HISTORY OF THE 147TH FIELD ARTILLERY CREST

The crest of the 147th Field Artillery Battalion is that of the former 147th Artillery Regiment, South Dakota National Guard. It’s colors and design depict the history of South Dakota National Guard units from Spanish American War days thorough World War I.

The palm tree on a shield of blue represents the service of the 1st South Dakota Volunteers, U.S. Infantry in the Philippine Campaign. The cactus on a field of blue is symbolic of the service of the 4th South Dakota Infantry on the Mexican border in 1916

The blue also represents the World War I service of the 4th South Dakota Infantry, which was converted prior to movement to France to the 147th Field Artillery. The red at the top of the crest is symbolic of this change and represents subsequent service of the 147th Field Artillery Regiment, S.D.N.G. after World War I.

The arrow set in the upper shield of red represents the 32nd Division, of which the 147th was a part of during World War I. The bar across the arrow stands for the piercing of the Hindenberg line by the 32nd Division in World War I.

"Pret et volontiers"—ready and will— is the motto of the 147th —a password which the unit and it’s predecessors have demonstrated by deeds and action around the world.

The crest of the 147th Field Artillery Regiment was approved in 1922—a year after the World War I reorganization of the national guard brought to South Dakota the 147th Artillery Regiment. The crest was worn by the South Dakota artillery men between the two world wars and during the Pacific campaign.

It could be said that the palm tree on the crest was an omen of future service, because in World Wars II, men of the 147th Field Artillery Battalion (which derived from the reorganization of the 147th Field Artillery Regiment at Milne Bay on January 1, 1944, into the 147th FA Bn and the 260th FA Bn) found themselves on Luzon, P.I. where their fathers and grandfathers had fought before them in the Spanish-American War. (The 157th FA Bn loaded on LST's, entered Lingayen gulf on the night of 10-11 January 1945 and beached near the village of Alacan).

When the South Dakota National Guard was reorganized late in 1946, the new 147th Field Artillery Battalion was attached to the 196th Infantry Regiment, commanded by the World War commander of the 147th FA Bn, Col Kenneth R Scurr. The members of the new 147th were authorized to wear the regimental crest of the former 147th.

It is significant that the lineage of the 196th Infantry and the 147th Field Artillery prior to 1916 is identical. Both units have common parentage in the South Dakota guard units which participated in the Civil War, Spanish American War, and the Mexican border campaign.