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A R M Y  N A T I O N A L  G U A R D  H I S T O R Y

     The first units of the Massachusetts Militia were organized in Plymouth in 1621, Salem in 1629 and in Boston in 1630. Town militia companies were organized into three permanent militia regiments on 13 December 1636. This date marks the birth of the Massachusetts National Guard and is observed as the birth date of the National Guard of the U.S.

         The Revolutionary War began on 19 April 1775 when units of the Massachusetts Militia engaged British troops at Lexington, Concord and the retreat to Boston. The US Army was born in Cambridge in June 1775 when militia units entered service as regiments of the Continental Army. Massachusetts provided more regiments for the Continental Army than any other state.

     The Massachusetts Militia took part briefly in the War of 1812 and the Mexican War, however, its real challenge took place in April 1861 when President Lincoln called on the states to provide militia to put down the insurrection and to protect Washington. Massachusetts was the first state to mobilize and deploy its regiments to the national capital. The Massachusetts Militia raised some 71 regiments that fought in nearly every major battle of the Civil War.
    
    Massachusetts units fought in Cuba and Puerto Rico during the Spanish-American War. National Guard units from the state also helped to secure the border with Mexico in 1916. During World War I, the National Guard of the New England states organized the 26th “Yankee” Division which was the first full American division to deploy to France and was rated as one of the top AEF divisions. After the war, the 26th became a completely Massachusetts organization.
In January 1941, the 26th was mobilized for World War II service and took part in four campaigns in the ETO. Other Massachusetts units fought in the Pacific as part of the Americal Division.

     The Massachusetts Air National Guard was born on 18 November 1921 when the 101st Observation Squadron was organized. After World War II, the Air Guard expanded to include the 102d and 104th Fighter Wings.  Massachusetts National Guard units participated in the Korean and Vietnam Wars. During the Berlin Crisis of 1961, virtually the entire Air Guard was mobilized along with Army Guard units. During the Gulf War of 1991, seven Massachusetts units mobilized and supported operations in Iraq.

     On 11 September 2001, two F-15s of the 102d Fighter Wing flew supersonically in a vain attempt to intercept two commercial aircraft that were hijacked. Since that day, some 5,000 Massachusetts Guard men and women have served in the Global War on Terrorism in the U.S. and Afghanistan while others have mobilized for service in Iraq.

Air National Guard History