What's the name of this unit?

[RichiesRelics]

I've seen people call this unit different names but what is the official name of the unit that this collar insignia belongs to? I've seen people call it missile command, and anti-missile, but what is the unit officially called?

 

Richie

[RustyCanteen]

Air Defense Artillery.

[RichiesRelics]

Air Defense Artillery.

Thanks. This unit is post-WWII isn't it?

[atb]

Yes, post-WW2. It is an Army Branch of Service (BOS), not a "unit." Other BOS include Infantry, Corps of Engineers, Adjutant General Corps, Field Artillery and etc. The US Army Institute of Heraldry website has a history of the Air Defense Artillery branch insignia.

[RichiesRelics]

Yes, post-WW2. It is an Army Branch of Service (BOS), not a "unit." Other BOS include Infantry, Corps of Engineers, Adjutant General Corps, Field Artillery and etc. The US Army Institute of Heraldry website has a history of the Air Defense Artillery branch insignia. 

Thanks very much for the information.

[QED4]

When this insignia first appeared in 1957 it was worn by all artillerymen and the branch was Artillery. However the old canon cockers were not happy about the addition of the missile to their insignia so after much lobbying the Artillery branch was split in two in 1968. The Field Artillery using just the old crossed canons and the Air Defense Artillery with the missile much the same as the old Field Artillery and the Coast Artillery were separate branches. So the name of the branch depends on the time period you are talking about

[RichiesRelics]

When this insignia first appeared in 1957 it was worn by all artillerymen and the branch was Artillery. However the old canon cockers were not happy about the addition of the missile to their insignia so after much lobbying the Artillery branch was split in two in 1968. The Field Artillery using just the old crossed canons and the Air Defense Artillery with the missile much the same as the old Field Artillery and the Coast Artillery were separate branches. So the name of the branch depends on the time period you are talking about

When did they stop using this insignia, or is it currently used?

[Major Z]

Should be current. Several of my ROTC buddies were branched ADA in 2000, and they wore the officer version of what you have shown at the top.

[atb]

Still in use.

[1SG_1st_Cav]

When I came into the Army in 1960, I was trained in Field Artillery, and yes, we had that damn phallic symbol sticking up between our beloved Cross-Cannons. And yes, by the end of 1968 we wore just crossed cannons. We have some of our war time Guidons, 1968 or earlier, that had the crossed cannons with the damn phallic symbol stuck up the middle. Check the picture below. There are two guidons that were brought back from Vietnam. This is part of our 30th Field Artillery Regimental Room at Ft Sill, OK. The colors at the top in the middle of the picture are the Battalion Colors for the 1st Bn, 30th FA. They were the colors that went to Vietnam in November 1965. Field Artillery KINK OF BATTLE!

[RichiesRelics]

That's interesting, thanks for sharing that picture. Now do you know what inspired the army to add that to the artillery insignia? As you guys said it was originally the air defense artillery insignia so why did they make it the insignia of the regular artillery as well?

[Terry K.]

I could have sworn these were earlier than late 1950's. I thought they came out in 1950 or 52.

[patches]

Terry, are you thinking about Armor? It was the Armor Branch that changed/switched in the early 50s, from the old WWI Tank to the M26 superimposed on Crossed Sabrers

[Steve B.]

According to the Institute of Heraldry the Coast Artillery and Field Artillery were consolidated into the Artillery Arm in 1950 using just the crossed cannon insignia.

 

In 1957 the missile was added to the insignia.

 

In 1968 Air Defense Artillery became its own branch, retaining the crossed cannon with missile insignia, and Field Artillery once again became a separate branch retaining the crossed cannon insignia.