The lineal ancestor of the Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, the 197th Field Artillery Brigade, began life as the Concord Volunteers in 1861. They were mustered into federal service 3 June 1861 at Portsmouth as Company E, 2d New Hampshire Volunteer Infantry; mustered out of federal service 19 December 1865 at Cabin Point, Virginia. They were involved in the U.S. Civil War battles of Bull Run, the Peninsula, Manassas, Fredericksburg, Gettysburg, Cold Harbor, and Petersburg in Virginia from 1862 to 1864.[2]
After the end of World War I, the New Hampshire National Guard was reorganized in 1921–1922 as a pure artillery force composed of the 172nd Field Artillery Regiment (155mm howitzer) and the 197th Coast Artillery Regiment (Antiaircraft). Despite the Coast Artillery designation, the 197th was actually equipped with anti-aircraft guns.[3]
New Hampshire Army National Guardsmen in 1940
During World War II, the New Hampshire National Guard was mobilized into federal service on 16 September 1940. The 197th Coast Artillery was sent to Australia in 1942. When antiaircraft units were split from coast artillery in May 1943, the regiment was reorganized and became the 197th Antiaircraft Artillery Group, including the 744th (Gun) and 210th (Automatic Weapons) Antiaircraft Artillery Battalions and the 237th Antiaircraft Artillery (Searchlight) Battalion. These units provided air defense during the island-hopping campaigns in the South West Pacific theatre from 1942 to 1944 and the Philippines campaign in 1944 and 1945.[4][2] The 172nd Field Artillery Regiment remained stateside until it was broken up in 1943 and eventually formed the XVI Corps Artillery headquarters, 172nd Field Artillery Battalion and 941st Field Artillery Battalion. The latter two battalions served with V Corps artillery with in France and Germany.[2][5] Back in New Hampshire, the New Hampshire State Guard was reactivated in 1941 to fill the state responsibilities of the National Guard in 1941.[6]
The 195th Infantry Regiment, as a Regimental Combat Team, was allocated to the New Hampshire National Guard after the war as its primary combat unit and organized throughout 1947 and 1948. Outside of the 195th RCT, the postwar NH ARNG also included the 210th and 744th Antiaircraft Artillery Gun Battalions under the 197th Antiaircraft Artillery Group.[7] The 197th Antiaircraft Artillery Group headquarters was mobilized for federal service from 1950 to 1952 during the Korean War, fulfilling training responsibilities at Camp Stewart.[8] The Guard was expanded with the addition of the 237th Military Police Battalion in 1950.[9]
The NH ARNG restructured as a pure artillery force in 1954 with the breakup of the 195th Infantry Regiment, in which it and pre-existing military police and engineer company were converted into artillery units. The new force structure consisted of the 172nd Field Artillery Group with 105mm self-propelled howitzers and the 148th Field Artillery Group with 8-inch self-propelled howitzers. The 172nd Field Artillery Group included the 172nd Field Artillery Battalion, the former artillery unit of the 195th RCT, and the 737th and 941st Armored Field Artillery Battalions. The 148th Field Artillery Group included the 421st and 574th Field Artillery Battalions.[7]
By 1958, the New Hampshire Army National Guard had a total strength of 3,700 men, with 3,000 in the field artillery groups and 700 in the anti-aircraft group.[10]
During the Vietnam War (1965-1973), the 3/197 Field Artillery (FA, "New Hampshire's Finest") served in Ap Phu Loi, South Vietnam, providing FA Forward Observer Teams and Artillery Liaison Teams in the II Field Force Area.[11]
The 197th Field Artillery Group was reorganized as the 197th Field Artillery Brigade in 1978.[2]
In 1995 the New Hampshire Army National Guard deployed to Bosnia to support Operation Joint Endeavor. In 1999 they deployed to the Central American republic of Honduras.[13]
From 2004 to 2005, the 744 T.C. ran missions out of LSA Anaconda, Balad, Iraq, during the Iraq War. Sergeant Jeremiah Holmes was killed in action caused by a powerful enemy improvised explosive device (IED) on a bridge, south of LSA Anaconda in Habbiniyah, Anbar Province, Iraq on March 29, 2004. Captain Mary Bergner was the 744 T.C. Commander.[14] The 2nd Battalion 197th Artillery deployed in 2004–2005 to Iraq, serving as an MP unit, in the cities of Tikrit, Mosul, and Baqubah. SPC Allan J. Burgess was killed in action by a large VBIED (Vehicle Born Improvised Explosive Device) in the city of Mosul on October 15, 2004. The newly formed 237th MP CO deployed roughly 40 soldiers from 2007 to 2008 where they augment the NC 1159th MP CO in mentoring the Iraqi Police. Sergeant David Stelmat was killed in action along with four members of the NC national guard (in separate incidents). The 197th Field Artillery (FA) Brigade was ordered again into active Federal service on September 11, 2010, at Manchester. This time, they were deployed in Kuwait for Operation New Dawn. They were released from active Federal service October 15, 2011 and reverted to state control. During the 2010-2011 Kuwait Deployment for the 197 Fires Brigade (FIB) Chain of command was Commander- Colonel (Col) Peter Corey, Deputy Commander- Lieutenant Colonel (LTC) Mark W. Leahey, Executive Officer (XO)- LTC Daniel T. Wilson, and 197 FIB Command Sergeant Major (CSM) was CSM Thomas Considine. The New Hampshire units involved were Headquarters and Headquarters Battery (HHB), 3-197thFA, 3643rd, and 372nd Signal.
The 237th MP Co deployed to Afghanistan in 2013 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. There they provided base security and customs support to multiple locations throughout the country.[15]
The 744th T.C. was later renamed the 744th F.S.C. (Forward Support Company), and its garrison is located in Hillsborough, New Hampshire.
The 42nd Infantry Division (42ID) ("Rainbow") is a division of the United States Army National Guard. It was nicknamed the Rainbow Division because, during rapid mobilization for service in WW1, it was formed from 27 National Guard units from across the US. The division was engaged in four major operations between July 1918 and the armistice in November 1918, and demobilized in 1919. Since World War I, the 42nd Infantry Division has served in World War II and the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT).
The New Hampshire Militia was a militia of what is now the U.S. state of New Hampshire. First organized in 1631, it was redesignated as the New Hampshire National Guard in 1879.
The 198th Signal Battalion is an Expeditionary Signal Battalion in the Delaware Army National Guard. Delaware is known as the "First State," as referenced in their motto "First Regiment of First State." The unit specializes in command post node communications, providing broadband satellite voice and data connections for brigade sized battlefield elements. The unit includes Headquarters, Headquarters Company located in Wilmington, DE; A Company in Georgetown, DE; B Company in Hodges, SC; and C Company in Wilmington, DE. It is one of several National Guard units with colonial roots and campaign credit for the War of 1812.
1st New Hampshire Infantry Regiment filled its ranks within two weeks of President Lincoln's call for 70,000 men on April 15, 1861. Between April 17 and 30, 1861, not less than 2,004 men volunteered to fight for the Union in the American Civil War. The volunteers organized and mustered at "Camp Union," the Fair Grounds of the Merrimack County Agricultural Society on the east side of the Merrimack River, in Concord between May 1 and May 7, 1861. After the 1st NH was filled, volunteers were given their choice to enlist in the 2nd New Hampshire Volunteer Regiment or serve their three months as the garrison of Fort Constitution at Portsmouth Harbor. Four hundred and ninety-six (496) enlisted in the 2nd NH, and the remainder were sent to Fort Constitution.
The Oregon Army National Guard is a federally mandated and equipped military organization under the civilian direction of the Oregon Military Department, with the Governor of Oregon as its Commander-in-Chief. It responds to state and national emergencies, military conflicts and natural disasters, and conducts search and rescue operations. While the history of the militia dates back to the establishment of the first Oregon militia in 1843, the present Guard was not established until after 1903. The modern Guard includes citizen soldiers, and its motto is "When we are needed, we are there."
The New York Army National Guard is a component of the New York National Guard and the Army National Guard. Nationwide, the Army National Guard comprises approximately one half of the United States Army's available combat forces and approximately one third of its support organization. National coordination of various state National Guard units are maintained through the National Guard Bureau.
The Kansas Army National Guard is a component of the Army National Guard and the Kansas National Guard. Kansas Army National Guard units are trained and equipped as part of the United States Army. The same ranks and insignia are used and National Guardsmen are eligible to receive all United States military awards. The Kansas Guard also bestows a number of state awards for local services rendered in or to the state of Kansas. It is, along with the Kansas Air National Guard, an element of the Kansas National Guard.
The 50th Armored Division was a division of the Army National Guard from July 1946 until 1993.
The Utah National Guard comprises both Army and Air National Guard components. The Constitution of the United States specifically charges the National Guard with dual federal and state missions. The National Guard is the only United States military force empowered to function in a state status.
The Nebraska Army National Guard is a group of Army National Guard units in the U.S. state of Nebraska. The Adjutant General for these units is Major General Craig W. Strong, who assumed his new duties in July 2023.
The 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Mountain) ("The Vermont Brigade") is an Army National Guard light infantry brigade headquartered in Vermont. It was reorganized from an armored brigade into an Infantry Brigade Combat Team (IBCT) as part of the United States Army's transformation for the 21st century. The 86th IBCT utilizes the Army Mountain Warfare School, co-located at Ethan Allen Firing Range in Jericho, Vermont, to train in individual military mountaineering skills so the entire brigade can be skilled in such warfare. This large conventional unit level mountain warfare capability had been lost when the 10th Mountain Division deactivated after World War II. This left the 86th IBCT as the only mountain warfare unit in the U.S. military whose soldiers were trained in mountain warfare, with individual soldiers being graduates of Ranger School, the Special Forces Advanced Mountain Operations School, and the Army Mountain Warfare School instead of entire units that specialized in such tactics. "The Vermont Brigade" configured itself to be such a unit.
The 75th Field Artillery Brigade is an artillery brigade in the United States Army. It is currently based in Fort Sill, Oklahoma and supports the III Armored Corps. The brigade is officially tasked to train and prepares for combat; on orders deploys to any area of operations to plan, synchronize and execute combined, and joint fires and effects. Integrate attached ground and air maneuver forces and on order function as a maneuver headquarters in support of full spectrum operations.
The 197th Field Artillery Brigade is a field artillery brigade of the New Hampshire Army National Guard.
The 42nd Infantry Division Sustainment Brigade is a United States Army sustainment brigade of the 42nd Infantry Division of the New York Army National Guard headquartered out of the 369th Regiment Armory in Harlem, New York. This unit is descended from the 369th Infantry Regiment.
The 197th Infantry Brigade is an active Infantry brigade of the United States Army. The brigade was active as an Organized Reserve unit from 1921 to 1942, in the Regular Army from 1962 to 1991, and as a TRADOC training unit from 2007 to 2013. The brigade saw service in Operation Desert Storm with the 24th Infantry Division. On July 31, 2020, the brigade was activated as a training brigade in Fort Moore, Georgia, to serve the increased training needs of the army.
The 197th Field Artillery Regiment is a regiment in the New Hampshire Army National Guard.
The 103rd Field Artillery Regiment is a regiment of the United States Army. The only currently existing component is the 1st Battalion, 103rd Field Artillery Regiment, a unit of the Rhode Island National Guard. The regiment was originally constituted in 1917, but it descends from predecessor units dating back to 1801.
The 195th Infantry Regiment was a regiment of the United States Army, part of the New Hampshire Army National Guard.
The 172nd Cavalry Regiment is an armored cavalry regiment of the Vermont Army National Guard, with one battalion currently active. First organized in 1861, the regiment has seen combat in the American Civil War, World War I, World War II, and the War on Terror. Originally an infantry regiment, elements of the unit were consolidated with an antiaircraft unit in 1959 and converted into an armored regiment. In 1964, the remainder of the 172nd Infantry was consolidated with the 172nd Armor, as an armored regiment. In 2007, elements became an armored cavalry regiment. In 1982, a new infantry unit designated the 172nd Infantry Regiment was organized in the Vermont Army National Guard, but it is not lineally related to the previous 172nd Infantry/Cavalry, sharing the numerical designation only for historical purposes.
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