An Act of Congress, 2 February 1901, divided the Artillery arm into Coast and Field Artillery and the insignia was modified by the addition of a plain scarlet oval at the intersection of the crossed cannons. On 17 July 1902, the Coast Artillery insignia was created by the addition of a gold projectile on the red oval. Concurrently, the Field Artillery insignia was created by the addition of a gold wheel on the red oval; this insignia was replaced by two crossed field guns (a lighter form of cannon), the design of which was approved on 4 April 1907.
The Army Organization Act of 1950 consolidated Coast and Field Artillery to form the Artillery Arm, and the crossed field guns was redesignated as the Artillery branch insignia on 19 December 1950. This insignia was superseded on 2 January 1957 by a new insignia consisting of crossed field guns surmounted by a missile, all gold.
The U.S. Army Air Defense Artillery was founded on 20 June 1968, Air Defense Artillery was established as a basic branch of the Army and on 1 December 1968, the ADA branch was authorized to retain the former Artillery insignia, crossed field guns with missile.
Air Defense Artillery refers to the combat group that specializes in anti-aircraft weapons (such as surface to air missiles). In the US Army, these groups are composed of mainly air defense systems such as the PATRIOT Missile System, the M6 Bradley Linebacker and the Avenger Air Defense system both which fire the FIM-92 Stinger missile.
The branch motto is "First to fire!".
Branch Plaque: The plaque design has the branch insignia, letters and border in gold. The background is scarlet.
Regimental Insignia:
Personnel assigned to the Air Defense Artillery branch affiliate with a specific regiment and wear the insignia of the affiliated regiment.
Regimental Coat of Arms:
There is no standard Air Defense Artillery regimental flag to represent all of the ADA regiments. Each regiment of ADA has its own coat of arms which
is displayed on the breast of an displayed eagle. The background of all the Air Defense Artillery regimental flags is scarlet with yellow fringe.
Branch Colors:
Scarlet. 65006 cloth; 67111 yarn; 200 PMS.
The uniform for the Corps of Artillery, which was formed in 1777, included red trimmings. The plume on the hat was also red. Except for a short period at the beginning of the 1800's when yellow was combined with it, scarlet has been the color of the Artillery throughout the history of the branch. Scarlet has been used by the Coast, Field, and Air Defense Artillery.
Birthday:
17 November 1775. The Continental Congress unanimously elected Henry Knox "Colonel of the Regiment of Artillery" on 17 November 1775. The regiment formally entered service on 1 January 1776. Although Field Artillery and Air Defense Artillery are separate branches, both inherit the traditions of the Artillery branch.
Information Courtesy of The Institute of Heraldry!!
