| 2nd Air Defense Artillery Regiment | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Active | 1821 |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | Army |
| Type | Air defense artillery |
| Motto | Fidus Ultra Finem (Faithful Beyond the End) |
| Engagements | War of 1812 Indian Wars Mexican War American Civil War World War II Vietnam War Southwest Asia |
| Decorations | Meritorious Unit Commendation[1]Air and Space Outstanding Unit Award[1] |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | Brevet Lieutenant ColonelJohn Trout Greble LieutenantRobert Allen MajorLewis G. Arnold ColonelRomeyn B. Ayres |
| Insignia | |
| Distinctive unit insignia |  |
The2nd Air Defense Artillery Regiment is anair defense artillery regiment of theUnited States Army, first formed in 1821 as afield artillery unit.[2]
Battery A-2nd ADAR THAAD (Battery A, 2nd Air Defense Artillery Regiment, Terminal High Altitude Area Defense)[3] of the11th Air Defense Artillery (ADA) Brigade successfully intercepted an Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile which was launched near Hawaii on 11 July 2017. The soldiers used the procedures of an actual combat scenario at the Pacific Spaceport onKodiak Island, Alaska, and were not aware of the IRBM's launch time.[3]
On 19 October 2017, Battery D-2 ADAR THAAD (Delta Battery, 2nd Air Defense Artillery Regiment) reflagged from the 11th ADA Brigade to the35th ADA Brigade prior to the permanent change of station from Fort Bliss to South Korea.[4]
Constituted 1 June 1821 in theRegular Army as the2nd Regiment of Artillery and organized from existing units with headquarters at Baltimore, Maryland. The lineages of some of the units that initially made up the 2nd U.S. Artillery includecampaign credit for the War of 1812.[2][5][6]
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The 2nd U.S. Artillery took part with distinction in theMexican War, with CaptainJames Duncan receiving three brevets–major, lieutenant-colonel, and colonel—for his actions in the war.[7][8]
Twelve batteries of the 2nd US Artillery served throughout theAmerican Civil War,[9] and Battery M fired the first shot of the Union Army at the First Battle of Bull Run. At the time, the battery was commanded by 2LTPeter Conover Hains, who later became the last veteran of the Civil War to serve on active duty, being recalled from retirement with the outbreak of the First World War to serve as commander of the Eastern District of theCorps of Engineers from 1917 to 1918. Hains had retired originally in 1904 as a brigadier general of the Corps of Engineers, and in 1916 was promoted to major general on the retired list.[10]
Order of battle information shows that batteries of the regiment deployed outside the U.S. in theSpanish–American War of 1898. However, no battle honors for this war are on the regiment's official lineage and honors certificate dated 29 November 1996. Batteries A and F deployed to Cuba.[11]
Regiment was broken up on 13 February 1901, and its elements reorganized and redesignated as separate numbered companies and batteries of theArtillery Corps.[2]
Reconstituted 1 July 1924 in the Regular Army as the2nd Coast Artillery atFort Sherman in theHarbor Defenses of Cristobal on the Caribbean side of thePanama Canal. Batteries E, G, and H concurrently reorganized and redesignated from existing units in thePanama Canal Zone. The regiment was organized by redesignating the 13th, 14th, 15th, 16th, 18th, 19th, 20th, 21st, 22nd, 23rd, and 24th companies of theCoast Artillery Corps (CAC). Batteries B, C, D, E, H, I, K, and L carried the lineage and designations of the corresponding batteries in the old 2nd Artillery.[12][13] 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Battalions and Batteries E, G, and H were activated with the regiment.[14]
4th Battalion constituted 22 April 1929 as an inactive component, never activated. Battery C activated 30 April 1926 in the Canal Zone; Battery G concurrently inactivated in the Canal Zone. 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Battalions and Batteries C, E, and H inactivated 15 April 1932 in the Canal Zone and transferred, less personnel and equipment, to Fort Monroe, Virginia.[12][14]
Regimental headquarters and Batteries C, E, and H activated 30 April 1932 atFort Monroe, Virginia in theHarbor Defenses of Chesapeake Bay with personnel from inactivated12th Coast Artillery. Battery E was activated atFort Story, Virginia.[12][14]
The 2nd Coast Artillery provided training support for the Coast Artillery School at Fort Monroe, 1932–41. The regiment trained theOrganized Reserve harbor defense units assigned to the Harbor Defenses of Chesapeake Bay 1932–41. Reserve officers assigned to the regiment conducted summer training with the regiment at Fort Monroe. Responsible for the support and administration of theCivilian Conservation Corps (CCC) District 4,Third Corps Area, 1933–39.[14]
Battery A activated 1 September 1935 at Fort Monroe; Battery H concurrently inactivated at Fort Monroe. Batteries B and D activated 1 November 1938 at Fort Monroe. Battery F activated 1 February 1940 at Fort Monroe. Remainder of 1st and 2nd Battalions activated 1 August 1940 at Fort Monroe as a Type B harbor defense regiment.[15] Battery G activated 1 March 1941 at Fort Monroe. Regiment upgraded to Type A in 1941.[15] Remainder of regiment including 3rd Battalion activated 30 April 1942 at Fort Monroe).[12]
Battery K activated atFort Moultrie, South Carolina with personnel and equipment of Battery D,263rd Coast Artillery. Battery H sent toFort Macon, North Carolina July 1942.[12]
In September, Battery K and one platoon from Battery N were assigned to Fort Macon.[12]
In 1942 batteries from 2nd Battalion posted at Forts Moultrie, Monroe, & Macon, and atLittle Creek Mine Base, VA.[16]
Regiment changed from Type A to Type C 21 April 1942.[12]
Batteries atTemporary Harbor Defenses of Beaufort manned the 5-inch gun battery onCape Lookout and Fort Macon's 6-inch guns.[12][17]
Regiment broken up 1 October 1944 and its elements reorganized and redesignated as follows:
Former elements of the 2nd Coast Artillery reconstituted and/or consolidated 28 June 1950 to form the following units:[2]
After 28 June 1950 the above units underwent changes as follows:[2]
2nd Artillery (less former 2nd Field Artillery Battalion) reorganized and redesignated 1 September 1971 as the 2nd Air Defense Artillery, a parent regiment under theCombat Arms Regimental System (former 2nd Field Artillery Battalion concurrently reorganized and redesignated as the2nd Field Artillery – hereafter separate lineage).[2]
Withdrawn 16 January 1989 from the Combat Arms Regimental System and reorganized under theUnited States Army Regimental System.[2]
Constituted 5 August 1942 in theArmy of the United States as Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 2nd Antiaircraft Artillery Automatic Weapons Group (or 2nd Coast Artillery Group (Antiaircraft)).[20]
Activated 17 August 1942 atFort Bliss, Texas.[2]
Redesignated 26 May 1943 as Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 2nd Antiaircraft Artillery Group.[2]
Departed the United States 5 September 1943, arrived in England 18 September 1943. Landed atUtah Beach, France on 12 July 1944; crossed into Belgium 24 September 1944 and into Holland 29 October 1944. Entered Germany 3 March 1945; returned toNew York port of embarkation in October 1945.[20]
Inactivated 26 October 1945 atCamp Kilmer, New Jersey.[2]
Constituted 25 February 1943 in the Army of the United States as the 136th Antiaircraft Artillery Gun Battalion.[2]
Activated 15 June 1943 atCamp Edwards, Massachusetts. Departed New York port of embarkation 26 July 1944, arrived in England 6 August 1944. Arrived in France 27 August 1944, served in the European Theater of Operations. Returned to the US at theBoston Port of Embarkation 11 December 1945.[21]
Inactivated 12 December 1945 atCamp Myles Standish, Massachusetts.[2]
Constituted 25 February 1943 in the Army of the United States as the 795th Coast Artillery Battalion (Antiaircraft) (Automatic Weapons).[22]
Activated 20 April 1943 atCamp Stewart, Georgia.[2]
Redesignated 30 April 1943 as the 795th Antiaircraft Artillery Automatic Weapons Battalion. Departed Boston port of embarkation 7 April 1944; arrived in England 16 April 1944. Arrived in France 18 July 1944, served in the European Theater of Operations.[22]
Inactivated 31 December 1945 in Germany.[2]
Redesignated 25 June 1948 as the 42nd Antiaircraft Artillery Automatic Weapons Battalion and assigned to the9th Infantry Division.[2]
Activated 12 July 1948 at Fort Dix, New Jersey.[2]
Constituted 31 January 1942 in the Army of the United States as the 434th Coast Artillery Battalion (Antiaircraft) (Automatic Weapons).[23]
Activated 1 March 1942 atCamp Hulen, Texas. Departed New York port of embarkation 4 August 1942; arrived in Scotland 17 August 1942 and in England two days later. Moved to North Africa 19 January 1943, and Italy 10 October 1943.[23]
Redesignated 5 December 1943 as the 434th Antiaircraft Artillery Automatic Weapons Battalion (Self-Propelled).[23]
Disbanded 14 January 1945 at Montecatini, Italy, assets to 1st Battalion,473rd Infantry Regiment.[23]
Reconstituted 20 March 1951 in the Regular Army.[2]
Active Units:
Inactive Units:
Paly of fifteen, gules and argent, two Indian arrows saltirewise or, behind a serpent vert, lipped and eyed of the third, coiled around and above a prickly pear cactus proper.[24]
On a wreath of the colors, argent and gules, an eagle close or sitting on and at the intersection or a saltire azure fimbriated argent.[24]
Fidus Ultra Finem (Faithful Beyond the End).[24]
The shield is scarlet for artillery. The fifteen stripes, representative of the United States national flag of 1814, allude to the battle of Fort McHenry in which a company of the regiment participated. The snake and cactus commemorate service in the Mexican War. The arrows refer to the Indian Wars.[24]
The American eagle, centered on the saltire from the battle flag of the Confederacy, depicts the defense of Fort Pickens, the only fort south of Fort Monroe that remained loyal to the federal government throughout the Civil War.[24]
Thedistinctive insignia is an adaptation of the crest and motto of the coat of arms.[24]
This article incorporatespublic domain material from2d Air Defense Artillery Regiment Lineage and Honors.United States Army Center of Military History.
