11th Coast Artillery (United States)

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11th Coast Artillery
11TH AAA BATTALION-COA.png
Coat of arms
Active1924
CountryFlag of the United States.svg  United States
BranchArmy
Type Coast artillery
SizeRegiment
Part of Harbor Defenses of Long Island Sound
Garrison/HQ Fort H.G. Wright
Motto(s)"Audax et Vigilans" (Daring and Vigilant)
Mascot(s) Oozlefinch
Engagements World War II

The 11th Coast Artillery was a coast artillery regiment in the United States Army, first constituted in the Regular Army on 27 February 1924. It primarily served as the Regular Army component of the Harbor Defenses of Long Island Sound (HD Long Island Sound), New York from 1924 through 1944, when it was relieved and disbanded as part of an Army-wide reorganization. [1]

Contents

Lineage

Constituted 27 February 1924 as the 11th Artillery (CAC) and organized 1 July 1924 at Fort H.G. Wright, Fishers Island, New York from the following companies: [2] [3]

The regiment was posted at Fort H.G. Wright and provided caretaking detachments for Fort Terry and Fort Michie, both on islands in the Harbor Defenses of Long Island Sound. The 242nd Coast Artillery was the Connecticut National Guard component of those defenses. [4] Live fire practice with heavy guns for other coast artillery units in and near New England was carried out at Fort H.G. Wright, hence the relatively large number of batteries active in peacetime. [2]

On 1 September 1935 the regiment was reorganized from Type A to Type B. [5] Batteries G, H, I, and K were deactivated and personnel transferred to HHB 1st Battalion and A, B, and C batteries. [2]

Regimental assets absorbed by HD Long Island Sound and HHB assigned to XXII Corps 23 February 1944. HHB transferred to Fort Leonard Wood 14 March 1944, inactivated 7 April 1944; regiment disbanded 14 June 1944. Personnel were reassigned to three field artillery battalions. [1] [2]

Distinctive unit insignia

A Gold color metal and enamel device 1+1⁄8 inches (2.9 cm) in height overall consisting of a shield blazoned: Gules a bend cottised Or between in sinister chief a triangle voided point up Argent and in dexter base a fleur-de-lis of the second. Attached above the shield on a wreath Or and Gules an osprey’s head of the third. Attached below and to the sides of the shield a Gold scroll inscribed "AUDAX ET VIGILANS" in Black letters.

The shield is that of the old 56th Artillery, C.A.C., of which three batteries of the 11th Coast Artillery were a part; Headquarters, A, and C Batteries. The silver triangle was the insignia for the 56th Artillery in France. The fleur-delis was taken from the coat of arms of the old Province of Ile de France, where the regiment first went into action. The crest is taken from the old Coast Defenses of Long Island Sound. The motto translates to "Daring and Vigilant" and is applicable to a Coast Artillery Regiment and is quite symbolic of the fish hawk or osprey, which is a very daring and vigilant bird.

The distinctive unit insignia was originally approved for the 11th Coast Artillery Regiment on 11 November 1924. It was redesignated for the 11th Antiaircraft Artillery Automatic Weapons Battalion on 8 August 1951. The insignia was redesignated for the 11th Antiaircraft Artillery Missile Battalion on 31 August 1956.

Coat of arms

Blazon

Gules a bend cottised Or between in sinister chief a triangle voided point up Argent and in dexter base a fleur-de-lis of the second.

On a wreath of the colors Or and Gules, an osprey’s head erased Proper. Motto: AUDAX ET VIGILANS (Daring and Vigilant).

Symbolism

The shield is that of the old 56th Artillery, C.A.C., of which three batteries of the 11th Coast Artillery were a part, Headquarters A and C Batteries. The silver triangle was the insignia for the 56th Artillery in France. The fleur-delis was taken from the coat of arms of the old Province of Ile de France, where the regiment first went into action.

The crest is taken from the old Coast Defenses of Long Island Sound. The motto is applicable to a Coast Artillery Regiment and is quite symbolic of the fish hawk or osprey, which is a very daring and vigilant bird.

Background

The coat of arms was originally approved for the 11th Coast Artillery Regiment on 1 November 1924. It was redesignated for the 11th Antiaircraft Artillery Automatic Weapons Battalion on 8 August 1951. The insignia was redesignated for the 11th Antiaircraft Artillery Missile Battalion on 31 August 1956.

See also

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References

  1. 1 2 Stanton, p. 456
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Gaines, p. 9
  3. ↑ Berhow, pp. 448-454
  4. ↑ Gaines National Guard, 243rd Coast Artillery
  5. ↑ Berhow, pp. 490-495
  6. ↑ Lineage of Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 11th Air Defense Artillery Brigade at Dept of the Army

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