UNITED STATES ARMY
212th COAST ARTILLERY REGIMENT (ANTIAIRCRAFT) (SEMIMOBILE)
BATTERY GUIDONS • 1941On 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-or three-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 regiments had two battalions, one with 12 x 3in AA guns and 12 x caliber .50 machine guns in three firing batteries plus a searchlight battery (15 x 60in searchlight); and one with 12 x 37mm guns in three batteries plus a battery with 12 x caliber .50 machine guns. The semimobile regiments had three battalions, two with 12 x 3in guns and 12 x caliber .50 machine guns in three batteries, plus a searchlight battery with 15 x 60in searchlights; and one with 16 x 37mm guns in four batteries. 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 scheduled 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) (Semimobile), Third Army/Southern Defense Command.
