Lineages and Honors of the California National Guard

250th Artillery Regiment (First California)

Organized 8 May 1861 at San Francisco as the 1st Infantry Regiment, California Militia

 

(Organized Militia of California. redesigned 2 April 1866 as the California National Guard)

 

Consolidated 9 December 1895 with the 2d Artillery Regiment and the 3d Infantry Regiment (see ANNEX 1) and consolidated unit designated as the 1st Infantry Regiment, California National Guard

 

Mustered into Federal service 6 May 1898 at San Francisco as the 1st California Volunteer Infantry; mustered out 21 September 1899 at San Francisco

 

Expanded and reorganized 19 April 1901 at San Francisco as the 1st Infantry Regiment and the 1st Battalion of Heavy Artillery

 

1st Infantry Regiment and lst Battalion of Heavy Artillery broken up 11 May 1907 and elements assigned to the 5th Infantry Regiment, California National Guard

 

Elements of former 1st Infantry Regiment and 1st Battalion of Heavy Artillery withdrawn 19 April 1909 from the 5th Infantry Regiment and reorganized at San Francisco as the 1st Coast Defense Command, Coast Artillery Corps

 

Drafted into Federal service 5.August 1917 and redesignated as elements of the Coast Defenses of San Francisco

 

Reorganized and redesignated March - May 1918 as elements of the 67th Artillery, Coast Artillery Corps, and of the Army Artillery Park (assigned in August 1918 to First Army)

 

67th Artillery, Coast Artillery Corps and First Army Artillery Park demobilized at the Presidio of San Francisco, California, 24 April and 26 May 1919, respectively

 

Former 1st Coast Defense Command, Coast Artillery Corps reconstituted in the California National Guard and reorganized 1 February 1921 at San Francisco

 

Reorganized and redesignated 6 October 1923 as the 250th Coast Artillery, with Headquarters at San Francisco

 

(2d Battalion and Companies I and K, 250th Coast Artillery withdrawn, expanded, reorganized, and redesignated 1 November 1924 as the 251st Coast Artillery; separate lineage)

 

Inducted into Federal service 16 September 1940 at San Francisco

 

Regiment broken up 18 May 1944 and its elements converted, reorganized, and redesignated as follows:

1st Battalion as the 535th Field Artillery Battalion

Regimental Headquarters and 3d Battalion as the 537th Field Artillery Battalion (Headquarters Battery as Headquarters Battery, 250th Field Artillery Group; 2d Battalion as the 536th Field Artillery Battalion; separate lineages)

 

 

After 18 May 1944 the above units underwent changes as follows:

535th Field Artillery Battalion inactivated 29 November 1945 at Camp Shanks,
New York. Battalion (less Headquarters and Headquarters Battery) reorganized and Federally recognized 3 March 1947 as the 728th Antiaircraft Artillery Gun Battalion, with Headquarters at San Francisco. (Headquarters and Headquarters Battery reorganized as Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 233d Antiaircraft Artillery Group;separate lineage). Ordered into active Federal service 15 May 1951 at San Francisco. Released from active Federal service 14 May 1953 and reverted to state control. Reorganized and redesignated 1 Octcber 1953 as the 728th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion. (Location of Headquarters changed 15 November 1954 to Alameda; changed 1 June 1958 to Berkeley). Reorganized and redesignated 1 March 1958 as the 728th Missile Battalion (NIKE)

 

537th Field Artillery Battalion inactivated 24 September 1945 in Italy.
Reorganized and Federally recognized 5 May 1947 as the 271st Antiaircraft Artillery Automatic Weapons Battalion, with Headquarters at San Francisco. Reorganized and redesignated 1 January 1951 as the 271st Antiaircraft Artillery Gun Battalion. Reorganized and redesignated 1 October 1953 as the 271st Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion. Reorganized and redesignated 1 March 1958 as the 271st Missile Battalion (NIKE)

 

 

728th and 271st Missile Battalions (NIKE) and the 951st Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion (see ANNEX 2) consolidated, reorganized, and redesignated 1 May 1959 as the 250th Artillery,

a parent regiment under the Combat Arms Regimental System, to consist of the 1st and 2d Missile Battalions (NIKE-AJAX) and the 3d Gun Battalion

 

Reorganized 1 May 1962 to consist of the 1st and 2d Missile Battalions (NIKE-AJAX) and the 3d Howitzer Battalion

 

Reorganized 11 December 1962 to consist of the 1st Missile Battalion (NIKE-HERCULES), the 2d Missile Battalion (NIKE-AJAX), and the 3d Howitzer Battalion

 

Reorganized 1 March 1963 to consist of the 1st Missile. Battalion (NIKE-HERCULES)

 

Reorganized l January 1966 to consist of the 1st Battalion (NIKE-HERCULES)

 

 

Annex 1

Organized in 1861 at San Francisco as the 2d Infantry Battalion, California Militia

 

Expanded, reorganized, and redesignated in 1861-1862 as the 2d Infantry Regiment

 

(Organized Militia of California redesignated 2 April 1866 as the California National Guard)

 

Expanded and reorganized 20 February 1868 as the 2d Infantry Regiment and the lst Infantry Battalion

 

After 20 February 1868 the above units underwent changes as follows:

 

2d Infantry Regiment converted, reorganized, and redesignated 1 June 1881 as the 2d Artillery Regiment

 

lst Infantry Battalion expanded, reorganized, and redesignated 24 February 1871 as the 3d Infantry Regiment

 

2d Artillery Regiment and 3d Infantry Regiment consolidated 9 December 1895 with the 1st Infantry Regiment, and consolidated unit designated as the lst Infantry Regiment, California National Guard

 

Annex 2

 

Constituted 5 August 1946 as the 951st Antiaircraft Artillery Automatic Weapons Battalion and allotted to the California National Guard

 

Organized and Federally recognized 20 March 1947, with Headquarters at Richmond

 

Reorganized and redesignated 1 January 1951 as the 951st Antiaircraft Artillery Gun Battalion

 

Reorganized and redesignated 1 October 1953 as the 951st Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion

 

 

Campaign Participation Credit

 

War with Spain

Manila

Philippine Insurrection

Manila

World War I

St. Mihiel
Meuse-Argonne

World War II

North Apennines
Po Valley
Central Europe

 

 

Decorations

 

None

 

 

By Order of the Secretary of the Army:

 

KENNETH G. WICKHAM
Major General, USA
The Adjutant General

 

7 November 1968

 

 

 

 

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Updated 8 February 2016