The Missouri National Guard (MONG), commonly known as the Missouri Guard, is a component of the Army National Guard and Missouri State Department of the National Guard. It is composed of Army and Air National Guard units. The Department office is located in Jefferson City.
The Mission of the Missouri National Guard is "to provide trained and disciplined forces for domestic emergencies or as otherwise required by state law under the authority of the governor."
History
One of it's first "official" engagements was during the Mexican-American War, where Missouri volunteers fought at the Battles of Embudo Pass and Taos and participated in the occupation of Chihuahua City [1].
The Missouri National Guard though, officially traces its lineage to the Missouri State Militia, created in 1861 to counter Confederate guerrillas during the American Civil War. Missouri units fought for both Union and Confederate causes. The Confederate 1st Missouri Infantry Regiment, later part of the 138th Infantry Regiment lineage, fought at Shiloh, Corinth, Iuka, Champion Hill, the Siege of Vicksburg, the Atlanta campaign, Franklin, and Nashville, among other engagements across the Western Theater.
The Missouri Army National Guard was formally organized in 1877. It was first mobilized in the Spanish–American War (1898), raising six volunteer infantry regiments, though none deployed overseas.
In 1916, Missouri Guardsmen were sent to the U.S.–Mexico border at Laredo, Texas during the Mexican Punitive Expedition [1].
During World War I, Missouri units of the 35th Infantry Division fought in the Lorraine and Alsace sectors and in the Meuse–Argonne Offensive, including the Battles of Cheppy, Vauquois, and Charpentry [1].
The Missouri Air National Guard was established in 1947 and mobilized for service during the Korean War [1].
Throughout the Cold War stages, the Missouri Guard was mainly stationed state side and helping with Missouri duties such as the 1922 Poplar Bluff railroad strike, the 1927 St. Louis tornado, and major flooding in 1951–1952 and 1993. Although not mobilized as full units for the Vietnam War, many Missouri Air Guard pilots served on active duty in Southeast Asia [1].
In Operation Just Cause (1989), the 1138th Military Police Company was in Panama conducting Annual Training when eventually the invasion started, coming under fire and establishing the Empire Range EPW camp, this was the first Guard unit activated for combat since Vietnam. The same company deployed in the Gulf War, operating EPW Camp 301 in Saudi Arabia [1].
Since 2001, Missouri units have deployed widely in the Global War on Terror. In Iraq, the 1140th Engineer Battalion fought in the Battle of Najaf (2004), while the 35th Engineer Brigade and several MP companies conducted security and detainee operations.
In June 2025, the Missouri Air National Guard’s 131st Bomb Wing, flying B-2 Spirit bombers from Whiteman AFB, participated in Operation Midnight Hammer, U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities at Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. The mission involved over 125 aircraft and the use of GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrators, and was the largest B-2 strike in U.S. history [3][4][5][6].
On November 8, 2022, Missouri voters approved Amendment 5, establishing the Missouri Department of the National Guard as a cabinet-level agency independent of the Department of Public Safety. Missouri also briefly maintained a State Defense Force (2012–2022) for stateside support missions [1].
Thomas S. Zimmerman, of Springfield, Mo., is promoted to the rank of major by Brig. Gen. Michael B. Pace, commander of 35th Engineer Brigade, during a ceremony on Camp Liberty, Baghdad, Nov. 19.
Camp Crowder: Former Signal training and rocket engine manufacturing site; approximately 10% of the post remains for training southeast of Neosho, Missouri
Fort Leonard Wood: Several Missouri National Guard units are tenant organizations on Fort Leonard Wood[7]
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