A Brief History of the Georgia National Guard, 1733-Present

By Maj. William Carraway
Historian, Georgia Army National Guard

For nearly three centuries, Georgia’s citizens have volunteered to leave home and family to protect their fellow citizens. Lord James Oglethorpe established the first elements of the Georgia National Guard. Upon arriving in Savannah In 1733 Oglethorpe moved swiftly to establish and train the Georgia Militia.

In 1742, a Spanish force of more than 2,000 troops threatened Simons Island. Among the units Oglethorpe had at his disposal was a troop of mounted rangers, a forerunner of today’s 1st Battalion, 118th Field Artillery Regiment.

On July 7, 1742, the rangers spotted Spanish troops near Gully Hole Creek. Oglethorpe personally led an assault that blunted the Spanish advance. Subsequently, Oglethorpe’s small force routed the numerically superior Spanish at Bloody Marsh. The Spanish withdrew from St. Simons and would not again seriously contend for Georgian soil.

Since the first rattle of musket fire at Gully Hole Creek, Georgia Guardsmen have served their state and nation in conflicts and in times of emergency. Units such as the Chatham Artillery of Savannah and the Liberty Independent Troop of Hinesville were formed before the American Revolution, served through that conflict, and continue in service today.

Georgia artillerymen employed their cannons during the War of 1812 and Macon infantry served in the Seminole Wars. Georgians fell at the Alamo and crossed Mexico with Zachary Taylor. During the great shattering of the American Civil War, more than 130,000 Georgians served, and more than 18,000 lost their lives. Georgia Guardsmen mobilized for the Spanish American War and served on the Mexican Border in 1916. More than sixty Georgia Guard companies were deployed to Europe during World War I.

More than 70 units of the Georgia Army National Guard served during World War II. Field artillery units from Savannah and infantry units from across the state went ashore at Omaha and Utah Beach. Expanding the Normandy beachhead, these units soldiered east across France and entered Germany, achieving victory, but at a terrible price. The casualty list for the 121st Infantry Regiment alone is 70 pages long. In the Pacific Theater, field artillery and anti-aircraft units protected the skies over Allied bases in Australia, Papua New Guinea, and Guadalcanal, where their guns stood watch over Henderson Field. Georgia Guardsmen participated in the beach assault at Makin Island as part of the 193^rd Tank Battalion and engaged in the bloody conflict for Okinawa.

During the Korean War, the Marietta, Ga.-based 54^th Fighter Wing was activated and units of the Georgia Air National Guard deployed to Japan and Korea. Citizen-Airmen flew missions over the skies of Korea and six Airmen made the ultimate sacrifice. Soldiers of the Georgia Army National Guard’s 108^th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Brigade was activated to protect the skies over American cities.

In 1961, with the Cold War escalating, the Georgia Army National Guard activated the 111th Signal Battalion in response to the Berlin Crisis. Beginning in 1965, the Georgia Air National Guard flew global air transport missions to Vietnam delivering supplies and evacuating wounded personnel.

Nearly 6,000 Georgia Guardsmen were mobilized for Desert Shield in 1990. During Desert Storm, the 138^th Medical Company cared for American and Iraqi patients while the 265^th Engineer Group commanded the largest engineer force in the XVIII Airborne Corps, constructing more than 800 miles of road.

More than 33,000 Georgia National Guard Soldiers and Airmen mobilized overseas to Iraq, Afghanistan, and other nations within the Central Command area of operations following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Elements of the 48^th Infantry Brigade Combat Team were serving in Bosnia-Herzegovina at the time of the attacks and units of the Georgia National Guard were swiftly called to support missions overseas and at home.

As you read this, it is likely that Citizen Soldiers and Airmen are deployed on six continents supporting missions in all geographic combat commands, as they have continuously for decades. The spirit of service and courage that defended Georgia in the 18^th century is carried on by today’s generation of Georgia Guardsmen.

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