244th Air Defense Artillery Regiment

• Constituted 24 June 1799 in the New York National Guard as the 6th Regiment of Infantry and organized from existing units which date back to 1785 by transfer of 4 companies of the 1st Regiment; 3 Companies from the 2nd Regiment; 5 Companies from 3rd Regiment; 2 Companies from 4th Regiment all organized March 4, 1786; 3 Companies from the 5th Regiment organized May 11, 1789; and the Independent Rifle Company organized August 28, 1798.
• March 8, 1800 6th Regiment N.Y.S.I. organized under command of Lt.Col. Commandant Jacob Morton.
• March 27, 1805 designation changed from 6th Regiment of Infantry to 2d Regiment of Artillery, New York City.
• June 13, 1812 designation changed from 2d Regiment of Artillery to 9th Regiment of Artillery.
• December 13, 1813 Regiment reduced to a battalion.
• June 6, 1816 reorganized as a regiment retaining its number, although as a battalion known as 1st Battalion, New York State Artillery.
• May 29, 1850 By a change of regimental districts, officers and men transferred to other regiments; unit became the 9th Regiment, New York State Militia, known as the "Irish Ninth"
• May 3, 1858 "Irish Ninth" disbanded; district of 9th Regiment retained
• June 25, 1859 Regiment comes back into existence.
• From 1859 to 1969 the regiment's armory was at 125 West 14th Street in Manhattan.[1]
• 1861-1864 during US Civil War served as the 83rd New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment.

The Orange Riot of 1871 illustration which depicts the 9th N.Y.S.M. Regiment

• May 1898-November 15, 1898 during Spanish–American War served as the 9th New York Volunteer Infantry; increased to a 12 company Regiment by addition of Companies L and M-extra companies disbanded December 22, 1898.[2]
• January 23, 1908 - in order to conform to Military Law, the 9th is converted to Coast Artillery, making it part of the Coast Artillery Corps, National Guard, New York as the 9th Artillery District, with Companies A to K changed to 13th to 22nd Companies, Coast Artillery Corps, respectively.[3]

As of 1915, the regiment was authorized to place silver rings on its colors as engraved as follows:[3]

On the National Color:

On the State Color:

• Blazon
• Shield: Gules, between in fess two fleurs-de-lis a sheathed Roman sword point to base Or debruised by a cross patée Argent charged with a hurt bearing the number “9” of the second.
• Crest: That for the regiments and separate battalions of the New York Army National Guard: On a wreath of the colors Or and Gules, the full-rigged ship “Half Moon” all Proper.
• Motto:RATIONE AUT VI (By Reason Or By Force).
• Symbolism:
• Shield: The shield is red for Artillery. A white cross patée was the badge of the 2d Division, 5th Corps, and a white disk the badge of the 2d Division, 1st Corps, of the Army of the Potomac during the Civil War. The disk has been made blue for contrast, conforming to the heraldic law of not placing metal on metal, and to produce the color combination white and blue, symbolizing the service as Infantry. The sheathed Roman sword, taken from the Spanish War service medal, denotes that the organization served within the continental limits of the United States during the Spanish–American War. The fleurs-de-lis represent the service of the 1st Trench Mortar Regiment and the 57th Artillery, Coast Artillery Corps, in France during World War I, which were formed from component parts of the regiment. The number “9” was used by the regiment from the time of its organization in 1859 until 1924.
• Crest: The crest is that of the New York Army National Guard.
• Background: The coat of arms was originally approved for the 244th Coast Artillery Regiment on 25 February 1936. It was redesignated for the 244th Artillery Regiment on 3 August 1962. The insignia was redesignated for the 244th Air Defense Artillery Regiment on 6 July 1972.

• Description: A Gold color metal and enamel device 1 3/8 inches (3.49 cm) in height overall consisting of a shield blazoned: Gules, between in fess two fleurs-de-lis a sheathed Roman sword point to base Or debruised by a cross patée Argent charged with a hurt bearing the number “9” of the second. Attached below and to the side of the shield a Gold scroll inscribed “RATIONE AUT VI” in Black letters.
• Symbolism: The shield is red for Artillery. A white cross patée was the badge of the 2d Division, 5th Corps, and a white disk the badge of the 2d Division, 1st Corps, of the Army of the Potomac during the Civil War. The disk has been made blue for contrast, conforming to the heraldic law of not placing metal on metal, and to produce the color combination white and blue, symbolizing the service as Infantry. The sheathed Roman sword, taken from the Spanish War service medal, denotes that the organization served within the continental limits of the United States during the Spanish–American War. The fleurs-de-lis represent the service of the 1st Trench Mortar regiment and the 57th Artillery, Coast Artillery Corps, in France during World War I, which were formed from component parts of the regiment. The number “9” was used by the regiment from the time of its organization in 1859 until 1924. The motto translates to “By Reason Or By Force.”
• Background: The distinctive unit insignia was originally approved for the 244th Coast Artillery Regiment on 23 March 1936. It was amended to delete the motto on 23 May 1936. It was redesignated for the 244th Artillery Regiment on 3 August 1962. The insignia was amended to add the motto on 29 August 1968. It was redesignated for the 244th Air Defense Artillery Regiment on 6 July 1972.

• Seacoast defense in the United States
• United States Army Coast Artillery Corps
• Harbor Defense Command

• Berhow, Mark A., Ed. (2015). American Seacoast Defenses, A Reference Guide, Third Edition. McLean, Virginia: CDSG Press. ISBN 978-0-9748167-3-9.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
• Gaines, William C., Historical Sketches Coast Artillery Regiments 1917-1950, National Guard Army Regiments 197-265, p. 11
• History of the Ninth Regiment N.Y.S.M. -- N.G.S.N.Y. (Eighty-third N. Y ... By United States. Army. New York Infantry Regiment, 83rd (1861-1864) 1889
• Rinaldi, Richard A. (2004). The U. S. Army in World War I: Orders of Battle. General Data LLC. ISBN 0-9720296-4-8.
• Stanton, Shelby L. (1991). World War II Order of Battle. Galahad Books. pp. 420, 470, 492–493, 505. ISBN 0-88365-775-9.

• Greg Hagg; Bolling Smith; Mark Berhow. "Insignia of the Coast Artillery Corps" (PDF). The Coast Defense Study Group, Inc. Retrieved 18 May 2018.
• Air Defense Artillery - Army Lineage Series - https://history.army.mil/html/books/060/60-5/cmhPub_60-5.pdf