Indiana National Guard
Encyclopedia
The Indiana National Guard is the armed force of the state of Indiana
. It consists of the Indiana Army National Guard and the Indiana Air National Guard, and is part of the larger Army National Guard
and the Air National Guard
. With roots dating back to 1801, the origination of the guard was first began in 1846 during the Mexican American War, and was reorganized into its current configuration in 1903. Since then the guard has served at home and abroad as a part of multiple wars, disaster relief actions, and putting down strikes and riots. The Indiana National Guard is supported by the state's official militia force, the Indiana Guard Reserve
.
The Indiana Army National Guard consists of the 11,000 strong 38th Infantry Division, 219th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade
, and the 76th Infantry Brigade Combat Team
. The Indiana Air National Guard
consists of the 122nd Fighter Wing and the 181st Intelligence Wing
.
The Indiana National Guard comprises both Army and Air National Guard components. The Constitution of the United States specifically charges the National Guard with dual federal and state missions. In fact, the National Guard is the only United States military force empowered to function in a state status. Those functions range from limited actions during non-emergency situations to full scale law enforcement of martial law
when local law enforcement officials can no longer maintain civil control.
The National Guard may be called into federal service in response to a call by the President or Congress.
The Indiana Army National Guard is composed of approximately 15,000 soldiers, maintaining 69 armories in 69 communities (as of January 2009).
When National Guard troops are called to federal service, the President serves as Commander-In-Chief. The federal mission assigned to the National Guard is: "To provide properly trained and equipped units for prompt mobilization for war, National emergency or as otherwise needed."
The Governor may call individuals or units of the Indiana National Guard into state service during emergencies or to assist in special situations which lend themselves to use of the National Guard. The state mission assigned to the National Guard is:
"To provide trained and disciplined forces for domestic emergencies or as otherwise provided by state law."
The State Defense force is a military entity authorized by both the State Code of Indiana and Executive Order. The State Defense Force (SDF) is the state’s authorized militia and assumes the state mission of the Indiana National Guard in the event the Guard is mobilized. The SDF comprises retired active and reserve military personnel and selected professional persons who volunteer their time and talents in further service to their state.
The Indiana Army National Guard is a component of the United States Army
and the United States National Guard
. Nationwide, the Army National Guard
comprises approximately one half of the US Army's available combat forces and approximately one third of its support organization. National coordination of various state National Guard units are maintained through the National Guard Bureau.
Indiana Army National Guard units are trained and equipped as part of the United States Army. The same ran
ks
and insignia are used and National Guardsmen are eligible to receive all United States military awards
. The Indiana Guard also bestows a number of state awards
for local services rendered in or to the state of Indiana
.
to supplement regular armed forces, and upon declaration of a state of emergency
by the governor
of the state in which they serve. Unlike Army Reserve
members, National Guard members cannot be mobilized individually (except through voluntary transfers and Temporary DutY Assignments TDY), but only as part of their respective units. However, there has been a significant amount of individual activations to support military operations (2001-?); the legality of this policy is a major issue within the National Guard.
", with a portion working for the Guard in a full-time capacity. The current forces formation plans of the US Army call for the typical National Guard unit (or National Guardsman) to serve one year of active duty for every three years of service. More specifically, current Department of Defense
policy is that no Guardsman will be involuntarily activated for a total of more than 24 months (cumulative) in one six year enlistment period (this policy is due to change 1 August 2007, the new policy states that soldiers will be given 24 months between deployments of no more than 24 months, individual states have differing policies).
, which in turn is part of the Air National Guard of the United States, and a reserve component of the United States Air Force
(USAF). It consists of one F-16 Fighter Wing and one Intelligence Wing.
The first is the 122nd Fighter Wing, which is based at Fort Wayne International Airport
in Fort Wayne. The other unit is the 181st Intelligence Wing
, which is based at Terre Haute International Airport
in Terre Haute. The 122nd Fighter Wing consists of the 163rd Fighter Squadron
, which flies A-10 Thunderbolt II
. The 181st Fighter Wing used to fly the F-16 with the 137th Intelligence Squadron and has now been assigned a new mission as the 181st Intelligence Wing.
in the 17th century. The French soon established trading posts and villages. These remote outposts were defended by local militia and Native American alliances. In 1778, during the American Revolutionary War
, the militia of Vincennes, Indiana
declared for the United States, and local militia Captain François Riday Busseron
commissioned the first American flag in Indiana
. The Vincennes militia and Piankeshaw
warriors resisted Lt-Governor Henry Hamilton, and in 1779 they supplied and supported United States forces under George Rogers Clark
.
The Indiana Army National Guard traces its unbroken history to 1801, when William Henry Harrison
, Governor
of the Indiana Territory
, formed a voluntary militia to defend against the aggressive actions of some of the Native American tribes in the vast territory. The Indiana Rangers
were formed in 1807. The militia and rangers participated in a major action in the 1811 Battle of Tippecanoe
, and many participated in the invasion of Canada
in the War of 1812
.
Indiana units were first officially called to national action in 1840s to serve as part of the army for the invasion of Mexico
during the Mexican-American War. An Indiana regiment played a critical role in the Battle of Buena Vista
, a critical battle that routed the entire Mexican Army and open the way for a rapid occupation of the country.
Indiana regiments were again called to national action in the American Civil War
, the costliest engagement in terms of lives the state was ever involved in. Indiana in the war
committed over 200,000 soldiers and casualties topped 35% among the men. During the war several regiments where mustered for duty on the home front creating the Indiana Legion which officially separated the militia from the army regiments. The state's regiments were renamed the Indiana National Guard in 1895.
Regiments from the guard first went overseas in the 1898 Spanish-American War
, serving in the initial occupation of the Philippines
. The Militia Act of 1903
organized the various state
militia
s into the present National Guard system. In 1916 units were mobilized to patrol the Mexican Border in response to aggressive actions by the Mexican Government, but no action occurred. The next year the entire guard was mobilized and many sent into action as part of World War I
, most men being deployed to France
.
The guard was again called on during the Great Depression
to suppress worker strikes and riots in Northern and Central Indiana, and was sent overseas again during World War II
. The guard continued to see action in the second half of the 20th century, serving in the Korean War
, Vietnam War
, the Gulf War
, and the Iraqi War.
Well-known Indiana
guardsmen include former Vice President
Dan Quayle
, who served as a sergeant
during the Vietnam War
time period.
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
. It consists of the Indiana Army National Guard and the Indiana Air National Guard, and is part of the larger Army National Guard
Army National Guard
Established under Title 10 and Title 32 of the U.S. Code, the Army National Guard is part of the National Guard and is divided up into subordinate units stationed in each of the 50 states, three territories and the District of Columbia operating under their respective governors...
and the Air National Guard
Air National Guard
The Air National Guard , often referred to as the Air Guard, is the air force militia organized by each of the fifty U.S. states, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the territories of Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia of the United States. Established under Title 10 and...
. With roots dating back to 1801, the origination of the guard was first began in 1846 during the Mexican American War, and was reorganized into its current configuration in 1903. Since then the guard has served at home and abroad as a part of multiple wars, disaster relief actions, and putting down strikes and riots. The Indiana National Guard is supported by the state's official militia force, the Indiana Guard Reserve
Indiana Guard Reserve
The Indiana Guard Reserve, formerly the Liberty Guard and the Indiana Legion, is a militia force that serves as the State Defense Force of the State of Indiana. The Indiana Guard Reserve serves under the exclusive authority of the Governor of the State of Indiana through his executive agent for...
.
The Indiana Army National Guard consists of the 11,000 strong 38th Infantry Division, 219th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade
219th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade
The 219th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade is a Battlefield Surveillance Brigade in the US Army National Guard. It is part of the Indiana Army National Guard...
, and the 76th Infantry Brigade Combat Team
76th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (United States)
The 76th Infantry Brigade Combat Team is a modular infantry brigade of the United States Army National Guard of Indiana...
. The Indiana Air National Guard
Indiana Air National Guard
The Indiana Air National Guard is the air force militia of the U.S. state of Indiana. It is, along with the Indiana Army National Guard, an element of the Indiana National Guard.-Mission:...
consists of the 122nd Fighter Wing and the 181st Intelligence Wing
181st Intelligence Wing
The United States Air Force's 181st Intelligence Wing is a unit located at Hulman Field, Terre Haute, Indiana. It is one of six Air National Guard wings that works with the Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Agency.-Mission:...
.
Indiana Army National Guard
Martial law
Martial law is the imposition of military rule by military authorities over designated regions on an emergency basis— only temporary—when the civilian government or civilian authorities fail to function effectively , when there are extensive riots and protests, or when the disobedience of the law...
when local law enforcement officials can no longer maintain civil control.
The National Guard may be called into federal service in response to a call by the President or Congress.
The Indiana Army National Guard is composed of approximately 15,000 soldiers, maintaining 69 armories in 69 communities (as of January 2009).
When National Guard troops are called to federal service, the President serves as Commander-In-Chief. The federal mission assigned to the National Guard is: "To provide properly trained and equipped units for prompt mobilization for war, National emergency or as otherwise needed."
The Governor may call individuals or units of the Indiana National Guard into state service during emergencies or to assist in special situations which lend themselves to use of the National Guard. The state mission assigned to the National Guard is:
"To provide trained and disciplined forces for domestic emergencies or as otherwise provided by state law."
The State Defense force is a military entity authorized by both the State Code of Indiana and Executive Order. The State Defense Force (SDF) is the state’s authorized militia and assumes the state mission of the Indiana National Guard in the event the Guard is mobilized. The SDF comprises retired active and reserve military personnel and selected professional persons who volunteer their time and talents in further service to their state.
The Indiana Army National Guard is a component of the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
and the United States National Guard
United States National Guard
The National Guard of the United States is a reserve military force composed of state National Guard militia members or units under federally recognized active or inactive armed force service for the United States. Militia members are citizen soldiers, meaning they work part time for the National...
. Nationwide, the Army National Guard
Army National Guard
Established under Title 10 and Title 32 of the U.S. Code, the Army National Guard is part of the National Guard and is divided up into subordinate units stationed in each of the 50 states, three territories and the District of Columbia operating under their respective governors...
comprises approximately one half of the US Army's available combat forces and approximately one third of its support organization. National coordination of various state National Guard units are maintained through the National Guard Bureau.
Indiana Army National Guard units are trained and equipped as part of the United States Army. The same ran
United States Army enlisted rank insignia
The chart below represents the current enlisted rank insignia of the United States Army.This chart represents the U.S. Army enlisted rank insignia with seniority increasing left-to-right inside a given pay grade...
ks
United States Army officer rank insignia
United States Army officer rank insignia in use today.-History:The structure of U.S. ranks has its roots in British military traditions. At the start of the American Revolutionary War, uniforms, let alone insignia, were barely affordable and recognition of ranks in the field was problematic...
and insignia are used and National Guardsmen are eligible to receive all United States military awards
Awards and decorations of the United States military
Awards and decorations of the United States Military are military decorations which recognize service and personal accomplishments while a member of the United States armed forces...
. The Indiana Guard also bestows a number of state awards
Awards and decorations of the National Guard
Awards and decorations of the National Guard are presented to members of the United States National Guard and sometimes to members of the State Defense Forces in addition to regular United States military decorations...
for local services rendered in or to the state of Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
.
Formations and Units
- 219th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade219th Battlefield Surveillance BrigadeThe 219th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade is a Battlefield Surveillance Brigade in the US Army National Guard. It is part of the Indiana Army National Guard...
- 438th Signal Support Company
- 76th Infantry Brigade (United States)
- 38th Infantry Division
- 113th Engineer Battalion113th Engineer BattalionThe 113th Engineer Battalion is a battalion of the Indiana National Guard. Their missions include demolition and construction. The units of the 113th are found in Northern Indiana....
- 138th Signal Battalion
- 2nd Battalion, 150th Field Artillery Regiment150th Field Artillery RegimentThe 150th Field Artillery Regiment is a field artillery unit in the Indiana National Guard.-History:The 150th Field Artillery was formed from the 1st Indiana Field Artillery, which served during the Spanish-American War. The Indiana Field Artillery was at service on the Mexican border when the...
- 151st Infantry Det. (Long Range SurveillanceLong Range SurveillanceLong Range Surveillance units are specially trained elite Surveillance units of the United States Army that are employed by Military Intelligence Units for gathering information from deep within hostile territories....
) (AirborneAirborne forcesAirborne forces are military units, usually light infantry, set up to be moved by aircraft and 'dropped' into battle. Thus they can be placed behind enemy lines, and have an ability to deploy almost anywhere with little warning...
) of the 38th Infantry Division (Darlington, INDarlington, IndianaDarlington is a town in Franklin Township, Montgomery County, Indiana, United States. The population was 843 at the 2010 census.-History:Darlington was platted by Enoch Cox in 1836....
) Formerly Co. D (Ranger), 151st Inf. - The men of this company became one of the most highly decorated US Army (RangerUnited States Army RangersUnited States Army Rangers are elite members of the United States Army. Rangers have served in recognized U.S. Army Ranger units or have graduated from the U.S. Army's Ranger School...
) units for their service in the Vietnam WarVietnam WarThe Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
. The unit has been reorganized and reflagged as Troop C (LRS) of the 2d Squadron, 152d Cavalry Regiment, 219th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade.
Duties
National Guard units can be mobilized at any time by presidential orderPresident of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
to supplement regular armed forces, and upon declaration of a state of emergency
State of emergency
A state of emergency is a governmental declaration that may suspend some normal functions of the executive, legislative and judicial powers, alert citizens to change their normal behaviours, or order government agencies to implement emergency preparedness plans. It can also be used as a rationale...
by the governor
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
of the state in which they serve. Unlike Army Reserve
United States Army Reserve
The United States Army Reserve is the federal reserve force of the United States Army. Together, the Army Reserve and the Army National Guard constitute the reserve components of the United States Army....
members, National Guard members cannot be mobilized individually (except through voluntary transfers and Temporary DutY Assignments TDY), but only as part of their respective units. However, there has been a significant amount of individual activations to support military operations (2001-?); the legality of this policy is a major issue within the National Guard.
Active Duty Callups
For much of the final decades of the twentieth century, National Guard personnel typically served "One weekend a month, two weeks a yearOne weekend a month, two weeks a year
"One weekend a month, two weeks a year" is a former recruiting slogan used by the U.S. Army National Guard. It indicated the amount of time an individual would need to spend actively in the Guard to be a Guardsman with benefits...
", with a portion working for the Guard in a full-time capacity. The current forces formation plans of the US Army call for the typical National Guard unit (or National Guardsman) to serve one year of active duty for every three years of service. More specifically, current Department of Defense
United States Department of Defense
The United States Department of Defense is the U.S...
policy is that no Guardsman will be involuntarily activated for a total of more than 24 months (cumulative) in one six year enlistment period (this policy is due to change 1 August 2007, the new policy states that soldiers will be given 24 months between deployments of no more than 24 months, individual states have differing policies).
Indiana Air National Guard
The Indiana Air National Guard is part of the Air National GuardAir National Guard
The Air National Guard , often referred to as the Air Guard, is the air force militia organized by each of the fifty U.S. states, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the territories of Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia of the United States. Established under Title 10 and...
, which in turn is part of the Air National Guard of the United States, and a reserve component of the United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
(USAF). It consists of one F-16 Fighter Wing and one Intelligence Wing.
The first is the 122nd Fighter Wing, which is based at Fort Wayne International Airport
Fort Wayne International Airport
-Top Destinations:-Airfield infrastructure:As of 2006, the airport's main Runway 5/23's usable dimensions are long and wide while the grooved-surface dimensions are long and wide, large enough to accommodate the NASA Space Shuttle orbiter, Boeing 747s, and military air mobility and aerial...
in Fort Wayne. The other unit is the 181st Intelligence Wing
181st Intelligence Wing
The United States Air Force's 181st Intelligence Wing is a unit located at Hulman Field, Terre Haute, Indiana. It is one of six Air National Guard wings that works with the Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Agency.-Mission:...
, which is based at Terre Haute International Airport
Terre Haute International Airport
Terre Haute International Airport is a public airport located east of the central business district of Terre Haute, a city in Vigo County, Indiana, United States. It is included in the FAA's National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2011–2015, which categorized it as a general aviation...
in Terre Haute. The 122nd Fighter Wing consists of the 163rd Fighter Squadron
163rd Fighter Squadron
The 163d Fighter Squadron flies the A-10 Thunderbolt II. It is a unit of the Indiana Air National Guard. Its parent unit is the 122d Fighter Wing.-Lineage:...
, which flies A-10 Thunderbolt II
A-10 Thunderbolt II
The Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II is an American single-seat, twin-engine, straight-wing jet aircraft developed by Fairchild-Republic in the early 1970s. The A-10 was designed for a United States Air Force requirement to provide close air support for ground forces by attacking tanks,...
. The 181st Fighter Wing used to fly the F-16 with the 137th Intelligence Squadron and has now been assigned a new mission as the 181st Intelligence Wing.
History
The earliest warriors from Indiana pre-date European contact. French explorers did not reach Indiana until the end of the Beaver WarsBeaver Wars
The Beaver Wars, also sometimes called the Iroquois Wars or the French and Iroquois Wars, commonly refers to a series of conflicts fought in the mid-17th century in eastern North America...
in the 17th century. The French soon established trading posts and villages. These remote outposts were defended by local militia and Native American alliances. In 1778, during the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
, the militia of Vincennes, Indiana
Vincennes, Indiana
Vincennes is a city in and the county seat of Knox County, Indiana, United States. It is located on the Wabash River in the southwestern part of the state. The population was 18,701 at the 2000 census...
declared for the United States, and local militia Captain François Riday Busseron
François Riday Busseron
François Riday Busseron was a French fur trader, general store operator, and militia captain in the American village of Vincennes. He supported the Americans during the American Revolution and funded the first American flag made in Indiana. As a U.S...
commissioned the first American flag in Indiana
George Rogers Clark Flag
The George Rogers Clark Flag is a red and green striped banner in the model of American Flags commonly associated with George Rogers Clark, although Colonel Clark did not campaign under these colors...
. The Vincennes militia and Piankeshaw
Piankeshaw
The Piankeshaw Indians were Native Americans, and members of the Miami Indians who lived apart from the rest of the Miami nation. They lived in an area that now includes western Indiana and Ohio, and were closely allied with the Wea Indians...
warriors resisted Lt-Governor Henry Hamilton, and in 1779 they supplied and supported United States forces under George Rogers Clark
George Rogers Clark
George Rogers Clark was a soldier from Virginia and the highest ranking American military officer on the northwestern frontier during the American Revolutionary War. He served as leader of the Kentucky militia throughout much of the war...
.
The Indiana Army National Guard traces its unbroken history to 1801, when William Henry Harrison
William Henry Harrison
William Henry Harrison was the ninth President of the United States , an American military officer and politician, and the first president to die in office. He was 68 years, 23 days old when elected, the oldest president elected until Ronald Reagan in 1980, and last President to be born before the...
, Governor
Governor of Indiana
The Governor of Indiana is the chief executive of the state of Indiana. The governor is elected to a four-year term, and responsible for overseeing the day-to-day management of the functions of many agencies of the Indiana state government. The governor also shares power with other statewide...
of the Indiana Territory
Indiana Territory
The Territory of Indiana was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from July 4, 1800, until November 7, 1816, when the southern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the state of Indiana....
, formed a voluntary militia to defend against the aggressive actions of some of the Native American tribes in the vast territory. The Indiana Rangers
Indiana Rangers
The Indiana Rangers were a mounted militia formed in 1807 and operated in the early part of the 19th century to defend settlers in Indiana Territory from attacks by Native Americans. The rangers were present at the Battle of Tippecanoe, and served as auxiliaries to the army during the War of 1812...
were formed in 1807. The militia and rangers participated in a major action in the 1811 Battle of Tippecanoe
Battle of Tippecanoe
The Battle of Tippecanoe was fought on November 7, 1811, between United States forces led by Governor William Henry Harrison of the Indiana Territory and Native American warriors associated with the Shawnee leader Tecumseh. Tecumseh and his brother Tenskwatawa were leaders of a confederacy of...
, and many participated in the invasion of Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
in the War of 1812
Indiana in the War of 1812
During the War of 1812, Indiana Territory was home to several conflicts between the United States territorial government and partisan Native American forces backed by the British in Canada. The Battle of Tippecanoe, which had occurred just months before the war began, was one of the catalysts that...
.
Indiana units were first officially called to national action in 1840s to serve as part of the army for the invasion of Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
during the Mexican-American War. An Indiana regiment played a critical role in the Battle of Buena Vista
Battle of Buena Vista
The Battle of Buena Vista , also known as the Battle of Angostura, saw the United States Army use artillery to repulse the much larger Mexican army in the Mexican-American War...
, a critical battle that routed the entire Mexican Army and open the way for a rapid occupation of the country.
Indiana regiments were again called to national action in the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, the costliest engagement in terms of lives the state was ever involved in. Indiana in the war
Indiana in the American Civil War
Indiana, a state in the Midwestern United States, played an important role during the American Civil War. Despite significant anti-war activity in the state and southern Indiana's ancestral ties to the Southern United States, it did not secede from the Union...
committed over 200,000 soldiers and casualties topped 35% among the men. During the war several regiments where mustered for duty on the home front creating the Indiana Legion which officially separated the militia from the army regiments. The state's regiments were renamed the Indiana National Guard in 1895.
Regiments from the guard first went overseas in the 1898 Spanish-American War
Spanish-American War
The Spanish–American War was a conflict in 1898 between Spain and the United States, effectively the result of American intervention in the ongoing Cuban War of Independence...
, serving in the initial occupation of the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
. The Militia Act of 1903
Militia Act of 1903
The National Guard Bureau is the federal instrument responsible for the administration of the National Guard of the United States established by the United States Congress as a joint bureau of the Department of the Army and the Department of the Air Force. It was created by the Militia Act of 1903...
organized the various state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
militia
Militia
The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...
s into the present National Guard system. In 1916 units were mobilized to patrol the Mexican Border in response to aggressive actions by the Mexican Government, but no action occurred. The next year the entire guard was mobilized and many sent into action as part of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, most men being deployed to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
The guard was again called on during the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
to suppress worker strikes and riots in Northern and Central Indiana, and was sent overseas again during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The guard continued to see action in the second half of the 20th century, serving in the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
, Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
, the Gulf War
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
, and the Iraqi War.
Well-known Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
guardsmen include former Vice President
Vice president
A vice president is an officer in government or business who is below a president in rank. The name comes from the Latin vice meaning 'in place of'. In some countries, the vice president is called the deputy president...
Dan Quayle
Dan Quayle
James Danforth "Dan" Quayle served as the 44th Vice President of the United States, serving with President George H. W. Bush . He served as a U.S. Representative and U.S. Senator from the state of Indiana....
, who served as a sergeant
Sergeant
Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent....
during the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
time period.
Historic units
- 138th Armor Regiment (United States)
- 139th Field Artillery Regiment (United States)
- 150th Field Artillery Regiment150th Field Artillery RegimentThe 150th Field Artillery Regiment is a field artillery unit in the Indiana National Guard.-History:The 150th Field Artillery was formed from the 1st Indiana Field Artillery, which served during the Spanish-American War. The Indiana Field Artillery was at service on the Mexican border when the...
- 163rd Field Artillery Regiment (United States)
- 151st Infantry Regiment (United States)
- 152nd Cavalry Regiment (United States)
See also
- Indiana Guard ReserveIndiana Guard ReserveThe Indiana Guard Reserve, formerly the Liberty Guard and the Indiana Legion, is a militia force that serves as the State Defense Force of the State of Indiana. The Indiana Guard Reserve serves under the exclusive authority of the Governor of the State of Indiana through his executive agent for...
- State Defense ForcesState Defense ForcesState defense forces in the United States are military units that operate under the sole authority of a state government; they are partially regulated by the National Guard Bureau but they are not a part of the Army National Guard of the United States...
- MilitiaMilitiaThe term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...
- Home Guard (disambiguation)
- Army National Guard Transformation
- Coats of arms of U.S. Armor and Cavalry RegimentsCoats of arms of U.S. Armor and Cavalry RegimentsThis page has been split as follows:* Coats of arms of U.S. Armor Regiments* Coats of arms of U.S. Cavalry Regiments-See also:* commons:Field Army insignia of the United States Army* Corps insignia of the United States Army...
- Coats of arms of U.S. Artillery RegimentsCoats of arms of U.S. Artillery RegimentsCoats of arms of US Artillery Regiments are heraldic emblems associated with field artillery, air defense artillery, and coast artillery regiments in the US Army...
- Coats of arms of U.S. Infantry RegimentsCoats of arms of U.S. Infantry RegimentsCoats of arms of US Infantry Regiments are heraldic emblems associated with infantry regiments in the US Army. By Army regulation, all regiments of the US Army organized under a Table of Organization and Equipment are authorized a coat of arms to be displayed on the organization's standard, called...
- Coats of arms of U.S. Air Defense Artillery RegimentsCoats of arms of U.S. Air Defense Artillery RegimentsCoats of arms of US Air Defense Artillery Regiments are heraldic emblems associated with Field artillery, Air Defense Artillery, and coast artillery regiments in the US Army...
Sources
- United States National GuardUnited States National GuardThe National Guard of the United States is a reserve military force composed of state National Guard militia members or units under federally recognized active or inactive armed force service for the United States. Militia members are citizen soldiers, meaning they work part time for the National...
, accessed 4 November 2006 - Indiana National Guard, accessed 20 November 2006
- GlobalSecurity.org Indiana Army National Guard, accessed 20 November 2006
External links
- Bibliography of Indiana Army National Guard History compiled by the United States Army Center of Military History
- Indiana National Guard Homepage