1st Air Defense Artillery Regiment

Constituted 1 June 1821 in the Regular Army as the 1st Regiment of Artillery, and organized from existing units with headquarters at Fort Independence (Massachusetts). The lineages of some of the units that initially made up the 1st U.S. Artillery include campaign credit for the War of 1812. Battery E of the 1st Artillery participated in the Battle of Wounded Knee on 29 December 1890. Order of battle information shows that batteries of the regiment deployed outside the U.S. in the Spanish–American War of 1898. However, no battle honors for this war are on the official lineage and honors certificate dated 29 November 1996. Batteries E and K deployed to Cuba. Regiment broken up 13 February 1901 and its elements reorganized and redesignated as separate numbered companies and batteries of the Artillery Corps. On 1 July 1924, Headquarters and Headquarters Battery (HHB) & Band activated at Fort De Lesseps and 3rd Battalion Batteries A, B, C, D, F, & H activated 17 March 1932 Remainder of regiment as the 1st Coast Artillery Battalion. After 1 November 1944 the above units underwent changes as follows: Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 1st Coast Artillery Group, reorganized and redesignated 2 January 1945 as Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, Harbor Defenses of Cristobal. Activated 17 August 1942 at Fort Bliss, Texas. Departed the United States 1 March 1943; arrived in North Africa 9 March 1943 and landed in Sicily on 9 August 1943. Transferred to Sardinia 4 December 1943. Redesignated 31 December 1943 as Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 1st Antiaircraft Artillery Group at Sassari, Sardinia. Moved to Corsica 25 July 1944; landed in France 2 November 1944. Disbanded 13 February 1945 at Marseille, France. Reconstituted 18 February 1952 in the Regular Army. ==Campaign participation credit==

War of 1812 • Canada Indian Wars • Seminoles • Texas 1859 Mexican War • Palo Alto • Resaca de la Palma • Monterey • Vera Cruz • Cerro Gordo • Contreras • Churubusco • Chapultepec • Tamaulipas 1846 • Vera Cruz 1847 • Mexico 1847 Civil War • Sumter • Bull Run • Mississippi River • Peninsula • Manassas • Antietam • Fredericksburg • Chancellorsville • Gettysburg • Wilderness • Spotsylvania • Cold Harbor • Petersburg • Shenandoah • Appomattox • Florida 1861 • Florida 1862 • Florida 1864 • South Carolina 1862 • South Carolina 1863 • Virginia 1863 • Virginia 1864 • West Virginia 1863 • Louisiana 1864 World War II • American Theater, Streamer without inscription • Tunisia • Sicily • Rome-Arno • Rhineland Southwest Asia • Defense of Saudi Arabia • Liberation and Defense of Kuwait • Cease-Fire • Operation Iraqi Freedom 2003 ==Decorations==

The 1st Air Defense Artillery has received the following decorations: • Army Superior Unit Award for 1984–1985 • Valorous Unit Award for SAUDI ARABIA AND BAHRAIN ==Active components==

• 1st Battalion, 1st Air Defense Artillery Regiment • 2nd Battalion, 1st Air Defense Artillery Regiment ==Coat of arms==

• Shield Gules, two pallets argent, overall a cubit arm habited in the artillery uniform of 1861 erased holding aloft a burning torch or, between two of a snake vert, lipped and eyed of the third above and behind a prickly pear cactus all proper, fesswise. • Crest On a wreath of the colors, argent and gules, a palmetto tree vert behind an arm embowed habited in the artillery uniform of 1861 issuing from the upper portion of an embattled tower and grasping a rammer staff fessways all or. • Motto (First Among Equals). Symbolism • Shield The shield is scarlet for artillery. With two white stripes, alluding to the campaign streamer of the War of 1812, the age of some of the units of the regiment is depicted. The snake and cactus, from the State Seal of Mexico, represent the Mexican War. The hand holding the torch of loyalty commemorates the defense of Fort Pickens, the only fort south of Fort Monroe that remained loyal to the federal government throughout the Civil War. • Crest The arm and rammer staff rising out of a tower in front of a palmetto tree indicate participation in the Civil War at Fort Sumter. The palmetto tree is taken from the State Seal of South Carolina. ==Distinctive unit insignia==

The distinctive insignia is an adaptation of the crest and motto of the coat of arms. ==See also==