| 244th Air Defense Artillery Regiment | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Active | 1799-present |
| Country | USA |
| Branch | Army |
| Type | Air defense artillery |
| Nickname(s) | Irish Ninth |
| Motto(s) | Ratione Aut Vi (By Reason Or By Force) |
| Engagements | |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | Colonel James Fisk |
| Insignia | |
| Distinctive unit insignia |  |
The 244th Air Defense Artillery Regiment is an air defense artillery regiment of the United States Army first formed on June 24, 1799 as the 6th Regiment of Infantry (NYNG).
Mustered into federal service August 5, 1917 and assigned to Coast Defenses of Sandy Hook, New Jersey where redesignated January 11, 1918 as serial numbered companies of CD Sandy Hook. Demobilized December 1918 at Fort Hancock, NJ. [4]
Companies Mustered into New York Guard and remarks: [5] [6] [7]
Most troops of the 18th, 19th, and 22nd Companies were reassigned to the 57th Artillery, Coast Artillery Corps on January 11, 1918, served in France, returned to the US, and were demobilized in February 1919. [8]
On June 18, 1920 the regiment was reorganized and redesignated as the 9th Coast Defense Command, New York National Guard. On February 1, 1924 redesignated as 244th Artillery, Coast Artillery Corps. On May 14, 1924 redesignated as 244th Coast Artillery (Tractor Drawn) Regiment, Coast Artillery Corps. [4] Regiments of this type were usually armed with 24 155 mm GPF guns on towed mounts.
Inducted into federal service September 16, 1940 at New York City and moved to Camp Pendleton, Virginia, September 23, 1940. Participated in the Carolina Maneuvers from September 29, 1941 to December 3, 1941, whereupon it returned to Camp Pendleton until December 21, 1941.
The HHB was inactivated in May 1942 with personnel transferred to the 50th Coast Artillery (Tractor Drawn).
On December 21, 1941, the 1st Battalion moved to Fort Macon, North Carolina, where it established the Temporary Harbor Defenses of Beaufort, North Carolina. Reinforced by the 2nd Battalion, 54th Coast Artillery (Colored) in July 1942, it served at Fort Macon until September 1942, when it was relieved by the 3rd Battalion, 2nd Coast Artillery and moved via the New York Port of Embarkation to the United Kingdom. The 1st Battalion was inactivated on May 17, 1944 at Honiton, reorganized, and redesignated as the 633rd Antiaircraft Artillery Automatic Weapons Battalion. This unit landed in France on June 16, 1944, and served in the European Theater until it returned to New York and was inactivated on October 6, 1945. [4] [9]
On December 24, 1941, the 2nd Battalion moved to Fort Lewis, Washington, where it staged for deployment to the Territory of Alaska via the Seattle Port of Embarkation. 2nd Battalion was inactivated in Alaska on June 5, 1944 and reorganized and redesignated as the 289th Coast Artillery Battalion (155 mm gun). It moved to Camp Joseph T. Robinson, Arkansas, and was reorganized and redesignated as the 782nd Field Artillery Battalion (8-inch howitzer), on August 17, 1944. This unit was further reorganized and redesignated as the 782nd Chemical Mortar Battalion on July 5, 1945 at Camp Bowie, Texas, and was inactivated there on September 8, 1945. [4] [9]
The 3rd Battalion departed Camp Pendleton on January 17, 1942 and deployed to New Caledonia in the South Pacific Area. On January 20, 1943, the 3rd Battalion was reorganized and redesignated as the 259th Coast Artillery Battalion (155 mm gun). This unit deployed to Guadalcanal, Fiji, New Guinea, and the Philippines, and was inactivated on August 20, 1945 in the Philippines. [4] [9]
As of 1915, the regiment was authorized to place silver rings on its colors as engraved as follows: [3]
On the National Color:
On the State Color: