History of the Army National Guard

LTC Eric Killen •The Army National Guard’s proud history predates the nation by 150 years.

•December 13, 1636, the acknowledged birthdate of the National Guard ( 3 x Regiments).

•18th Century, the militia and their role in winning the Revolutionary War became legendary. (From the 1st shots at Lexington and Concord in 1775, until defeat of British in 1783)

•Even with creation of U.S. Army in 1775, the nation kept the Militia as a parallel and viable part of the national defense.

•Militia Act of 1792, organized the Militia into a permanent structure within the states and also provided the President the authority to call into Fed service.

•In Wisconsin, as early as 1832, 600 Militiamen organized for Black Hawk War against the Sauk and Fox Indians. Wisconsin had only been a state since 1848 with an population of 775,000, raised 53 Infantry Regiments, 14 Artillery Regiments, and 4 Cavalry Regiments totaling 91,194 soldiers. Contemporary Wisconsin would have to today provide an army of 675,000.

Camp Randall was the largest of 13 training camps in Wisconsin

Alexander W. Randall, the first of four different Wisconsin Governors to serve during the Civil War. His successor, Louis P. Harvey tragically died in April 1862 during a visit to Wisconsin troops in Tennessee after falling from a riverboat into the Tennessee River.

GOV Randall Camp Randall Training Camp The Civil War - 1861-65 Color guard of the 2nd WI wearing Trademark “Hardee” hats

COL PVT John Moy 6th WI The Civil War – 1861-65 BG – Bde Cdr COL Lucius Fairchild – 2nd WI LTC Rufus Dawes – 6th WI

Iron Brigade Leaders

BG Rufus King was the first commander of the Brigade prior to it gaining fame as the “”.

COL Lucius Fairchild commanded the 2nd WI and lost his arm and 75% of his regiment at Gettysburg.

LTC Rufus Dawes commanded the 6th WI at Gettysburg and led a counter attack that resulted in the surrender of the 2nd Mississippi. The Civil War – 1861-65 “” and the 8th Wisconsin Color Guard

COL Hans Heg – 15th WI

2LT Arthur MacArthur – 24th WI Father & Son – 12th WI

The Civil War – 1861-65 The Spanish American War - 1898 Unidentified company of WI National Guard Soldiers in formation on the town’s main street prior to leaving for service in the Spanish American War. Ultimately, it was the National Guard, with five time the forces of the Regular Army, which provided the war fighting capability for the U.S. to conduct an overseas operation against the Spanish.

The Spanish American War - 1898 WI Soldiers enjoy time off

4th WI Regiment Officers

2nd or 3rd WI Regiment in Puerto Rico

3,289 U.S. dead – 126 WI dead

The Spanish American War - 1898 A spring 1916 attack by Mexican revolutionary forces, led by Francisco “Poncho” Villa, against The New Mexico town of Columbus Left 17 American dead. Within days 100,000 National Guard forces Including 4,000 from Wisconsin Began movement to the border To protect the towns and citizens.

Wisconsin Forces on the Border:

1st Infantry Regiment – 1,261 Soldiers 2nd Infantry Regiment – 1,297 Soldiers 3rd Infantry Regiment – 1,129 Soldiers Troop A, 1st Cavalry – 96 Troopers Battery A, 1st Artillery – 157 Soldiers The Mexican Border Crisis - 1916 2ndRegiment on parade – San Antonio

Camp Wilson struggling to stay dry

Enjoying a chicken dinner at Camp Wilson 1st Regiment on the march

The Mexican Border Crisis - 1916 Armored car of the 2nd Regiment WI soldier with goat and Maxim MG

Training with 1903 Springfields Mexican “revolutionary” or “bandit”

The Mexican Border Crisis - 1916 Camp MacArthur, TX outside Waco The 32nd Infantry Division was created on July 18th, 1917. When the U.S. entered the War in April 1917 it had no Divisions and Took immediate steps to transform Existing regiments into operational units Considered more capable of enduring the Hardships and horrific attrition of warfare On the Western Front.

From May 18 to Nov 11, 1918, the 32nd Fought on five different fronts in three offensives – the Aisne-Marne, Oise-Aisne, and Meuse-Argonne.

During its time in combat, the 32nd Advanced 38 Kms, defeated 23 German Divisions, and captured 2,000 prisoners all At the cost of more than 13,000 casualties.

Remarkably, 228 Soldiers earned the DSC

World War I – 1917-1918 127th Inf Soldiers moving to the front

AEF Cdr GEN Pershing & COL Robert McCoy

Engineers emplace a pontoon on Velse A warm meal after coming off the line

World War I – 1917-1918 121st MG Bn Resting near Juvignyy 32nd Soldiers delousing on Oct 21st Near Argonne Wood

Going to the rear after 21 days at front Rest stop during march into Germany

World War I – 1917-1918 MG Haan with wife and staff

Milwaukee welcome home parade June 5, 1919.

World War I – 1917-1918 32nd Soldiers enjoy refreshment from locals

Camp Livingston – home of the 32nd Division

32nd Soldier reports for pay Pass in review after 7 months training

World War II – 1941-45

32nd Soldiers advance at Buna

60mm mortar team in action

32nd Soldiers fire into a Japanese position 32nd Soldiers carry a wounded comrade

World War II – 1941-45 It was hard to stay dry in the Buna jungle LTG Eichelberger LTC LaFollette

U.S. tanks manned by Australians Japanese dead on Buna beach

World War II – 1941-45 Infantry load mortar rds CPT Hermann Boettcher

Exhausted Japanese Soldier

Natives moved wounded and supplies

GEN MacArthur in Port Moresby World War II – 1941-45 Inf Platoon after days of fighting on Villa Verde Trail

LTC Murphy & Japanese prisoners - Luzon

15 Aug, 1945 “Discontinue Offensive Action” 127th Infantry Regiment Officers World War II – 1941-45 In early 1961, Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev declared Portions of the city of Berlin closed to the co-occupying Forces of the U.S., Britain, and France.

President Kennedy in reaction mobilized elements of the National Guard and told the nation, “We do not want to Fight-but we have fought before… We cannot and will not Permit the communists to drive us out of Berlin.

On October 15, 1961, the 32nd Division was ordered to active duty. 21 years to the day after it was mobilized for WWII.

Berlin Crisis – 1961-62 32nd Troop Train collides with truck - Miles City

Fort Lewis, Washington

MG Herbert A. Smith 32nd Commander

Berlin Crisis – 1961-62 Leaky the Lion Private Ray Nitschke of the 32nd Division

Exercise Bristle-Cone Inspection – 4 months & declared ready Berlin Crisis – 1961-62 128th Infantry – Iraq 2004-05 1157th Trans Co in prayer before a mission Afghanistan 2012

Female Soldier – Cultural Support Team 121st Field Artillery – Afghanistan 2012

Global War on Terror – 2001 - Present THANK YOU!