The 319th Airborne Field Artillery Regiment (AFAR) is the airborne artillery of the U.S. Army, with battalions serving both the 82nd Airborne Division and the 173rd Airborne Brigade. Its paratrooper-artillerymen fought in Sicily, Normandy, Holland, the Battle of the Bulge, and Panama, and continue to provide rapid-deployable firepower in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Europe. Airborne Apparel Company is proud to offer reproductions and unique designs that celebrate the legacy of the 319th Airborne Field Artillery Regiment.
The 319th Field Artillery Regiment was first constituted in 1917 and assigned to the 82nd Division. In France, the regiment provided indirect fire support at St. Mihiel and the Meuse-Argonne Offensive, laying the foundation for its “All American” artillery heritage.
World War II—Glider & Airborne Firepower
The regiment was reorganized as the 319th Glider Field Artillery Battalion during World War II and supported every major campaign of the 82nd Airborne Division:
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Sicily (1943) – glider landings under fire delivered artillery to support the first Allied assault into Europe.
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Salerno (1943) – reinforced airborne infantry and secured the Italian beachhead.
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Normandy (D-Day, 1944) – gliders delivered artillery pieces behind enemy lines to support paratroopers holding the causeways inland from Utah Beach.
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Holland (Operation Market Garden, 1944) – provided fire support to the 82nd’s bridge seizures along the Maas and Waal Rivers.
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Battle of the Bulge (1944–45) – fired in support of the 82nd’s defensive stand in the Ardennes.
The 319th’s airborne artillerymen earned multiple Presidential Unit Citations and foreign decorations for valor during these campaigns.
Post-War & Cold War
Returning to Fort Bragg, the battalion remained part of the 82nd, deploying in 1965 to the Dominican Republic. Throughout the Cold War, its battalions served as rapid-deployable artillery, parachute-qualified and ready to support airborne infantry on short notice.
Vietnam, Grenada, Panama
During the Vietnam era, elements of the 319th served with the 82nd, conducting fire support missions in jungle terrain. The regiment later supported the combat jump into Grenada (Operation Urgent Fury, 1983) and the combat jump into Panama (Operation Just Cause, 1989), earning the rare distinction of five combat airborne assaults across its history.
Global War on Terror & Modern Deployments
Since 2001, the 319th has deployed extensively to Iraq and Afghanistan, providing fire support, precision strike capability, and counterinsurgency assistance to airborne forces in combat.
The 4-319 AFAR—Airborne Artillery in Europe
Uniquely, the 4th Battalion, 319th AFAR serves under the 173rd Airborne Brigade, headquartered in Germany and Italy. Known as the “King of the Herd,” 4-319th is the only U.S. Army airborne artillery battalion permanently forward-stationed in Europe. It has deployed with the 173rd to Iraq (2003), Afghanistan, and across NATO’s eastern flank, providing precision fires and joint training with European allies.
This dual alignment of 319th AFAR—across both the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg and the 173rd Airborne Brigade in Europe—makes it one of the most globally present airborne artillery regiments in Army history.
Identity & Legacy
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Motto: “All the Way!” (shared with the 82nd)
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Battalion Nicknames:
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1-319 AFAR: “Loyalty”
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2-319 AFAR: “Falcons”
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3-319 AFAR: “Gun Devils”
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4-319 AFAR: “King of the Herd” (with the 173rd Airborne Brigade)
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Distinctive Honors: Presidential Unit Citations, French Croix de Guerre, Netherlands Military Order of William, Belgian Fourragère.
Enduring Significance
The 319th Airborne Field Artillery Regiment stands as the airborne community’s hammer—paratroopers with howitzers, trained to land anywhere in the world alongside America’s infantry. From gliders over Normandy to combat jumps in Panama, and now with forward-stationed artillery in Europe under the 173rd, the 319th remains at the very heart of airborne firepower.
Airborne Apparel Company is proud to offer reproductions and unique designs that celebrate the legacy of the 319th Airborne Field Artillery Regiment.