UNITED STATES ARMY

49th ANTIAIRCRAFT ARTILLERY BRIGADE FLAGS & GUIDONS 1944 Regulations

On 6 June 1944 the 49th Antiaircraft Artillery Brigade embodied four AA artillery groups with a total of thirteen battalions. Three were medium battalions with towed 90mm AA guns, six were automatic weapons battalions with towed 40mm AA guns and quadruple .50 caliber machine guns, two were self-propelled automatic weapons battalions with halftrack-mounted 37mm guns and .50 caliber machine guns, one was a barrage balloon battalion, and one was provisionally organized as an AA machine gun battalion to be landed on Omaha Beach in the third invasion wave. A fifth group, the 11th, was detached to VII Corps. The group organization for antiaircraft artillery had been adopted in 1942, replacing the regimental organization. The headquarters batteries of the regiments became AA artillery group headquarters and their battalions became independent. The AA artillery brigade was retained to provide a higher headquarters when a large number of AA artillery groups were assigned to a corps. The regiments had been part of the Coast Artillery Corps, and the new groups and independent battalions remained affiliated with that branch. Distinguishing flags for AA artillery brigades were scarlet with the numerical designation in yellow. Distinguishing flags for AA artillery groups were diagonally divided from upper hoist to lower fly in the Coast Artillery branch colors, scarlet over yellow, with the unit number centered and countercharged. Distinguishing flags were made of wool bunting; dimensions were 3 feet at the hoist by 4 feet on the fly. The distinguishing flag was always carried or displayed with a National Standard, Service of the same material and dimensions with an additional 2 1/2-inch fringe of knotted yellow silk. Brigade and group headquarters battery guidons were of the same design as the distinguishing flag; the battalions had scarlet guidons with the Coast Artillery branch insignia, numerals and letters in yellow. All guidons were made of cotton or wool bunting; dimensions were 20 inches at the hoist by 27 inches on the fly with a 10-inch fork.

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