The Delaware Army National Guard is a component of the

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary Land warfare, land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of th ...

and the

United States National Guard The National Guard is a U.S. state, state-based military force that becomes part of the United States Armed Forces, U.S. military's reserve components of the United States Armed Forces, reserve components of the United States Army, U.S. Army a ...

. National coordination of various state National Guard units are maintained through the National Guard Bureau. The Delaware Army National Guard maintains 15 armories in 12 communities. Delaware Army National Guard units are trained and equipped as part of the United States Army. The same ran ks and insignia are used and National Guardsmen are eligible to receive all United States military awards. The Delaware Guard also bestows a number of state awards for local services rendered in or to the state of

Delaware Delaware ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic and South Atlantic states, South Atlantic regions of the United States. It borders Maryland to its south and west, Pennsylvania to its north, New Jersey ...

History

The Delaware Army National Guard traces its origins back to August 31, 1655, when Swedish settlers were asked to take up arms to defend the colony against a Dutch attack on

Fort Christina Fort Christina, also called Fort Altena, was the first Sweden, Swedish settlement in North America and the principal settlement of the New Sweden colony. Built in 1638 and named after Christina, Queen of Sweden, it was located approximately 1&nb ...

. During the American Revolution, Delaware's First Regiment fought with General George Washington at the Battle of Long Island. In the War of 1812 all Delaware volunteer units saw service at

Lewes Lewes () is the county town of East Sussex, England. The town is the administrative centre of the wider Lewes (district), district of the same name. It lies on the River Ouse, Sussex, River Ouse at the point where the river cuts through the Sou ...

, where they comprised the bulk of force that drove off a British naval squadron seeking control of the Delaware River. The 198th Signal Battalion (ARNG DE), which traces its lineage to three militia units that were federalized during the War of 1812, is one of only nineteen Army National Guard units with campaign credit for the War of 1812. In the Mexican War (1846–1847), the Federal Government would not accept volunteer companies but the Delaware volunteers were not content to stay home. After much red tape, a statewide composite unit was formed. They fought with distinction in the battles of Contreras, Cherubusco, Molino del Ray and Chapultepec where there were almost twice as many Delaware volunteers present as marines. The unit lost so many men in these actions it became known as "The Bloody 11th." Delaware National Guard Marksmen compete in the MAC II Regional Marksmanship Sustainment Exercise 140822-Z-ZB970-117

Delaware National Guard Marksmen compete in the MAC II Regional Marksmanship Sustainment Exercise 140822-Z-ZB970-117

The Militia Act of 1903 organized the various

state State most commonly refers to: * State (polity), a centralized political organization that regulates law and society within a territory **Sovereign state, a sovereign polity in international law, commonly referred to as a country **Nation state, a ...

militia A militia ( ) is a military or paramilitary force that comprises civilian members, as opposed to a professional standing army of regular, full-time military personnel. Militias may be raised in times of need to support regular troops or se ...

s into the present National Guard system. One of the units formed since was the 198th Coast Artillery (AA), which traces its history to the three militia units referred to above. During this time, the Distinctive Insignia was designed and introduced. Designed by PVT T.S. Passwaters in 1905, the Distinctive Insignia depicts a crudely drawn Griffin, a nod to the rich history and tradition of the state of

. In response to the Wilmington riot of 1968, following the April 4 assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., Wilmington Mayor John Babiarz asked Governor Charles L. Terry Jr. for support from the National Guard. One week later, Mayor Babiarz requested the National Guard troops be withdrawn, but Governor Terry refused, and kept them in the city until his term ended in January, 1969. This is reportedly the longest occupation of an American city by state forces in the nation's history. In the aftermath of the occupation, recruiting offices of all military branches were removed from locations within the city limits until the early 2000s. In the 1980s, aviation regiments began forming in both the regular Army and the National Guard. The 150th Aviation Regiment was created in Delaware from the 150th Aviation Battalion of the 50th Armored Division. Following the terror attacks of September 11, 2001, numerous units of the Delaware Army National Guard have deployed to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Iraq in support of

Operation Iraqi Freedom The Iraq War (), also referred to as the Second Gulf War, was a prolonged conflict in Iraq lasting from 2003 to 2011. It began with the invasion by a United States-led coalition, which resulted in the overthrow of the Ba'athist governm ...

and

Operation Enduring Freedom Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) was the official name used by the U.S. government for both the first stage (2001–2014) of the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021) and the larger-scale Global War on Terrorism. On 7 October 2001, in response ...

. Troops from both the Delaware Army and Air National Guard volunteered to support disaster relief operations in Louisiana and Mississippi in the aftermath of

Hurricane Katrina Hurricane Katrina was a powerful, devastating and historic tropical cyclone that caused 1,392 fatalities and damages estimated at $125 billion in late August 2005, particularly in the city of New Orleans and its surrounding area. ...

in 2005. "Operation Arctic Vengeance I and II" saw over 300 DEARNG Soldiers volunteer to support the State of Emergency declared by Gov.

Jack Markell Jack Alan Markell (born November 26, 1960) is an American politician and diplomat. He had served the United States ambassador both to Italy and to San Marino. He had served as the United States ambassador to the Organisation for Economic Co-oper ...

following a pair of debilitating snowstorms from Feb. 7 through Feb. 12, 2010. DEARNG troops completed over 250 missions assisting local and state agencies with including Emergency Medical Services, fire calls, law enforcement, dialysis patient transport and civilian transport to warming stations. National Guard units can be mobilized at any time by presidential order to supplement regular armed forces, and upon declaration of a

state of emergency A state of emergency is a situation in which a government is empowered to put through policies that it would normally not be permitted to do, for the safety and protection of its citizens. A government can declare such a state before, during, o ...

by the

governor A governor is an politician, administrative leader and head of a polity or Region#Political regions, political region, in some cases, such as governor-general, governors-general, as the head of a state's official representative. Depending on the ...

of the state in which they serve.

Units c.2012

Governors Twenty Match 150912-A-GL773-225

*Joint Forces Headquarters - a Detachment-sized unit which comprises the Headquarters elements of both Army and Air National Guards for the state. * 261SigBdeSSI

261st Theater Tactical Signal Brigade ** Headquarters and Headquarters Company (HHC) - Deployed in support of

at Camp Victory, Iraq from October 2008 through September 2009. ** 198th Signal Battalion - deployed to

Iraq Iraq, officially the Republic of Iraq, is a country in West Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to Iraq–Saudi Arabia border, the south, Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq border, the east, the Persian Gulf and ...

in October 2006; scheduled 12-month deployment. Returned successfully and safely with numerous awards. *72nd Troop Command (Brigade) **Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment (HHD) **721st Troop Command (Battalion) ***Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment (HHD) ***262d Maintenance Company - Deployed to

Summer of 2009 with a Convoy Security mission. Returned to Delaware and released from active duty April 18, 2010. ***160th Engineer Company - a platoon-sized element returned from a 14-month deployment in

in November 2006. ***150th Engineer Detachment (formerly 249th Engineer Detachment) - 249th deployed to

at the onset of

, providing some of the first reconstruction efforts following the fall of the Hussein regime. ***1049th Transportation Company (formerly 945th Quartermaster Company) - 945th deployed in the early years of Operation Iraqi freedom. The unit trained in anticipation of deployment late in 2010. **722d Troop Command (Battalion) ***Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment (HHD) *** 153d Military Police Company - Deployed to Saudi Arabia in 2002–2003 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Deployed to Iraq in support of OIF from June 2007 through May 2008. Deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in 2013. ***287th Army Band *** 238 Avn Rgt DUI

3d Battalion (General Support), 238th Aviation Regiment ****Company A (Command Aviation), 3d Battalion, 238th Aviation Regiment (formerly the 1st Battalion, 150th Aviation Regiment - Mobilized May 2004 Operation Iraq Freedom) - Mobilized November 2010 Afghanistan Operation Enduring Freedom XI, 2013 Kuwait Operation Enduring Freedom Kuwait. ****Det 1, Headquarters Headquarters Company, 3d Battalion, 238th Aviation Regiment ****Det 1, Company D, 3d Battalion, 238th Aviation Regiment ****Det 1, Company E, 3d Battalion, 238th Aviation Regiment *** 126 Avn Rgt DUI

1st Battalion (General Support), 126th Aviation Regiment ****Det 1 Company C, 1st Battalion (Medical Evacuation), 126th Aviation Regiment - Formerly the 121st Medical Company (Air Ambulance) - Mobilized for two years at Fort Lewis, WA. The 121st was one of the last Army Aviation units to fly the UH-1 Iroquois "Huey" helicopter. ****Det 3, Company D, 1st Battalion (General Support), 126th Aviation Regiment ****Det 3, Company E, 1st Battalion (General Support), 126th Aviation Regiment ***101st Public Affairs Detachment (formerly 444th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment) - Deployed to Germany for 6 months 1996; mobilized at Fort Dix, NJ February 2002 through September 2004. ** 31st Civil Support Team (WMD) **193d Regiment (Regional Training Institute) located at Bethany Beach Training Site, 193d RTI is the host of the state

Officer Candidate School An officer candidate school (OCS) is a military school which trains civilians and Enlisted rank, enlisted personnel in order for them to gain a Commission (document), commission as Commissioned officer, officers in the armed forces of a country. H ...

and Recruit Sustainment Program and has facilities to support a variety of training for both Army and Air National Guard units. **Embedded Training Team (ETT) - In addition to the above permanent units, an Embedded Training Team (ETT) consisting of eleven Delaware Army National Guard Soldiers from units all over the state mobilized for pre-deployment training in January 2010. The Delaware troops were joined by nine soldiers from the Vermont, Alabama, New Jersey and Puerto Rico National Guards and deployed to Afghanistan in the spring of 2010. The ETT's mission is to assist in training and mentoring

Afghan National Army The Islamic National Army (, ), also referred to as the Islamic Emirate Army and the Afghan Army, is the army, land force branch of the Afghan Armed Forces. The roots of an army in Afghanistan can be traced back to the early 18th century when th ...

units and soldiers.

References

External links

Official website
accessed 20 Nov 2006

compiled by the

United States Army Center of Military History The United States Army Center of Military History (CMH) is a directorate within the United States Army Training and Doctrine Command. The Institute of Heraldry remains within the Office of the Administrative Assistant to the Secretary of the Arm ...

{{US Army navbox United States Army National Guard by state Military in Delaware

History

Units c.2012

See also

References

External links