Delaware Army National Guard - History

History

The Delaware Army National Guard traces its origins back to August 31, 1655, when Swedish settlers were asked to take up arms to defend the colony against a Dutch attack on Fort Christina.

During the American Revolution, Delaware's First Regiment fought with General George Washington at the Battle of Long Island.

In the War of 1812 all Delaware volunteer units saw service at Lewes, where they comprised the bulk of force that drove off a British naval squadron seeking control of the Delaware River. The 198th Signal Battalion (ARNG DE), which traces its lineage to three militia units that were federalized during the War of 1812, is one of only nineteen Army National Guard units with campaign credit for the War of 1812.

In the Mexican War (1846–1847), the Federal Government would not accept volunteer companies but the Delaware volunteers were not content to stay home. After much red tape, a statewide composite unit was formed. They fought with distinction in the battles of Contreras, Cherubusco, Molino del Ray and Chapultepec where there were almost twice as many Delaware volunteers present as marines. The unit lost so many men in these actions it became known as "The Bloody 11th."

The Militia Act of 1903 organized the various state militias into the present National Guard system.

Governor Charles L. Terry, Jr. deployed the National Guard to the city of Wilmington following the assassination of The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on 9 April 1968, at the request of Mayor John Babiarz. One week later, Mayor Babiarz requested the National Guard troops be withdrawn, but Governor Terry refused, and kept them in the city until his term ended in January, 1969. This is reportedly the longest occupation of an American city by state forces in the nation's history. in the aftermath of the occupation, recruiting offices of all military branches were removed from locations within the city limits until the early 2000s.

Following the terror attacks of September 11, 2001, numerous units of the Delaware Army National Guard have deployed to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedome and Operation Enduring Freedom.

Troops from both the Delaware Army and Air National Guard volunteered to support disaster relief operations in Louisiana and Mississippi in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

"Operation Arctic Vengeance I and II" saw over 300 DEARNG Soldiers volunteer to support the State of Emergency declared by Gov. Jack Markell following a pair of debilitating snowstorms from Feb. 7 through Feb. 12, 2010. DEARNG troops completed over 250 missions assisting local and state agencies with including Emergency Medical Services, fire calls, law enforcement, dialysis patient transport and civilian transport to warming stations.

See History of the United States National Guard for a more complete history of the guard at a national level.