New Hampshire Army National Guard

New Hampshire Army National Guard

Seal of the Army National Guard
Active 1680
Country  United States
Allegiance  New Hampshire
Branch Army National Guard
New Hampshire Department of Defense, Veterans, and Emergency Management
Part of New Hampshire National Guard
Garrison/HQ Concord, NH
Commanders
Current
commander
Brigadier General Craig Bennett[1]

The New Hampshire Army National Guard was created in 1680 by New Hampshire governor John Cutt.

History

New Hampshire National Guard in 1940

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]

During World War II the New Hampshire Army National Guardsmen fought in the European and Pacific theaters. One of the elements of the 197th Field Artillery received the Philippine Republic Presidential Unit Citation dated October 17, 1944, to July 4, 1945, being part of the forces that liberated the Philippines from the Japanese imperial forces.[3]

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.[4]

In 1991, the 744 Transportation Company (T.C.) was deployed to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Iraq during the Gulf War. The 744 T.C., 6th Transportation Battalion, 2nd Corp Support Command- 2nd COSCOM, VII Corps, US Army, was awarded the U.S. Army Meritorious Unit Commendation for their service in the Gulf War. Captain Timothy Ainsworth was the 744 T.C. Commander.[5]

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.[6]

From 2004-2005, 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.[7] The 2nd Battalion 197th Artillery deployed in 2004-2005 to Iraq, serving as an MP unit, in the cities of Tikrit, Mosul, and Baqubah. 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.[8]

Major commands

Historic units

See also

References

  1. "New Hampshire Army National Guard Magazine" (PDF). Retrieved 9 Sep 2011.
  2. "Department of the Army Lineage and Honors". Retrieved 30 November 2015.
  3. "Department of the Army Lineage and Honors". Retrieved 30 November 2015.
  4. "Brief History of Army National Guard Mobilization". National Guard Educational Foundation. Retrieved 28 Feb 2013.
  5. "New Hampshire Army National Guard". Global Security. Retrieved 28 Feb 2013.
  6. "New Hampshire Army National Guard". Global Security. Retrieved 9 Sep 2011.
  7. "U.S. and Coalition Casualties". CNN. Retrieved 28 Feb 2013.
  8. = 27 Mar 2016 "Annual History, 197 Fire Brigade New Hampshire National Guard, 1 October 2010-30 September 2011" Check |url= value (help). 197 FA Brigade.
  9. https://www.nh.ngb.army.mil/community/cst

Further reading

External links

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