1st Battalion - 206th Field Artillery
1st Battalion, 206th Field Artillery qualified for battery certification at Ft. Chaffee, AR, in 1998. The 206th Coast Artillery Regiment (Anti-aircraft) was ordered to active duty December 31, 1940 and began moving to Fort Bliss, TX in early January 1941. After extensive training, the 206th left Fort Bliss in August and arrived at Dutch Harbor, Alaska August 16, 1941. In June 1942 the 206th participated in the defense of Dutch Harbor against two attacks by carrier based Japanese planes. The regiment returned to Fort Bliss in March of 1944, deactivated and headquarters personnel were reassigned. The 1st Battalion was redesignated the 596th AAA (automatic weapons), but was broken up after a month and its personnel used as replacements.
The 2nd Battalion was redesignated the 597th AAA (automatic weapons) and participated in the Central Europe and Rhineland campaigns. The 3rd Battalion, which was created in Alaska, was redesignated the 339th Searchlight Battalion, but was disbanded in less than three months and its personnel used as replacements.
