3rd Battalion - 43rd Air Defense Artillery Regiment
The 3rd Battalion, 43rd Air Defense Artillery, 11th ADA has been ordered to deploy to the Middle East as part of President Bush's troop surge in Iraq. This Patriot Missle air defense unit from Fort Bliss TX is the first Patriot Missile unit to deploy to the Middle East since the leadup to the war in Iraq in 2002. About 600 soldiers headed to the region by February 2007, deploying with the USS Stennis Carrier Strike Group. As of mid-January 2007 it was unclear exactly where the soldiers would be stationed, though initially it appeared that there would be no Patriot elements in Iraq.
During Operation Desert Shield / Desert Storm the air defense assets in theater included two Patriot battalions that were located back in echelons above corps, one a six-battery battalion that was located in Dammam area for primary tactical ballistic missile defense. Another half battalion, 3/43 [3d Battalion, 43d Air Defense Artillery], which was located in Riyadh; a three-battery defense. Up in KKMC there was 2/43 [2d Battalion, 43d Air Defense Artillery] which was a four-battery Patriot battalion for TBM defense. Also at KKMC was 2/52 [2d Battalion, 52d Air Defense Artillery] HAWK battalion: echelons above Corps for the KKMC area also. Then assigned to VII Corps was a task force (heavy) also, similar to the one in XVIII [Airborne] Corps, 8/43, which had four Patriot batteries along with two HAWK batteries assigned to it. In XVIII Corps was Task Force 2-1, which was a three HAWK batteries and three Patriot batteries.
Elements of the llth ADA Brigade executed a phased deployment into Saudi Arabia to initially provide ATBM defenses to critical assets. In Phase One, TF 2-7 ADA deployed four battery packages augmented with Stinger/ground defense from 5-62 ADA to Dhahran, Al Jubayl, Ad Damman, and Umm Said. In Phase Two, TF 3-43 ADA deployed two battery packages augmented with Stinger/ground defense from 5-62 ADA to Riyadh to provide ATBM defense.
Since February of 1998 thru January 1999, 3-43 ADA performed two short notice deployments of Minimum Engagement Packages (MEPS), in support of an Air Force Expeditionary Wing (AEW). The Battalion minus along with two Patriot Batteries have deployed on no notice to Southwest Asia as Iraqi provocations threatened to rekindle the smoldering embers of Desert Storm during operations Desert Thunder I, II and Desert Fox.
As of late Febrary 1998 more than 6,000 soldiers from Army posts across the nation had deployed to Southwest Asia as part of Operation Southern Watch. US Forces Command provided assets from Fort Campbell, Ky. Other units deploying include signal units from the Army Signal Command at Fort Huachuca, Ariz., two Patriot batteries from the 3/43 Air Defense Artillery, Fort Bliss, Texas; and a cargo transfer company from Fort Eustis, VA. By April 1998 more than 900 soldiers assigned or attached to air defense units were deployed in Southwest Asia to serve in a joint coalition operation involving Middle Eastern allies and more than 30,000 U.S. service members. These soldiers, part of task forces 1-1 ADA and 3-43 ADA, the 32nd Army Air and Missile Defense Command and the 3rd Infantry Division's short-range Air Defense unit, deployed to the Middle Eastern nations of Bahrain, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. While TF 1-1 ADA deployed as part of a normal rotation to Southwest Asia, TF 3-43 ADA and the 32nd AAMDC were both rapidly deployed. This was the first deployment ever for the 32nd AAMDC, which was a new unit created in 1997.
On March 4, 2002 the U.S Army conducted a successful intercept test flight of the Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) missile at White Sands Missile Range, NM. Preliminary test data indicated the missile successfully intercepted the target and mission objectives were achieved. Soldiers of the 3/6 and 3/43 Air Defense Artillery, Fort Bliss, Texas, participated in today's test. The PAC-3 Missile is a high velocity, hit-to-kill missile and is the newest addition to Patriot family of missiles. The PAC-3 missile provides increased capability against advanced tactical ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and hostile aircraft. The PAC-3 missile successfully completed operational testing and began fielding in 2002.
In January 2003 3-43 Air Defense Artillery joined more than 1,000 Fort Bliss soldiers overseas as part of President Bush's efforts to pressure Iraqi to comply with UN resolutions. Battery B, Task Force 3-43 Air Defense Artillery deployed to Eskan Village, Saudi Arabia, while other elements of 3-43 ADA deployed to Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar. US Air Force photo by MSgt Terry L. Blevins Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF)/Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). OIF/OEF answered the patriot lethality question. Patriot soldiers were completely involved and showed that their new generations of Patriot missiles are highly lethal, and totally reliable against tactical ballistic missiles. During OEF/OIF the Patriot missile interceptors showed successful against eight Iraqi missiles that they had engaged with.
In May 2004 3rd Battalion, 43rd Air Defense Artillery, used two BD-5J microjets in a training exercise to prepare for the unit’s upcoming Coalition Joint Task Force Exercise at Camp LeJeune, NC. The microjets flew cruise-missile profiles at the Fort Bliss and White Sands Missile Range, N.M., training areas. This is the first time air-defense units have trained under such realistic circumstances. The microjet sorties were arranged through the Joint Cruise Missile Defense organization.
Constituted 29 June 1918 in the Regular Army and the 43rd Artillery, Coast Artillery Corps. Organized 7 August 1918 in France from existing Regular Army units and one New York national Guard company (National Guard company demobilized in February 1919; regiment continued on active status). Inactivated 17 August 1929 at Camp Eustis, Virginia. Redesigned 1 July 1924 as the 43d Coast Artillery. Disbanded 14 June 1944.
43d Coast Artillery reconstituted 28 June 1950 in the Regular Army; regiment concurrently broken up and its elements redesigned as follows: Headquarters and Headquarters Battery as Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 43d Field Artillery Group. 1st Battalion consolidated with the 43d Field Artillery Battalion (see Annex 1) and consolidated unit designated as the 43d Field Artillery Battalion, an element of the 8th Infantry Division. 2d Battalion consolidated with the 61st Field Artillery Battalion (active)(see Annex 2) and consolidated unit designated as the 61st Field Artillery Battalion, an element of the 1st Cavalry Division. 3d Battalion consolidated with the 64th Field Artillery Battalion (active)(see Annex 3) and consolidated unit designated as the 64th Field Artillery Battalion, an element of the 25th Infantry Division
After 28 June 1950 the above units underwent changes as follows: 43d Artillery Battalion activated 17 August 1950 at Fort Jackson, South Carolina. Inactivated 1 August 1957 in Germany and relieved from assignment to the 8th Infantry Division. 61st Filed Artillery Battalion inactivated 15 October 1957 in Japan and relieved from assignment to the 1st Cavalry Division. 64th Field Artillery Battalion inactivated 1 February 1957 in Hawaii and relieved from assignment to the 25th Infantry Division.
Headquarters and headquarters Battery, 43d Field Artillery Group, and the 43d, 61st and 64th Field Artillery Battalions consolidated, reorganized ad redesigned August 1958-July 1959 as the 43d Artillery, a parent regiment under the Combat Arms Regimental System. Redesigned 1 September 1971 as the 43d Air Defense Artillery. Withdrawn 16 March 1989 from the combat Arms Regimental System and reorganized under the United States Army Regimental System with Headquarters at Fort Bliss, Texas.
Annex 1 - Constituted 1 October 1933 in the Regular Army as the 43d Field Artillery. Redesigned 13 January 1941 as the 43d Field Artillery Battalion. Assigned 1 June 1941 to the 8th Division (later redesigned as the 8th Infantry Division) and activated at Fort Jackson, South Carolina. Inactivated 20 October 1945 at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri.
Annex 2 - Constituted 16 December 1940 in the Regular Army as the 61st Field Artillery Battalion. Assigned 3 January 1941 to the 1st Cavalry Division and activated at Fort Bliss, Texas.
Annex 3 - Constituted 26 August 1941 in the Regular Army as the 64th Field Artillery Battalion and assigned to the 25th Infantry Division. Activated 1 October 1941 in Hawaii.
Campaign Participation Credit includes World War I: St. Mihiel 1918, Meuse-Argonne 1918, Lorraine 1918. World War II: Normandy 1944, Northern France 1944, Rhineland 1944-1945, Central Europe 1945, Central Pacific 1941-1943, Guadalcanal 1942-1943, Northern Solomons 1943-1944, New Guinea 1943-1944, Bismarck Archipelago 1943-1944, Leyte 1944-1945 (with arrowhead), Luzon 1944-1945. Korean War: UN Defensive 1950, UN Offensive 1950, CCF Intervention 1950-1951, First UN Counteroffensive 1951, CCF Spring offensive 1951, UN Summer-Fall Offensive 1951, Second Korean Winter 1951-1952, Korea Summer-Fall 1952, Third Korean Winter 1952-1953, Korea, Summer 1953.
Decorations include the Presidential Unit Citation (Army), Streamer embroidered GUADALCANAL. Presidential Unit Citation (Army), Streamer embroidered (NAM RIVER. Presidential Unit Citation (Army), Streamer embroidered PAKCHON, KOREA. Presidential Unit Citation (Navy), Streamer embroidered WONJU-HWACHON. Navy Unit Commendation, Streamer embroidered PANMUNJOM. Air Force Outstanding Unit Award, Streamer embroidered ALASKA.
