Laura Rowland

The 56th Field Artillery Command, headquartered in Neu-Ulm, Germany, was a key U.S. Army Europe unit responsible for operating the Pershing missile system during the Cold War. Activated as a Pershing missile unit, it played a crucial deterrence role against Warsaw Pact threats, maintaining a high state of readiness from the 1960s through the early 1990s. The unit’s service in Germany earned it recognition, including the Cold War Victory Medal and Cold War Service Germany award, in addition to the National Defense Service Medal and Army Overseas Service Ribbon. The 56th Field Artillery Command was inactivated following the signing of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, marking the end of its vital mission in European defense.