Top 10 Moments in Pennsylvania National Guard History

The Pennsylvania Nationwide Guard has a protracted and distinguished historical past, relationship again to 1747 when Benjamin Franklin established the “Associators” in Philadelphia. In recognition of the Pennsylvania Nationwide Guard’s 275th birthday on Dec. 7, 2022, listed here are the highest 10 moments in Pennsylvania Nationwide Guard historical past (in chronological order):

1. Pennsylvania Nationwide Guard is born – Overcoming the pacifist traditions of Pennsylvania’s founding Quakers, Benjamin Franklin lead about 600 “gents and retailers” of Philadelphia in signing “articles of affiliation” to supply for a standard protection in opposition to Indian raiders and French privateers. These “Associators,” who’re alive as at the moment’s 103rd Brigade Engineer Battalion and 111th Infantry Regiment, held their first muster on Dec. 7, 1747.

2. Escort for Basic Washington – The Philadelphia Gentle Horse, later often known as First Troop, Philadelphia Metropolis Cavalry, escorted Gen. George Washington from Philadelphia to New York to take command of the Continental Military in late June 1775. The Military was established by the Continental Congress on June 14, 1775, and its first items embrace a regiment of rifle corporations from Pennsylvania.

3. Ten Essential Days – Pennsylvania provided hundreds of troops through the Revolutionary Struggle, and so they took half in quite a few campaigns, together with Washington’s crossing of the Delaware River on Christmas night time in 1776 and the following battles of Trenton and Princeton. The Associators infantry (at the moment’s 111th Infantry Regiment) and artillery (at the moment’s 103rd Brigade Engineer Battalion) belongings performed a serious function within the preventing at Trenton and Princeton. Washington personally lead the Philadelphia Associator battalions in a counterattack that turned the tide of Princeton on Jan. 3, 1777. Many historians credit score these “Ten Essential Days” with saving the American Revolution, and the Pennsylvania Militia performed a vital function in that success.

4. First Defenders of U.S. Capital – In the beginning of the Civil Struggle, 5 items from the Lehigh Valley raced to the nation’s threatened capital in response to an pressing plea from Congress. President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed them the “First Defenders,” an honor nonetheless borne by their descendants in at the moment’s 213th Regional Assist Group.

5. Motion in Gettysburg – Greater than 200 Pennsylvania regiments took half within the Civil Struggle in 24 main campaigns. Among the many battles is the Battle of Gettysburg in southern Pennsylvania on July 1-3, 1863 – a Union victory that many take into account is the conflict’s turning level. A number of present Pennsylvania Nationwide Guard items can hint their lineage to items that fought at Gettysburg, together with the 103rd Brigade Engineer Battalion; 1-104th Cavalry Regiment; 1-107th Area Artillery Regiment; 1-108th Area Artillery Regiment; 1-109th Area Artillery Regiment; 1-111th Infantry Regiment; and 1-112th Infantry Regiment. Of notice, the Philadelphia Brigade – todays 111th Infantry Regiment – helped flip again the middle of Pickett’s Cost at “the Angle” on July 3, 1863.

6. Formation of the Pennsylvania Division – On March 12, 1879, Gov. Henry Hoyt signed Basic Order Quantity One, establishing the Pennsylvania Division, the predecessor to at the moment’s twenty eighth Infantry Division. Maj. Gen. John Hartranft, a Civil Struggle veteran and Medal of Honor recipient, served because the division’s first commander. In 1917, after it was federalized for World Struggle I, the division was redesignated the twenty eighth Division. In the present day, the twenty eighth ID is the oldest constantly serving division within the U.S. Military.

7. Males of Iron – The Pennsylvania Division was known as up within the wake of America’s entry into World Struggle I. The division took half in six main campaigns in France and Belgium and suffered greater than 14,000 casualties. On July 15, 1918, components of the division (notably the 109th and one hundred and tenth Infantry Regiments) beat again German assaults alongside the Marne River. Pockets of division Troopers have been surrounded and reduce off however fought on the firm and platoon degree in a ferocious protection of their positions, beating their approach by German traces and again to secondary defensive positions. The twenty eighth Division’s stalwart stand earns its Troopers the moniker “Males of Iron” from Basic of the Armies John Pershing, commander of the Allied Armies.

8. March down Champs Elysees – In what would change into some of the iconic photographs from World Struggle II, Troopers from the twenty eighth Infantry Division triumphantly marched down the Champs Elysees in Paris on Aug. 29, 1944, following town’s liberation.

9. Battle of the Bulge – in Late 1944, the twenty eighth Infantry Division was instrumental in stalling the final German offensive of World Struggle II, the Battle of the Bulge. The division was among the many first items attacked alongside “Skyline Drive.” Its exploits earned it the nickname the “Bloody Bucket” division.

10. Tropical Storm Agnes – Almost 13,000 Pennsylvania Nationwide Guard members have been known as as much as assist with aid operations following widespread flooding attributable to Tropical Storm Agnes in June 1972. The storm and its aftermath ends in 50 deaths and $3 billion in property injury throughout the state.

Honorable Point out
11. Whiskey Rise up – Pennsylvania contributed 4,000 members of its militia to a four-state power that quelled the Whiskey Rise up in western Pennsylvania in 1794.

12. Struggle of 1812 Service – Greater than 14,000 Pennsylvanians have been drawn into energetic service for the Struggle of 1812. Throughout the Battle of Lake Erie, an artillery firm offered volunteers to function cannoneers on Commodore Perry’s fleet. That unit is understood at the moment as Wilkes-Barre’s 109th Area Artillery.

13. Spanish-American Struggle Service — The complete Pennsylvania Division – at the moment’s twenty eighth Infantry Division – was mustered into federal service for the Spanish-American Struggle. Nonetheless, solely a handful of items would see fight motion in Puerto Rico and the Philippines.

14. Air Guard Forerunner – The 103rd Statement Squadron, the forerunner of the Pennsylvania Air Nationwide Guard, was organized at Philadelphia Airport in 1924 as a unit of the twenty eighth Division. In the present day, the 103rd is acknowledged on the 111th Assault Wing.

15. Pa. Air Nationwide Guard Established. – The Pennsylvania Air Nationwide guard was formally established in 1947 with the institution of the U.S. Air Pressure.

16. Stryker Brigade involves Pa. – The Pennsylvania Nationwide Guard’s 56th Brigade was chosen in 2004 to change into a Stryker Brigade, the primary such unit within the reserve part. The brigade is centered across the eight-wheeled, armored Stryker automobiles.