Air Defense Artillery Branch

Air Defense Artillery branch
Air Defense Artillery branch
	Branch plaque
Active	1968; 56 years ago; to present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Army
Type	Combat Arms
Role	Air and Missile Defense
Patron	Saint Barbara
Motto(s)	"First to Fire"
Color	Scarlet
March	ADA March
Mascot(s)	Oozlefinch
Anniversaries	17 November 1775- The Continental Congress elected Henry Knox "Colonel of the Regiment of Artillery"
Insignia
Branch insignia

The Air Defense Artillery Branch is the air defense branch of the United States Army, specializing in the use of anti-aircraft weapons (such as surface-to-air missiles) to conduct anti-aircraft warfare operations. In the U.S. Army, these groups are composed of mainly air defense systems such as the Patriot Missile System, Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD), and the Avenger Air Defense system which fires the FIM-92 Stinger missile.

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The Air Defense Artillery branch descended from Anti-Aircraft Artillery (part of the U.S. Army Coast Artillery Corps until 1950, then part of the Artillery Branch) into a separate branch on 20 June 1968. On 1 December 1968, the ADA branch was authorized to wear modified Artillery insignia, crossed field guns with missile. The Branch Motto, "First To Fire", was adopted in 1986 by the attendees of the ADA Commanders' Conference at Fort Bliss. The motto refers to a speech given by General Jonathan Wainwright to veterans of the 200th Coast Artillery (Antiaircraft) stating they were the 'First to Fire' in World War II against the Empire of Japan.^[3]

According to the Army's Field Manual 3-01, the mission of Air Defense Artillery is "to protect the force and selected geopolitical assets from aerial attack, missile attack, and surveillance."^[4]

On 10 October 1917 an Antiaircraft Service in the American Expeditionary Force (AEF) was created at Arnouville-Les-Gonesse where an antiaircraft school was established. The antiaircraft units were organized as serially numbered battalions during the war, as follows:

1st Antiaircraft Battalion through the 10th Antiaircraft Battalion (redesignated as numbered antiaircraft sectors in November 1918, all demobilized by January 1919)^[5]
1st AA Machine Gun Battalion through the 6th AA Machine Gun Battalion. These units were organized by Col. James A. Shipton^[6] and were demobilized January–May 1919.^[7]

Coast Artillery role

The National Defense Act of 1920 formally assigned the air defense mission to the Coast Artillery Corps, and 4 battalions were organized in 1921. In 1924, under a major reorganization of the Coast Artillery, the battalions were reorganized as regiments. There were also 42 Organized Reserve antiaircraft regiments in 8 brigades; however, many of the Reserve units only had a small number of personnel assigned, and many were demobilized without activation during World War II.^[8]^[9]^[10]^[11]

(6) Regular Army anti-aircraft regiments
- 60th Coast Artillery (AA)
- 61st Coast Artillery (AA)
- 62nd Coast Artillery (AA)
- 63rd Coast Artillery (AA)
- 64th Coast Artillery (AA)
- 65th Coast Artillery (AA)
(13) National Guard AA regiments
- 197th Coast Artillery (AA) N.H.
- 198th Coast Artillery (AA) DE.
- 200th Coast Artillery (AA) N.M.
- 202nd Coast Artillery (AA) IL.
- 203rd Coast Artillery (AA) MO.
- 206th Coast Artillery (AA) AR.
- 207th Coast Artillery (AA) N.Y.
- 211th Coast Artillery (AA) MA.
- 212th Coast Artillery (AA) N.Y.
- 213th Coast Artillery (AA) PA.
- 214th Coast Artillery (AA) GA.
- 251st Coast Artillery (AA) CA.^[12]
- 369th Coast Artillery (AA) N.Y.

Expansion

In 1938 there were only six Regular Army and thirteen National Guard regiments, but by 1941 this had been expanded to 37 total regiments. In November 1942, 781 battalions were authorized. However, this number was pared down to 331 battalions by the end of the war. By late 1944 the regiments had been broken up into battalions and 144 "Antiaircraft Artillery Groups" had been activated; some of these existed only briefly.^[13]

The serially-numbered battalions in late World War II included the following types:

Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion
Antiaircraft Artillery Automatic Weapons Battalion
Antiaircraft Artillery Gun Battalion
Antiaircraft Artillery Searchlight Battalion
Barrage Balloon Battalion

and in the 1950s:

Antiaircraft Artillery Missile Battalion.

On 9 March 1942 Antiaircraft Command was established in Washington D.C. and 1944 the AAA school was moved to Fort Bliss.

Army Air Defense Command

Army Air Defense Command ran from 1957 to 1974.

In 1991 the Patriot missile was heavily utilized during the Gulf War. After this short skirmish ended Air Defense has not been involved in any significant combat actions due to lack of enemy air assets and/or missile technology.

In 2010 the United States Army Air Defense Artillery School was moved from Fort Bliss to Fort Sill.

The following lists all units that make up the Army's Air Defense Artillery Branch.^[14]

Army Air and Missile Defense Commands

More information Command, SSI ...

Command	Subordinate to	Garrison or Headquarters
10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command (10th AAMDC)	United States Army Europe	Sembach, Germany
32nd Army Air and Missile Defense Command (32nd AAMDC)	United States Army Forces Command	Fort Bliss, Texas
94th Army Air and Missile Defense Command (94th AAMDC)	United States Army Pacific	Fort Shafter, Hawaii
263rd Army Air and Missile Defense Command (263rd AAMDC)	South Carolina Army National Guard	Anderson, South Carolina

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Air Defense Artillery Brigades

More information Brigade, SSI ...

Brigade	Subordinate to	Garrison
11th Air Defense Artillery Brigade (ADAB)	32nd AAMDC	Fort Bliss, Texas
30th ADAB	Army Air Defense Artillery School	Fort Sill, Oklahoma
31st ADAB	32nd AAMDC	Fort Sill, Oklahoma
35th ADAB	Eighth United States Army / 94th AAMDC^[15]	Osan Air Base, South Korea
38th ADAB	94th AAMDC	Sagami General Depot, Japan
52nd ADAB^[16]^[17]	10th AAMDC	Sembach, Germany
69th ADAB	32nd AAMDC	Fort Cavazos, Texas
100th Missile Defense Brigade (MDB)	Army Space and Missile Defense Command / Colorado Army National Guard^[18]	Schriever Space Force Base, Colorado
108th ADAB	32nd AAMDC	Fort Liberty, North Carolina
164th ADAB	Florida Army National Guard	Orlando, Florida
174th ADAB	Ohio Army National Guard	Columbus, Ohio
678th ADAB	263rd AAMDC	Eastover, South Carolina

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Army Battalions

More information Unit, SSI ...

Unit	Subordinate to	Garrison	Equipment
1st Battalion, 1st Air Defense Artillery Regiment (1-1st ADAR)	38th ADAB	Kadena Air Base, Japan	MIM-104 Patriot
2nd Battalion 1st Air Defense Artillery Regiment (2–1st ADAR	35th ADAB	Camp Carroll, South Korea	MIM-104 Patriot
3–2nd ADAR	31st ADAB	Fort Sill, Oklahoma	MIM-104 Patriot
4–3rd ADAR	31st ADAB	Fort Sill, Oklahoma	MIM-104 Patriot
3–4th ADAR	108th ADAB	Fort Liberty, North Carolina	MIM-104 Patriot, AN/TWQ-1 Avenger, FIM-92 Stinger
5–4th ADAR	52nd ADAB	Ansbach, Germany	M-SHORAD
4–5th ADAR	69th ADAB	Fort Cavazos, Texas	MIM-104 Patriot
5–5th ADAR	31st ADAB	Fort Sill, Oklahoma	AN/TWQ-1 Avenger, C-RAM Counter Rocket Artillery and Mortar
2–6th ADAR	30th ADAB	Fort Sill, Oklahoma	AN/TWQ-1 Avenger, C-RAM Counter Rocket Artillery and Mortar
3–6th ADAR	30th ADAB	Fort Sill, Oklahoma	MIM-104 Patriot, THAAD Terminal High Altitude Area Defense
1–7th ADAR	108th ADAB	Fort Liberty, North Carolina	MIM-104 Patriot
5–7th ADAR	52nd ADAB	Baumholder, Germany	MIM-104 Patriot
1–43rd ADAR	11th ADAB	Fort Bliss, Texas	MIM-104 Patriot
2–43rd ADAR	11th ADAB	Fort Bliss, Texas	MIM-104 Patriot
3–43rd ADAR	11th ADAB	Fort Bliss, Texas	MIM-104 Patriot
1–44th ADAR	69th ADAB	Fort Cavazos, Texas	MIM-104 Patriot
2–44th ADAR	108th ADAB	Fort Campbell, Kentucky	AN/TWQ-1 Avenger, C-RAM Counter Rocket Artillery and Mortar
5–52nd ADAR	11th ADAB	Fort Bliss, Texas	MIM-104 Patriot
6–52nd ADAR	35th ADAB	Suwon Air Base, South Korea	MIM-104 Patriot, AN/TWQ-1 Avenger
1–56th ADAR	30th ADAB	Fort Sill, Oklahoma	Officer training
6–56th ADAR	1st Cavalry Division	Fort Cavazos, Texas	AN/TWQ-1 Avenger, Stryker M-SHORAD and "other systems."^[19]
1–57th ADAR	52nd ADAB	Ansbach, Germany	Stryker M-SHORAD
4–60th ADAR	1st Armored Division	Fort Sill, Oklahoma	Stryker M-SHORAD
1–62nd ADAR	69th ADAB	Fort Cavazos, Texas	MIM-104 Patriot

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Army Batteries

More information Unit, SSI ...

Unit	Subordinate to	Garrison	Equipment
A Battery, 2nd ADAR	11th ADAB	Fort Bliss, Texas	THAAD Terminal High Altitude Area Defense
B Battery, 2nd ADAR	11th ADAB	Fort Bliss, Texas	THAAD Terminal High Altitude Area Defense
D Battery, 2nd ADAR	35th ADAB	Osan Air Base, South Korea	THAAD Terminal High Altitude Area Defense
E Battery, 3rd ADAR	38th ADAB	Andersen Air Force Base, Guam	THAAD Terminal High Altitude Area Defense
A Battery, 4th ADAR	11th ADAB	Fort Bliss, Texas	THAAD Terminal High Altitude Area Defense
B Battery, 62nd ADAR	69th ADAB	Fort Cavazos, Texas	THAAD Terminal High Altitude Area Defense
E Battery, 62nd ADAR	69th ADAB	Fort Cavazos, Texas	THAAD Terminal High Altitude Area Defense

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National Guard Battalions

More information Unit, SSI ...

Unit	Subordinate to	Garrison	Part of	Equipment
49th Ground-Based Midcourse Defense Battalion	100th Missile Defense Brigade	Fort Greely, Alaska	Alaska Army National Guard	Ground-Based Interceptor
1–174 Air Defense Artillery (ADA)	174th ADAB	Cincinnati, Ohio	Ohio Army National Guard	AN/TWQ-1 Avenger
2-174 ADA	174th ADAB	McConnelsville, Ohio	Ohio Army National Guard	AN/TWQ-1 Avenger
1–188 ADA	Separate battalion	Grand Forks, North Dakota	North Dakota Army National Guard	AN/TWQ-1 Avenger
1–204 ADA	Separate battalion	Newton, Mississippi	Mississippi Army National Guard	AN/TWQ-1 Avenger
2-263 ADA	678th ADAB	Anderson, South Carolina	South Carolina Army National Guard	AN/TWQ-1 Avenger
1–265 ADA	164th ADAB	Palm Coast, Florida	Florida Army National Guard	AN/TWQ-1 Avenger
3–265 ADA	164th ADAB	Sarasota, Florida	Florida Army National Guard	AN/TWQ-1 Avenger

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The Shipton Award is named for Brigadier General James A. Shipton, who is acknowledged as the Air Defense Artillery Branch's founding father.^[20] Shipton felt that the mission of antiaircraft defense was not to down enemy aircraft, but instead to protect maneuver forces on the ground: "The purpose of anti-aviation defense is to protect our forces and establishments from hostile attack and observation from the air by keeping enemy airplanes [sic] at a distance." The Shipton Award recognizes an Air Defense Artillery professionals for outstanding performance individual thought, innovation, and contributions that result in significant contributions or enhances Air Defense Artillery's warfighting capabilities, morale, readiness, and maintenance.

Oozlefinch
Army Air Defense Command (United States) – more detail 1950–1974
Anti-Aircraft Command – British equivalent 1939–1955

[1]
US Department of Defense. DA PAM 670-1. 11 October 2017
[2]
"TIOH Air Defense Artillery branch page". Archived from the original on 16 March 2012. Retrieved 28 December 2011.
[3]
Hamilton, John. Blazing skies: Air Defense Artillery on Fort Bliss, 1940–2009. Washington D.C.: Government Printing Office. p. 279. ISBN 978-0-16-086949-5.
[4]
"Army Publishing Directorate". armypubs.army.mil.
[5]
Rinaldi, pp. 166–168
[6]
George Washington Cullum (1920). Biographical Register of the Officers and Graduates of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y.: 1–6810. Houghton, Mifflin. p. 624.
[7]
Rinaldi, p. 123
[8]
Berhow, pp. 437–442
[9]
"Coast Artillery Regiments 1–196 at CDSG" (PDF).
[10]
"National Guard Coast Artillery Regiments at CDSG" (PDF).
[11]
"Organized Reserve and Army of the United States Coast Artillery Regiments at CDSG" (PDF).
[12]
Bob MacDonald. "We Aim to Hit". California State Military Museum. California State Military Department. Retrieved 28 January 2012.
[13]
Stanton, pp. 434–481
[14]
"Air Defense Artillery" (PDF). Fort Sill. US Army Fires Center of Excellence. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 December 2017. Retrieved 6 November 2017.
[15]
"94th Army Air & Missile Defense Command". Archived from the original on 5 August 2012. Retrieved 13 February 2012.
[16]
Pfc. Yesenia, Cadavid (6 October 2022). "52nd Air Defense Artillery Brigade Activation Ceremony". US Army. Retrieved 8 October 2022.
[17]
"US Army's newest air defense brigade headquarters activates in Germany". United States European Command. Retrieved 8 October 2022.
[18]
"100th Ground-based Midcourse Defense Brigade". Colorado Army National Guard Official DoD Website. Colorado Army National Guard. Retrieved 3 August 2019.
[19]
Negrete, CPT Leopoldo. "Divisional SHORAD: Using Historical Examples to Build a Future Formation" (PDF). Retrieved 13 April 2024.
[20]
Stiller, Jesse H. (2010). "ADA Branch: A Proud Heritage" (PDF). Air Defense Artillery Online. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 July 2014.

Antiaircraft Artillery Battalions of the U.S. Army (Volumes 1,2) 1991 by James A. Sawicki ISBN 0-9602404-7-0
History of the 1st AA Battalion, Coast Artillery Corps in World War I
Berhow, Mark A., ed. (2004). American Seacoast Defenses, A Reference Guide (Second ed.). CDSG Press. ISBN 0-9748167-0-1.
Lieutenant Colonel Roy S. Barnard (The History of ARADCOM Volume I, The Gun Era:1950-1955)
LTC Barnard and Berle K. Hufford, ARADCOM Annual Reports from 1966-1973.
Morgan, Mark L.; Berhow, Mark A. (2010). Rings of Supersonic Steel: Air Defenses of the United States Army 1950–1979, 3rd Edition. Hole in the Head Press. ISBN 978-09761494-0-8.
Lieutenant Colonel Timothy Osato, Militia Missilemen: The Army National Guard in Air Defense - 1951 - 1967 (1968)
Rinaldi, Richard A. (2004). The U. S. Army in World War I: Orders of Battle. General Data LLC. ISBN 0-9720296-4-8.
Osato and Mrs. Sherryl Straup, ARADCOM's Florida Defenses in the Aftermath of the Cuban Missile Crisis: 1963-1968 (1968)
Stanton, Shelby L. (1991). World War II Order of Battle. Galahad Books. ISBN 0-88365-775-9.

U.S. Army Air Defense Artillery lineage website Archived 17 January 2011 at the Wayback Machine
ADA museum at Fort Sill Archived 28 January 2021 at the Wayback Machine
The Fort MacArthur Museum Association: Air Defense Units in LA – 47th Brigade at Fort McArthur, Calif.
some details on U.S. Army Air Defense Command (ARADCOM)

[1] [1]
US Department of Defense. DA PAM 670-1. 11 October 2017

[2] [2]
"TIOH Air Defense Artillery branch page". Archived from the original on 16 March 2012. Retrieved 28 December 2011.

[3] [3]
Hamilton, John. Blazing skies: Air Defense Artillery on Fort Bliss, 1940–2009. Washington D.C.: Government Printing Office. p. 279. ISBN 978-0-16-086949-5.

[4] [4]
"Army Publishing Directorate". armypubs.army.mil.

[5] [5]
Rinaldi, pp. 166–168

[6] [6]
George Washington Cullum (1920). Biographical Register of the Officers and Graduates of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y.: 1–6810. Houghton, Mifflin. p. 624.

[7] [7]
Rinaldi, p. 123

[8] [8]
Berhow, pp. 437–442

[9] [9]
"Coast Artillery Regiments 1–196 at CDSG" (PDF).

[10] [10]
"National Guard Coast Artillery Regiments at CDSG" (PDF).

[11] [11]
"Organized Reserve and Army of the United States Coast Artillery Regiments at CDSG" (PDF).

[12] [12]
Bob MacDonald. "We Aim to Hit". California State Military Museum. California State Military Department. Retrieved 28 January 2012.

[13] [13]
Stanton, pp. 434–481

[14] [14]
"Air Defense Artillery" (PDF). Fort Sill. US Army Fires Center of Excellence. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 December 2017. Retrieved 6 November 2017.

[15] [15]
"94th Army Air & Missile Defense Command". Archived from the original on 5 August 2012. Retrieved 13 February 2012.

[16] [16]
Pfc. Yesenia, Cadavid (6 October 2022). "52nd Air Defense Artillery Brigade Activation Ceremony". US Army. Retrieved 8 October 2022.

[17] [17]
"US Army's newest air defense brigade headquarters activates in Germany". United States European Command. Retrieved 8 October 2022.

[18] [18]
"100th Ground-based Midcourse Defense Brigade". Colorado Army National Guard Official DoD Website. Colorado Army National Guard. Retrieved 3 August 2019.

[19] [19]
Negrete, CPT Leopoldo. "Divisional SHORAD: Using Historical Examples to Build a Future Formation" (PDF). Retrieved 13 April 2024.

[20] [20]
Stiller, Jesse H. (2010). "ADA Branch: A Proud Heritage" (PDF). Air Defense Artillery Online. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 July 2014.

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