The 18th Field Artillery Brigade, known as the "Steel Brigade," was constituted on October 1, 1943, as Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, XVIII Corps Artillery, and activated on October 9, 1943, at Camp Cooke, California. During World War II, the brigade participated in campaigns across Europe, including Normandy, Northern France, Rhineland, Ardennes-Alsace, and Central Europe. It was inactivated on October 15, 1945, at Camp Kilmer, New Jersey. The brigade was reactivated on May 21, 1978, at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and has since provided artillery support to the XVIII Airborne Corps.
In recent decades, the 18th Field Artillery Brigade has been integral to operations such as Desert Shield, Desert Storm, Enduring Freedom, and Iraqi Freedom. The brigade was the only airborne field artillery brigade in the U.S. Army, with the 1st Battalion (Airborne), 321st Field Artillery Regiment providing the majority of support for its airborne mission. Currently, the brigade comprises the Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 3rd Battalion, 321st Field Artillery Regiment equipped with the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS), 3rd Battalion, 27th Field Artillery Regiment, 188th Brigade Support Battalion, and the 206th Signal Company. It remains stationed at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, continuing its mission to deliver long-range precision fires in support of the XVIII Airborne Corps and other units as required.