalions carrying the same regimental association may still serve together , and tend to consider themselves part of the traditional regiment when in fact they are independent battalions serving a brigade , rather than a regimental , headquarters . In 1968 the Air Defense Artillery Branch ( United States Army ) was split from the artillery . The CARS was replaced by the U . S . Army Regimental System ( USARS ) in 1981 . There are exceptions to USARS regimental titles , including the armored cavalry regiments and the 75th Ranger Regiment created in 1986 . On 1 October 2005 , the word " regiment " was formally appended to the name of all active and inactive CARS and USARS regiments . So , for example , the 1st Cavalry officially became titled the 1st Cavalry Regiment . During the Cold War the Field Artillery was responsible for all mobile ballistic missile weapons systems , including the Lance and Pershing II ballistic missiles .