National Guard celebrates 375th birthday

Photo By William Prokopyk | A statue of a "Minuteman" with a musket and plow, the symbol of the National Guard, stands guard at the entrance of the North Dakota National Guard headquarters at Fraine Barracks, Bismarck, N.D.  

BISMARCK, ND, UNITED STATES

12.13.2011

Courtesy Story

North Dakota National Guard Public Affairs

BISMARCK, N.D. - Today the North Dakota National Guard joins the rest of the nation in celebrating the 375th birthday of the National Guard, the nation's oldest military organization.

Today's citizen-soldiers and citizen-airmen have a long and proud history that took root in the nation's colonial beginnings. The modern-day National Guard descends from that militia which first mustered in the English colonies on Dec. 13, 1636.

"Today is an important date in American history," said Gov. Jack Dalrymple.

"We proudly mark the 375th birthday of the National Guard and honor the generations of patriots who have served our communities, our state and the nation with honor and distinction. Today we wish a special happy birthday to the National Guard and salute the men and women, both past and present, who have dedicated their lives to defending our homeland and preserving our freedoms for future generations."

The beginnings of the National Guard depicted a colonial militia that was a decentralized force with strong local connections, just like today. However, unlike the modern-day Guard, members of this early militia trained intermittently, provided much of their own equipment and ammunition and frequently served without pay, even during wartime.

These militia soldiers received their nickname as "Minutemen" because they could be ready to right "at a minute's notice." These Minutemen saw action at Lexington and Concord in the beginning of the Revolutionary War and served as an important component of the American's efforts for independence. The National Guard adopted the figure of a "Minuteman" as its symbol to reflect this heritage.

"Throughout our nation's history, in war or during emergencies such as flooding, blizzards, tornadoes or wildfires, the National Guard has answered the call to service. We remain a relevant force that is always ready, always there for our communities, state and nation," said Maj. Gen. David Sprynczynatyk, North Dakota adjutant general. "We were founded on strong principles and that dedication to service and the through the support of our families and employers, we continue to perform our missions with conviction and fortitude."

In North Dakota specifically, the N.D. National Guard traces its origins to the Dakota Territorial Militia in the 1860s. This group organized two companies of cavalry during the Civil War, but never left the Dakota Territory. The first wartime experience of the North Dakota militia was in 1898, when the 1st North Dakota Volunteers deployed to the Philippines, as part of the first overseas deployment of the National Guard in U.S. history.

The N.D. National Guard's 164th Infantry Regiment participated in the U.S.'s first offensive operations of World War II, fighting alongside the 1st Marine Division at Guadalcanal in the South Pacific in late 1942.

In 1947, the N.D. Air National Guard was formed in Fargo, N.D., and maintained the air defense fighter mission until 2006 when it transitioned from fighter aircraft and into the predator, security and air lift missions.

The N.D. Air National Guard's 119th Fighter Wing has twice earned the prestigious Hughes Trophy as the best air-to-air unit in the U.S. Air Force - one of only two Air National Guard units in the nation to win the award, and the only F-16 Fighting Falcon unit to earn the award. Operating out of Virginia at the Langley Air Force Base, a detachment of the 119th Fighter Wing flew combat air patrol over the Washington, D.C. in the aftermath of the terrorist attack against the Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001.

With a proud history, today's North Dakota National Guard's citizen-soldiers and citizen-airmen rely on experience and skills to rapidly respond to any natural or man made disaster, saving lives, easing human suffering, and protecting property. The N.D. National Guard has supported flood-fighting efforts across the state for three-consecutive years.

"Members of both the Air and Army National Guard are professionally trained, well-funded, well-organized, well-lead, have regular training periods, have first-rate medical care, are equipped by the federal government and are integral to the defense of the U.S.," said Sprynczynatyk.

• Date Taken: 12.13.2011
• Date Posted: 12.13.2011 09:21
• Story ID: 81288
• Location: BISMARCK, ND, US