UNITED STATES ARMY

212th COAST ARTILLERY REGIMENT (ANTIAIRCRAFT) (MOBILE) BATTERY GUIDONS  •  1941

On the eve of America's entry into the Second World War, the antiaircraft artillery assets of the US Army were part of the Coast Artillery Corps. They mostly were organized as two-battalion regiments, though there were a number of separate battalions. Those equipped with sufficient motor vehicles to move as a unit were designated (Mobile); those requiring additional vehicles to move as a unit were designated (Semimobile). There were also antiaircraft artillery batteries assigned to the fixed harbor defense forces. The mobile and semimobile antiaircraft regiments had two battalions, one with 12 x 3in AA guns and 12 x caliber .50 machine guns in three batteries plus a searchlight battery (15 x searchlight); and one with 12 x 37mm guns in three batteries plus a battery with 12 x caliber .50 machine guns (Mobile) or 16 x 37mm guns in four batteries (Semimobile). The 3in and 37mm guns were truck towed; the seachlights were transported on trailers. Most of the separate battalions were 37mm gun/caliber .50 MG type. The 3in and 37mm guns were schedlued to be replaced by the 90mm AA gun and the 40mm Bofors gun respectively. On 7 December 1941, the 212th Coast Artillery Regiment was assigned to the 33rd Coast Artillery Brigade (Antiaircraft) (Mobile), Third Army/Southern Defense Command.

BACK to US ARMY WORLD WAR II Page