The 172nd Field Artillery Regiment Distinctive Unit Insignia—commonly known as a unit crest or DUI—was originally approved on 3 August 1936. It been redesignated for the 172nd Field Artillery Battalion in 1943 and for the 172nd Artillery Regiment in 1961 before being approved for the originally designation of 172nd Field Artillery Regiment in 1972.
Red is used for the shield to indicate Artillery as the branch of service. The canton (inset) in the upper left contains a blue saltire for Civil War service in the Union army, a giant cactus indicating Mexican Border duty, and a fleur-de-lis for action in World War I. According to the Institute of Heraldry, they have been placed on a canton to indicate these were all performed by Battery A, nucleus of the 172nd Field Artillery Regiment. "Load With Canister," a type of artillery projectile, is the unit motto.
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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Between April and October 1861, the 1st, 2d, 3d, 4th, and 5th New Hampshire Volunteer Infantry Regiments were mustered into Federal service and began the lineage of the 172nd Field Artillery Regiment. Before the close of the way, they had taken part in twenty-one Civil War campaigns, an astounding number made even more impressive by the fact that there were only twenty-five named campaigns in total during the war. (One unit, Battery C of the Regiment’s 1st Battalion, had a lineage that also included a Revolutionary War campaign.)
These units underwent numerous reorganizations and redesignations over the following decades. Some of the Regiment’s units were mustered into Federal service but not deployed for the War with Spain, and units mustered for Mexican Border duty did not take part in the official Mexican Expedition but instead remained inside the country. By August 1917, the units still in the lineage of the 172nd Field Artillery were the 1st Infantry and Coast Artillery Corps (less its 1st Company); both units were awarded uninscribed World War I Victory streamers for contributing to the Allied victory but not taking part in action as complete units.
In 1922, elements of the former 1st Infantry (it was demobilized in 1919) were reorganized as the 1st Battalion, 172nd Field Artillery; it was expanded in 1936 to form a regiment, the 172nd Field Artillery. The Regimental Headquarters and 1st Battalion were reorganized and redesignated as the 172nd Field Artillery Battalion in March 1943 (rest of regiment began separate lineages here) and would fight in five campaigns in the European-African-Middle Eastern Theater. These would mark the final campaign credits for the Regiment as a whole, but Battery A was also credited with three Asiatic-Pacific World War II campaigns, and would also go on to fight in the same four Vietnam War campaigns as Battery C.
While the Regiment as whole was not awarded military decorations, four of its Batteries, all from the 1st Battalion, were recognized with awards for service during World War II and the Vietnam War. The HQ Battery received a Meritorious Unit Commendation for the European Theater in World War II; Battery A was presented the Philippine Presidential Unit Citation for World War II and a Republic of Vietnam (ROV)Civil Action Honor Medal, First Class 1968–1969; Battery B earned a Philippine Presidential Unit Citation; and Battery C was also honored with an ROV Civil Action Honor Medal, First Class 1968–1969.
In August 2010, a Detachment of the 1st Battalion, 172nd Field Artillery Regiment was awarded a Meritorious Unit Commendation for its super service in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom between 25 February 2004 to 9 January 2005 while attached to the 16th Military Police Brigade