HISTORY

1st Battalion, 1st Air Defense Artillery History

The unit was constituted June 1, 1821, in the Regular Army as the 1st Regiment of Artillery and organized from existing units with Headquarters at Fort Independence, Massachusetts.

The regiment was broken up February 13, 1901, and its elements reorganized and redesignated as separate numbered companies and batteries of Artillery Corps.

It was reconstituted July 1, 1924, in the Regular Army as the 1st Coast Artillery and partially organized with Headquarters at Fort de Lesseps, Canal Zone.

The 1st Battalion activated June 1, 1926, at Fort Randolph, Canal Zone and inactivated July 31, 1926.

The 1st and 2nd Battalions activated April 15, 1932, at Forts Sherman and Randolph, Canal Zone, respectively. On March 30, 1941, they inactivated at Forts Randolph and Sherman, Canal Zone, respectively. On April 17, 1942, both were reactivated at Fort Sherman, Canal Zone.

The 3rd Battalion activated March 15, 1940, at Fort Randolph, Canal Zone.

The regiment was broken up November 1, 1944, and its elements reorganized and redesignated as follows:

Headquarters and Headquarters Battery as Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 1st Coast Artillery Group.

The remainder of regiment was redesignated as the 1st Coast Artillery Battalion.

After November 1, 1944, the above units underwent changes as follows:

Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 1st Coast Artillery Group, reorganized and redesignated January 2, 1945, as Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, Harbor Defenses of Cristobal. Inactivated January 15, 1947, at Fort Sherman, Canal Zone. Redesignated June 21, 1950, as Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 1st Antiaircraft Artillery Group. Consolidated November 18, 1952, with Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 1st Antiaircraft Artillery Group and consolidated unit designated as Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 1st Antiaircraft Artillery Group. Activated April 15, 1953, in Germany and inactivated December 26, 1957.

1st Coast Artillery Battalion disbanded February 1, 1946, at Fort Sherman, Canal Zone. Reconstituted June 21, 1950, in the Regular Army and redesignated as the 1st Coast Artillery, consisting of the 1st and 2nd Battalions concurrently redesignated as the 1st and 5th Antiaircraft Battalions, respectively.

1st Antiaircraft Battalion redesignated March 17, 1955, as the 1st Antiaircraft Artillery Missile Battalion. Activated April 15, 1955, and inactivated September 1, 1958, at Irwin, Pennsylvania.

The 54th Antiaircraft Battalion redesignated December 15, 1954, as the 54th Antiaircraft Artillery Missile Battalion and activated at the United States Army Chemical Center, Maryland.

Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 1st Antiaircraft Artillery Group; 1st and 54th Antiaircraft Artillery Missile Battalions; and the 1st Field Artillery Battalion (organized 1907) consolidated, reorganized and redesignated March 19, 1959, as the 1st Artillery, a parent regiment under the Combat Arms Regimental System.

The 1st Artillery (less former 1st Field Artillery Battalion) reorganized and redesignated September 1, 1971, as the 1st Air Defense Artillery, a parent regiment under the Combat Arms Regimental System (former 1st Field Artillery Battalion concurrently reorganized and redesignated as the 1st Field Artillery – hereafter separate lineage). The 1st Air Defense Artillery was withdrawn June 16, 1987, from the Combat Arms Regimental System and reorganized under the United States Army Regimental System.

From February to May 2003, the battalion served in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Alpha and Bravo Batteries deployed to provide air defense for the Kingdom of Bahrain, while the balance of the battalion deployed to Kuwait in support of operations there.

In February 2006, the battalion was notified of deployment to Okinawa, Japan, to provide air defense for key assets in the Pacific region and one November 30, 2006, the 1-1 Air Defense Artillery Regiment was restationed to Kadena Air Base.

Campaign Participation Credit

Decorations

Valorous Unit Award – Saudi Arabia & Bahrain

Army Superior Unit Award – 1984 ~ 1985