On 10 October 1940, the 15th Field Artillery (FA) Regiment was reorganized at Fort Sam Houston, TX, as the 15th FA Battalion (Bn). The 15th FA Bn was ordered to Camp McCoy, WI, on 16 October 1942, for intensive training with the 2nd Infantry Division.

"The artillery units at Camp McCoy were the 15th FA BN, the 37th FA BN, and the 12th FA BN. Each unit was assigned to support a regiment of the infantry- the 15th was assigned to the 9th Infantry Regiment. Other infantry regiments were the 23rd and 38th. I was forward observer and was always attached to 'A' Company of the 9th and called artillery fire for the point company of each attack."

"On Dec. 7, 1941, the 2nd Division units were on maneuvers at Ft. Sill, Okla. With the news from Pearl Harbor, the division packed up and made a forced march back to Ft. Sam Houston, TX. We stayed there for several months while we were given all new equipment, trucks, guns, uniforms, etc. We traded the old Dodge half-tons for 2-1/2 ton GMCs to pull the new 105 howitzers which replaced the French 75s. The division then went by truck to Camp McCoy, Wis., where we were first to occupy the structures there. We were trained on the new howitzers and then marched to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan to learn to ski and use snow shoes. It was cold there. One week it was 52 below zero at night, with daytime highs about 22 below. We had the clothes and equipment to withstand that weather comfortably. I remember one night I climbed into sleeping bag with clothes on and tried to sleep on a bench in the back of a truck. I pulled pants down over my feet. It was still too cold so I tumbled to floor. I was still freezing, so I tumbled over the tailgate into the snow. I warmed up immediately and fell asleep. We returned to Camp McCoy in the spring and awaited shipment to Belfast, Ireland."

Movement overseas came on 8 October 1943, when the 15th FA Bn sailed from New York onboard the SS Hawaiian Shipper for Belfast, Northern Ireland, where it trained for several months. Embarkation for Porthcawl, Wales, followed on 17 April, 1944. As part of the 9th Regimental Combat Team (9th Infantry Regiment & 15th FA Bn), the 15th FA Bn landed at Omaha Beach near St. Laurent-Sur-Mer, France, on D Day +1 (7 June 1944). The 15th FA Bn fought for 73 straight days in support of the 2nd Infantry Division throughout Normandy without a break. Their first break in the combat action came on 19 August 1944, when the 15th FA Bn was ordered to move 220 miles and occupy firing positions for the battle against the German fortress at Brest, France. The battle that ensued was bloody and hard fought by all elements of the 2nd Infantry Division including the 15th FA Bn. On 26 September 1944, five officers and 42 enlisted men of the 15th FA Bn were presented Bronze Star Medals, by the Division Commander, for their actions since D Day +1.

Following this, a 770 mile road march began on 27 September 1944 and carried the 15th FA Bn to Schoenberg, Belgium. By 4 October 1944, the 15th FA Bn crossed into Germany and opened fire on elements of both the 2nd and 3rd SS Panzer Grenadier Divisions. On 17 December 1944, the 15th FA Bn fought as an integral part of the 2nd Infantry Division’s attack on the Siegfried Line near Elsenborn. By 1 February 1945, the area known as Heartbreak Crossroads was taken after a multi-divisional battle.

On 21 March 1945, the 15th FA Bn crossed the Rhine River into Germany on a pontoon bridge near Remagen, and took up firing positions near the town of Leutesdorf. After several heavy engagements, the 15th FA Bn moved to new firing positions at the town of Vaake, near the Weser River, arriving there on 7 April 1945. Throughout the remainder of April 1945, the 15th FA Bn moved many times and even had to engage the enemy with direct fire from its howitzers. By 5 May 1945, the 2nd Infantry Division moved into Czechoslovakia along with the 15th FA Bn. The war was officially over on 8 May 1945.

As their contribution to help defeat the forces of evil and to win WW-II, the 15th FA Bn was in combat for 336 days and fired 151,000 rounds while providing direct fire support to the 2nd Infantry Division and general support to several other divisions. For their efforts and sacrifices the 15th FA Bn was awarded streamers for five major campaigns during WW-II including: Normandy; Northern France; Rhineland; Ardennes-Alsace; and Central Europe.

Additionally, the 15th FA Bn was awarded the Belgian Fourragere, and was cited in the Order of the Day of the Belgian Army for extraordinary combat action in the battle of the Ardennes and Elsenborn Crest. Individual decorations awarded to members of the 15th FA Bn during WW-II included: 6 Silver Star Medals; 91 Bronze Star Medals for Gallantry; 83 Bronze Star Medals for Meritorious Service; 20 Air Medals; and 170 Purple Hearts. All of the honors earned by the 15th FA Bn and its members during WW-II did not come cheaply as twenty-nine (29) members of the 15th FA Bn were killed in action [WW-II Scroll of Honor]. The Indianheads of the Fighting Fifteenth had paid their dues - Again!