[1] Moved to France March 1918, armed there with 24 British-made 8-inch howitzers, served with the 32nd Brigade (CAC) on the Western Front, including support of I and IV Army Corps.

The regiment returned to the U.S. via the port of Hoboken, New Jersey, on 24 January 1919 aboard the USS Louisiana and was transferred to Camp Upton, New York, where the National Guard companies were demobilized.

Concurrently, the regiment was transferred to the Middleside Barracks at Fort Mills, and assigned to the Harbor Defenses of Manila and Subic Bays.

Although the 59th Coast Artillery was nominally designated as a tractor-drawn 155 mm gun regiment, its subordinate batteries were used to man the fixed harbor defense positions at Forts Mills, Hughes, Frank, and Drum in Manila Harbor and at Fort Wint in Subic Bay.

It operated at least the following batteries, at Fort Mills, Corregidor unless otherwise noted:[5] A gold color metal and enamel device 1+1⁄8 in (2.86 cm) in height overall consisting of a shield blazoned: Per fess vair and Argent, in base a thistle Proper.

Attached above from a wreath Argent and Azure a demi-lion rampant Gules grasping in dexter claw a sword Or.

[6] The motto translates to “We Defend.” The distinctive unit insignia was originally approved for the 59th Artillery Regiment on 15 August 1930.

On a wreath Argent and Azure a demi-lion rampant Gules armed and langued of the second grasping in dexter claw a sword Or.