6th Air Defense Artillery Regiment

Constituted 8 March 1898 in the Regular Army as the "6th Regiment of Artillery". Organized 23 March 1898 at Fort McHenry, Maryland. Colonel Edward B. Williston, a Medal of Honor recipient for actions in the Civil War, was the regiment's first commander. Order of battle information indicates that the regiment did not deploy outside the U.S. in the Spanish–American War of 1898. However, the regiment has battle honors for the Philippine Insurrection (a.k.a. Philippine–American War) that closely followed it. The regiment garrisoned portions of the Harbor Defenses of San Francisco. Headquarters and headquarters battery (HHB) and Batteries A, E, and K were the only components initially activated. HHB and Batteries A and E at Fort Winfield Scott, Battery K at Fort Baker. • After 18 October 1944, the above units underwent changes as follows: Headquarters and Headquarters Battery (HHB), 6th Coast Artillery, reconstituted 28 June 1950 in the Regular Army concurrently consolidated with HHB, 6th Antiaircraft Artillery Group, (see Annex 1) and consolidated unit designated as Headquarters Battery, 6th Artillery Group. Activated 1 February 1952 at Fort Bliss, Texas. Redesignated 20 March 1958 as Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 6th Artillery Group. Inactivated 1 September 1971 at Fort Bliss, Texas. Annex 1 (6th AAA Group) Constituted 5 August 1942 in the Army of the United States as Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 6th Antiaircraft Artillery Automatic Weapons Group (or 6th Coast Artillery Group (AA)). Activated 21 August 1942 at Camp Haan, California. Redesignated 26 May 1943 as HHB, 6th Antiaircraft Artillery Group. Inactivated l May 1946 at Camp Kilmer, New Jersey. Redesignated 13 October 1948 as the 25th Antiaircraft Artillery Automatic Weapons Battalion and allotted to the Regular Army. Assigned 20 March 1949 to the 25th Infantry Division and activated in Japan. ==Current units==

• 2nd Battalion, 6th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 30th Air Defense Artillery Brigade • 3rd Battalion, 6th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 30th Air Defense Artillery Brigade ==Honors==

Campaign participation credit Philippine Insurrection: Streamer without inscription World War II: Rhineland; Ardennes-Alsace; Central Europe; New Guinea; Bismarck Archipelago; Luzon Vietnam: Defense; Counteroffensive; Counteroffensive, Phase II; Counteroffensive, Phase III; Tet Counteroffensive; Counteroffensive, Phase IV; Counteroffensive, Phase V; Counteroffensive, Phase VI; Tet 69/Counteroffensive; Summer-Fall 1969; Winter-Spring 1970 Decorations • Meritorious Unit Commendation, streamer embroidered VIETNAM 1966 (8th Battalion, 6th Artillery, 1968). • Meritorious Unit Commendation, streamer embroidered VIETNAM 1967–1968 (8th Battalion, 6th Artillery, 1969). • Philippine Presidential Unit Citation, streamer embroidered 17 OCTOBER 1944 TO 4 JULY 1945 (Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 6th Antiaircraft Artillery Group, 1950) ==Coat of arms==

• Description/Blazon • Shield: Parti per pairle argent, gules and azure, in chief a mullet of five points of the second and in fess debased two fleurs-de-lis or. • Crest: On a wreath of the colors, argent and gules, a grizzly bear passant sable langued gules. • Motto: Certo Dirigo Ictu (I Aim With a Sure Blow) • Symbolism • Shield: The field of the shield, an adaptation of the flag of the Philippine Insurgents, alludes to the regiment's service in the Philippine Insurrection. The scarlet star refers to artillery, its five points indicative of the number of engagements in which a battery of the old 6th Artillery participated during the Insurrection. The two fleurs-de-lis denote service in France during World War I by an element of the regiment. • Crest: The crest is taken from that of the Coast Defenses of San Francisco where the old regiment and the majority of its batteries were stationed. • Background: The coat of arms was originally approved for the 6th Coast Artillery on 3 May 1924. It was redesignated for the 6th Coast Artillery Battalion on 26 February 1945. On 8 March 1951 the coat of arms was redesignated for the 6th Antiaircraft Artillery Automatic Weapons Battalion. It was cancelled on 15 May 1959. On 1 September 1971 the coat for arms was reinstated for the 6th Air Defense Artillery. ==Distinctive unit insignia==

The distinctive unit insignia is as follows: • Description: A black enamel, grizzly bear passant above a stylized red enamel scroll bearing the inscription "CERTO DIRIGO ICTU" in gold letters. The motto "CERTO DIRIGO ICTU" (I Aim With a Sure Blow) is indicative of the character of the bear. ==See also==