6th Battalion, 52nd Air Defense Artillery
The 6th Battalion, 52nd Air Defense Artillery, with its 34 battle streamers, was first organized on 1 June 1917 as the 3rd Company in Ft. Washington, Maryland. From 1917 to 1918, the unit underwent several redesignations under the Coast Artillery Corps. Following America's entry into World War I, the Secretary of War, Newton D. Baker, sent an Advisory Board of Officers to France to determine how best to employ American Forces in Europe. Colonel Chauncey B. Baker recommended the creation of an anti-aircraft Artillery Service (AAA). Baker based his recommendation on the significant threat that air power posed to Allied Forces. The Coast Artillery Corps was able to assume the anti-aircraft artillery mission because it was the only artillery with experience in firing at moving targets. Three coast artillery officers were sent to France with orders to assemble the anti-aircraft artillery units. Brigadier General James A. Shipton was one of these officers. In the years following World War I, the unit was redesignated as Battery F, 52nd coast Artillery.
During World War II, advances in technology made air power an ever increasing threat to friendly forces. In the Pacific the need for anti-aircraft artillery became apparent as Allied Leaders realized they had vastly underrated Japan's air power. The unit, then known as Battery A, 288th coast artillery Battalion, fought gallantly in the Pacific Theater from 1941-1945. After the war, the 288th was awarded the Philippine Presidential Unit Citation for gallantry in the Philippines.
In 1950, the unit was reconstituted as Battery B, 52nd Field Artillery Battalion and assigned to the 24th Infantry Division at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. During the Korean Conflict, the 90mm gun battalion and automatic weapons battalions served effectively in the ground role. For its courage under fire in Korea, the 52nd was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation and two Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citations.
The unit was redesignated several times during the Cold War, and finally designated the 6th Battalion, 52nd Air Defense Artillery (Hawk) missile Battalion on 1 September 1971. From December 1990 until June 1992, Batteries Alpha and Bravo of 6-52 ADA deployed and participated as part of Task Force 8-43 ADA, VII United States Corps during Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm. Upon return, this battalion continued to serve proudly under NATO until its deactivation as the last forward-deployed Hawk unit deployed overseas. On 25 October 1993, the 6th Battalion, 52nd Air Defense Artillery (PATRIOT) was reactivated on 15 February 1996 at Shipton Kaserne, Ansbach, Germany.
On 2 March 1998 the 6th Battalion, 52nd Air Defense Artillery was task organized as Task Force 6-52 Air Defense Artillery.
The battalion has been awarded the Superior Unit Award for distinguished performance during its 1996 Southwest Asia Rotation.
The 69th Air Defense Artillery Brigade fired a live Patriot missile for the first time ever in Europe. Souda Bay, Crete, an island of Greece, is where history was made 21 October 1999 when 69th ADA's Delta Battery 6-52 Battalion from Ansbach, Germany fired the Patriot missile. The reason the team fired its first live Patriot missile in Europe was because Germany offered logistical support and ran the NATO range in Crete. The Germans were fine hosts and allowed us to fire one of their missiles here. It truly became a combined NATO team atmosphere."Troops from Greece, Belgium, Germany, Poland and the Netherlands were involved in the exercise. The Patriot missile destroyed its drone target approximately 25 miles from the shores of Crete.
