US 101st Airborne and 1st Infantry Division practice howitzer sling load transport in Romania.

During a comprehensive two-day training event that took place at Mihail Kogalniceanu Air Base in Romania on January 4th and 5th, 2024, the Bravo "Bone Crusher" Battery and Charlie Battery from the 3rd Battalion, 320th Field Artillery Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, attached to Task Force 82, collaborated with the 1st Combat Aviation Brigade, 1st Infantry Division. Together, they focused on sling-load operations and elevator drills.
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UH-60s lifting M777 howitzers at Mihail Kogalniceanu Air Base, Romania, Jan. 4, 2024 (Picture source: US Army/ Jonathan Hornby)

Artillery personnel from the U.S. 3-320th Field Artillery Regiment actively participated in elevator drills, refining their ability to seamlessly integrate with their Romanian allies. Sgt. 1st Class Lewis Goins, Platoon Sergeant from Charlie Battery, 3-320th FAR, highlighted the significance of this training in enhancing the artillery unit's capabilities, saying, "This gives us the ability to enhance our combat power. It's an additional step in our proficiency, allowing our hookup teams to safely connect a triple 7 (M777 howitzer) beneath a helicopter. This prepares us for long-range air assault missions and air assault raids."

Throughout the exercise, the 3-320th artillery personnel conducted elevator drills with two different aircraft: on January 4th, they worked alongside UH-60 Black Hawks from the 3rd Attack Helicopter Battalion, 1st Aviation Regiment. Subsequently, on January 5th, they partnered with CH-47 Chinooks from the 2nd Support Helicopter Battalion, both part of the 3rd Assault Helicopter Battalion, 1st Combat Aviation Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, showcasing their versatile skill set to execute missions and support regional allies and partners.

The 320th Field Artillery Regiment (320th FAR) is a parent regiment under the U.S. Army Regimental System. It comprises two active elements in the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault): 1st Battalion, 320th FAR (1-320th FAR) "Top Guns" in 2nd Brigade Combat Team; and 3rd Battalion, 320th FAR (3-320th FAR) "Red Knight Rakkasans" in 3rd Brigade Combat Team. The regiment served with the 82nd Airborne Division during World Wars I and II, and regimental elements have served with the 82nd and 101st Airborne Division, the 193rd Infantry Brigade and the Berlin Brigade, and conducted combat operations in the Dominican Republic, Vietnam, Grenada, Operations Desert Shield and Storm, and the Global War on Terror.

Defense News January 2024