59th Air Defense Artillery Regiment ( United States ) The 59th Coast Artillery Regiment is a regiment in the United States Army . History . During the Philippines Campaign ( 1941 – 42 ) the regiment operated the following Batteries : Lineage . Constituted 1 December 1917 in the Regular Army as the 59th Artillery ( Coast Artillery Corps ) and organized 1 January 1918 at Fort Hamilton , New York from existing Regular Army and New York National Guard Companies of Coast Artillery . ( National Guard Companies demoblized at Camp Upton , New York during January and February 1919 but regiment continued on active status ) . ( Service Battery ; Headquarters Detachment and Combat train , 1st , 2nd and 3rd Battalions inactivated 30 September 1922 at Fort Mills , Philippine Islands . Batteries G , and H activated 11 October 1922 at Fort Mills ) . Redesignated 20 February 1924 as the 59th Coast Artillery ( Harbor Defense ) ( Heavy Tractor ) ; Concurrently batteries C , D , E , and F activated at Fort Mills . Remainder of regiment activated 30 May 1941 at Fort Mills . Inactivated 2 April 1946 at Fort Mills . Redesignated 26 December 1947 as the 59th Antiaircraft Artillery Automatic Weapons Battalion and activated 1 January 1948 at Fort Bliss , Texas . Redesignated 24 February 1953 as the 59th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion . Inactivated 1 September 1958 at Fort Bliss . A Gold color metal and enamel device 1 1 / 8 inches ( 2 . 86 cm ) in height overall consisting of a shield blazoned : Per fess vair and Argent , in base a thistle Proper . Attached above from a wreath Argent and Azure a demi - lion rampant Gules grasping in dexter claw a sword Or . Attached above and to the sides of the shield a Gold scroll inscribed “ DEFENDIMUS ” in Red letters . The vair on the shield is from the arms of the Coast Defenses of New York , the thistle is one of the emblems of Lorraine and is borne on the arms of Nancy not far from St . Mihiel . The crest it taken from the arms of St . Menehould in red for Artillery . The motto translates to “ We Defend . ” The distinctive unit insignia was originally approved for the 59th Artillery Regiment on 15 August 1930 . It was redesignated for the 59th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion ( Automatic Weapons ) on 23 November 1953 . The insignia was redesignated for the 59th Artillery Regiment on 5 December 1958 . It was redesignated effective 1 September 1971 , for the 59th Air Defense Artillery Regiment . Per fess vair and Argent , in base a thistle Proper . On a wreath Argent and Azure a demi - lion rampant Gules armed and langued of the second grasping in dexter claw a sword Or . Motto : DEFENDIMUS ( We Defend ) . The vair on the shield is from the arms of the Coast Defenses of New York , the thistle is one of the emblems of Lorraine and is borne on the arms of Nancy not far from St . Mihiel . The crest it taken from the arms of St . Menehould in red for Artillery . Coat of arms . Background . The coat of arms was originally approved for the 59th Artillery Regiment on 1 April 1921 . It was amended to correct the motto on 28 April 1927 . It was redesignated for the 59th Antiaircraft Artillery Automatic Weapons Battalion on 21 April 1949 . The insignia was redesignated for the 59th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion ( Automatic Weapons ) on 23 November 1953 . It was redesignated for the 59th Artillery Regiment on 5 December 1958 . It was redesignated effective 1 September 1971 , for the 59th Air Defense Artillery Regiment . Campaign streamers . World War I World War II