The 127th Field Artillery Regiment Distinctive Unit Insignia—frequently called a unit crest or referred to as a DUI—was originally approved while the unit was designated as the 114th Cavalry Regiment on 22 July 1927. It was redesignated for the 127th Field Artillery Regiment on 5 December 1940; for the 127th Field Artillery Battalion on 17 September 1942; for the 127th Artillery on 27 March1061; and again for the 127th Field Artillery Regiment on 14 July 1972.
A yellow background in the lower portion of the shield denotes the Regiment’s past stints serving in the Cavalry branch, with the green bordure signifying Mexican border duty before World War I. The indented blue chief containing two fleurs-de-li stands for World War I service: the indentations stands for the Defensive Sector, and the fleurs-de-lis are for two campaigns in World War I. The blue used for the chief is taken from the unofficial flag of the state of Kansas.
Distinctive Unit Insignias is worn by all Soldiers (except General Officers) in units that have been authorized to be issued the device. It is worn centered on the shoulder loops of the Army Green Service Uniform (AGSU) and the blue Army Service Uniform (ASU, Enlisted only) with the base of the insignia toward the outside shoulder seam. DUIs are not worn on the Dress variations of either uniform, however.Full guidance on wear of the DUI is found in DA Pamphlet 670-1, Section 21-22, "Distinctive unit insignia" and 21–3(d) and (e), "Beret" and "Garrison Cap," respectively.
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The 127th Field Artillery Regiment was originally organized in the Kansas National Guard as the 2nd Separate Company, Infantry. It was converted to Cavalry after being mustered into Federal Service (Troop A, Cavalry), and afte being mustered out it was expanded and redesignated as the 1st Squadron Cavalry. During World War I, it was again reorganized and redesignated, with Troop A becoming the HQ Troop, 35th Division and the remainder the 110th Train Headquarters and Military Police; the latter was again reorganized into the 110th Train HQ and the 35th Military Police Company. In all, the units in the Regiment’s lineage would fight in three World War I campaigns.
Several reorganizations and redesignations followed until it was converted and redesignated as the 127th Field Artillery on 1 October 1940 and relieved from its assignment to the 24th Cavalry Division. Assigned to the 35th Infantry Division, the Regiment’s 2nd Battalion was (you guessed it) reorganized and redesignated as the 127th Field Artillery Battalion, an element of the 35th Infantry Division; from this point, the rest of the regiment begins lineages separate from the 135th Artillery. It would five in five World War II campaigns before inactivation in 1946.
The unit was restored to Regiment status on 1 May 1959 as the 135th Artillery, a parent regiment under the Combat Arms Regimental System (CARS). Consisting solely of the 1st Battalion, it would be redesignated the 135th Field Artillery on 1 February 1972 and then withdrawn from CARS and reorganized under the U.S. Army Regimental System on 1 June 1989.
Although the 1st Battalion, 127th Field Artillery Regiment did deploy troops in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, no unit at any level (Company, Battalion, Regiment) received credit for campaign participation. On 28 January 2007, the 1st Battalion was inactivated at a ceremony held at Ottawa Armory in Ottawa, Kansas.