The 32nd Field Artillery Regiment Distinctive Unit Insignia, frequently called a “unit crest” or simply DUI for short, has been redesignated four times and its description amended once since it was originally approved for the 32nd Field Artillery, Regular Army Inactive on 9 July 1937. The “Proud Americans” insignia features a red shield in its center to denote the unit’s affiliation with the Field Artillery branch; a silver and blue border is in the colors of the corps distinguishing flag to indicate Corps artillery. A demi-sun at the top symbolizes the unit’s service on the West Coast and, because it is a rising sun, also denotes the Regiment’s origins on the East Coast.
Distinctive Unit Insignias are 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. 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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Constituted on 5 July 1918 in the National Army, the 32nd Field Artillery was assigned to the 11th Division, but neither unit saw combat during World War I. In October 1940, the unit was relieved from assignment to the 3rd Division assigned to the 1st Division, and redesignated as the 32nd Field Artillery Battalion. During World War II, the unit would eventually participate in nine campaigns ranging from Tunisia to Central Europe, with three of the campaign streamers boasting coveted Arrowhead devices denoting planned participation in an Assault Landing. These were complemented by a Presidential Unit Citation, three French Croix de Guerre with Palm, and a Belgian Fourragere 1940 with two citations in the Order of the Day of the Belgian Army.
Designated the 32nd Artillery in the Combat Arms Regimental System (CARS), the Regiment deployed to Vietnam and fought in fifteen of the seventeen campaigns, winning two Valorous Unit Awards and three Meritorious Unit Citations in the process. It was withdrawn from CARS in 1987 and reorganized for the U.S. Army Regimental System. Its units were used to supplement other Artillery units during Operation Desert Storm, and in 1993 it began a period of inactivation that lasted until 2006.
Since then, the Regiment has earned two Meritorious Unit Commendations and a Valorous Unit Award while serving in the War on Terrorism (this does not count a Meritorious Unit Commendation awarded to 189th Support Battalion, HHC that included Battery C, 6th Battalion, 32nd Field Artillery Regiment). While there were six Battalions constituted at the time of the Regiment's creation, the only active unit as of Summer 2023 is the 2nd Battalion. It is assigned to the 101st Airborne Division Artillery and is headquartered at Fort Riley, Kansas.