The Sidney herald., 1956-09-13
The National
Guard Story

Today, with all our military
forces taking new or expanded
roles in the present emergency,
it is important to understand the
background and current aims of
our Oldest military organization
the National Guard. Especially
since more than any other mill
tary component, the Guard is in
vested with the deep personal
pride of our communities. 1t is
supported by local effort, en-
couraged by the traditions of our
home states, and stated with of
ficers and men who are our
friends and neighbors.
How do you keep a nation
ready - and thereby secure -
without keeping millions of men
under arms at all times? There
is, of course, one natural solu-
ton, n typically American So
luton - an organized citizen
volunteers, training at home to
defend our homes. This solution
is called the National Guard -
an organized civilian component
of the Army and Air Force of the
United States, supported by each
of the 48 states, by the District
of Columbia, by Puerto Rico,
Alaska, and Hawaii.
Actually, the National Guard
is older than the nation. It ante
dates the Revolutionary War and
the Constitution. The oldest regi-
ment in the continental United
States is the 182nd Infantry Of
the Massachusetts, National Guard,
which was organized as a Mid
dlesex County Militia in 1886.
This regiment fought in the
French and Indian Wars.
In 1917, the Guard organized
and sent overseas two = fifths of
the divisions for the American
Expeditionary Forces. Some $780,
600 Guardsmen served in that
war. They won honors and dis
tinction in every battle - even a
left-handed honor from the enc
himself. In a report to the
German High Command, Field
Commander Ludendorf named
six National Guard divisions
among the eight American divi-
sions he classified as superior or
excellent.
In World War II, the National
Guard brought into Federal Ser
vice between September 1910 and
June 1941 a total of 334,0 600 men,
formed and trained units COM
prising 18 combat divisions and
100, 1000 in other separate units. The
National Guard trained Selective
Service inductees equal to about
half their own number.
When World War II ended, the
most important step in the his
tory of the National Guard was
taken. The Guard was complete
ly demobilized. All e~nlistInents
mad expired during the war, and
Ill equipment had been diverted
% Federal use. In fact, there was
40 National Guard.
But this was far from the
End of the citizen army. Starting
With a personnel list that totaled
zero, in a little over four years,
he New National Guard built
IN organization of more than
100, 900 officers and men, in over
1000 units strategically located
n the 48 states, District of Co.
umbia, and Territories. These
nen are all volunteers, which
means a high morale factor.
When the Guard reaches full ]
trength, we estimate that we will ]
leed approximately 1868 addi- ]
lonal armories to house our state
Congress has already acted
D provide a start in this army :
rogram.
We the people in Sidney are i
ow greatly affected. We now |
ave our new Armory and we 6
eed young men to fill it. For
very individual, there is a job. 9
IL of us car take an active in |
crest in what the National Guard
leans to ourselves and our
ONES. We can all help America >
!, keep its Guard up. No re- 4
possibility in the world is y
reater or more important to-
ay. T