Nicknamed “Truman’s Own” because future President Harry S. Truman served as Commander of one of its batteries during World War I, the 129th Field Artillery Regiment of the Missouri Army National guard has a lineage stretching back to 1866. Today, its lone active unit is the 1st Battalion, headquartered in Maryville, Missouri, with it’s A, B, and D batteries based in Albany, Chillicothe, and Independence. The Regiment has a D rather than a C battery as its third subordinate element in remembrance of Truman, who was in command of D battery as a Captain.
Despite a history that goes back to the days of President Andrew Johnson, the Regiment has a surprisingly small number of Regimental battle honors. The only campaigns for which it has been given participation credit are three from World War I: Meuse-Argonne, Alsace 1918, and Lorraine 1918. 1st Battalion’s Headquarters Battery and Battery A are individually credited with five additional campaigns from the Second World War, while Battery B is entitled to one additional campaign. Similarly, there have been no military decorations awarded to the Regiment as a whole; Battery B and Battery D, 1st Battalion, are individually entitled to a Meritorious Unit Commendation for Afghanistan 2007-2008 and an Army Superior Unit Award for 2003-2005, respectively.
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Also known as a unit crest or DUI, a Distinctive Unit Insignia 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.The 129th Field Artillery Regiment Distinctive Unit Insignia was originally approved on 28 August 1952 during a period that unit was designated as Battalion rather than a Regiment. It was redesignated for the 129th Artillery Regiment on 26 October 1961, then redesignated for the 129th Field Artillery Regiment on 17 July 1972.
Red and yellow, the insignia’s two primary colors, are associated with Artillery. A prickly pear cactus in the upper right symbolizes the Regiment’s past service along the Mexican border. Three fleurs-de-lis stand for the three campaigns in which the Regiment fought in France during World War I. The colors red and yellow are for Artillery. The prickly pear cactus is symbolic of the organization's Mexican Border service. The three fleurs-de-lis represent the three battle honors (Meuse-Argonne, Alsace and Lorraine) awarded the battalion for service during World War I. The motto, “Send Your Mission,” is a reference to the orders an artillery unit receives to fire on a location or target, i.e., a fire mission.
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.