The 117th Field Artillery Regiment Distinctive Unit Insignia, also referred to as a unit crest or a DUI for short, was first approved on 22 January 1927. It was redesignated to reflect the unit’s changing status as the 117th Field Artillery Battalion (October 1942) and the 117th Artillery Regiment (December 1960). It was redesignated for the unit’s current title of 117th Field Artillery Regiment on 11 July 1972.
It features a red shield with a dovetailed yellow bordure, signifying that the Regiment was originally in the Cavalry branch but was dovetailed into the Artillery branch. A yellow (gold) fleur-de-lis is an emblem of the unit’s wartime service in France. PARATI ARMIS, the unit motto, is Latin for a phrase dear to all Artillerists: “Ready At The Guns.”
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Though it was originally organized as the 1st Cavalry in the Alabama National Guard between August and September 1916, it was converted and redesignated as the 117th Field Artillery on 4 October 1917, just two months after it was drafted into Federal service. It was assigned to the 31st Division, which was designated as the 1st Depot Division and broken up into training cadres to instruct troops destined to replenish the losses of frontline units; the Division and the Regiment were awarded an uninscribed World War I streamer for this valuable contribution toward victory.
Redesignated as the 117th Field Artillery following several organizational changes, the Regiment was inducted into service prior to U.S entry in World War II, but like so many Field Artillery regiments it was broken up and its HQ and 1st Battalion becoming the 117th Field Artillery Battalion; that unit and others in the Regiment’s lineage earned seven World War II battle honors, with five campaign streamers from the European-African-Middle Eastern Theater and two from the Asiatic-Pacific. Also credited to the Regiment were two French Croix de Guerre awards, one with Palm and another with a Silver Gilt Star. (Battery B, 1st Battalion is also entitled to three additional campaign streamers from the Pacific Theater and a Presidential Unit Citation for service at Papua, New Guinea.
The Regiment was reconsolidated as a parent regiment in the Combat Arms Regimental System (CARS) on 2 May 1959 as the 117th Artillery, which was redesigned as the 117th Field Artillery on 1 February 1972. Withdrawn from CARS on 1 May 1989, it was reorganized under the U.S. Army Regimental System in 1992 to consist of the 1st Battalion, an element of the 31st Armored Brigade, and the 3rd Battalion, a composition subject to change with the 2nd Battalion added to the Regimental lineup in 1995, only to be removed in 2002 and on other occasions.
As of 2019, the 1st Battalion is the Regiment’s only active unit. It is assigned to the 142nd Field Artillery Brigade, but is administratively under the control of the 226th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, Alabama Army National Guard.