Arkansas National Guard and World War II
During World War II, the entire Arkansas National Guard was activated and units saw duty in the Pacific and European theaters of conflict.
A campaign was launched in January 1920 by bringing the Regimental Commander and a group of officers and enlisted soldiers who toured through 64 of the state's largest cities to raise awareness and support of the National Guard.
[2] A key piece of Federal Legislation governing the organization of the National Guard had been passed during the buildup to World War I.
From 1920 to 1922 various meetings were conducted at the state and regional level to determine what troops and units would be allotted to the Arkansas National Guard.
[7] The newly formed 206th Coast Artillery took its coat of arms from Chaumont, one of the principal towns in the Department of Haute-Marne, France, where the 141st Machine Gun Battalion was stationed during World War I.
The Secretary of War granted the state a revocable license for the camp, which was accepted by Governor Thomas C. McRae on December 22, 1922.
[17] Governor John E. Martineau called up the 10 officers and 50 enlisted members of the 154th Observation Squadron, Arkansas National Guard, to help locate stranded flood victims as well as to deliver food, medicines and supplies to them and relief workers.
The flood relief work of the 154th underscores the long-standing but little understood history of Air National Guard units and their pre-World War II antecedents in supporting civil authorities.
[17] After the various re-stationing, creation and re-constitution of units, the Arkansas National Guard consisted of the following units on the eve of World War II:[18] State Headquarters and Detachment 153rd Infantry Regiment 206th Coast Artillery Regiment (Anti Aircraft) 154th Observation Squadron, Air Corps 142nd Field Artillery Regiment During the buildup to World War II, while the nation was still wavering on the question of whether to enter another European War, President Roosevelt took the precaution of mobilizing the National Guard for what was originally described as one year of training.
In all 272 officers and 41496 enlisted men of the Arkansas National Guard were mustered into Federal Service for World War II.
[20] After extensive stateside training, the majority of the squadron departed New York City and arrived in North Africa November 8, 1942.
[21] The airplanes arrived in early December, having flown from Florida to South America and across the Southern Atlantic via Ascension Island to Africa.
The 153rd Infantry Regiment was ordered to active duty on December 23, 1940, as a part of a one-year mobilization of the National Guard in preparation for World War II, and spent the next 10 days at what is now the University of Central Arkansas.
[22] The 153rd was awarded the following Campaign Participation Credit: The 206th Coast Artillery Regiment (CA) was inducted into Federal service 6 January 1941 at home stations as a part of a one-year mobilization of the National Guard in preparation for World War II.
A Japanese task force led by Admiral Kakuji Kakuta bombed Dutch Harbor on Unalaska Island twice, once on June 3 and again the following day.
[27] The highest casualties on the first day occurred when bombs struck barracks 864 and 866 in Fort Mears, killing Seventeen men of the 37th Infantry and eight from the 151st Engineers.
When the Japanese returned on June 4, the Zeros concentrated on strafing the gun positions while their bombers destroyed the full tanks located at the harbor.
Driven away from these two targets by intense anti aircraft fire, they finally succeeded in destroying the Northwestern which, because of its large size they mistakenly believed was a warship.
[30] With the threat to the Aleutian Islands at an end, the Regiment was redeployed to Fort Bliss in March 1944, deactivated and personnel were reassigned.
The 206th was awarded the following Campaign Participation Credit: The 142nd Field Artillery Regiment was inducted into Federal service on 6 January 1941, at Fayetteville.
[33] The 936th Field Artillery Battalion left Camp Bowie August 9, 1943, arrived in Algiers September 2, 1943, and landed in Naples, Italy November 11, 1943.
It had fired 139,364 rounds in combat and was awarded battle streamers for the following campaigns: The 937th Field Artillery Battalion left Camp Bowie on August 10, 1943, arrived in Algiers September 2, 1943, and landed in Naples, Italy November 11, 1943.
One of vessels carrying the 937th FA was hit by a German bomber resulting in 1 KIA, 2 MIA, 83 WIA and the loss of the fire direction equipment and one battery of howitzers.
The State Guard responded to fires, tornados, and floods at Fort Smith, Little Rock, Pine Bluff, Texarkana and Batesville during the War.
[35] This list is intended to include all known Arkansas National Guardsmen who died during combat operations in support of World War II.
