National Guard history

For the next 30 years, the training status of the militia waxed and waned as threats of war with France in 1798 and Great Britain in 1807 arose.

After the War of 1812, the enrolled militia fell into decline.

In 1840, the enrolled militia was disbanded and replaced by the Massachusetts Volunteer Militia (MVM). Volunteer units were made up of younger men who voluntarily enlisted in uniformed militia companies.

By 1860, the MVM was, perhaps, the best trained and equipped state militia.

On April 15, 1861, President Lincoln called on the states to provide 75,000 militiamen for federal service to suppress the insurrection of the Southern states.

Under the Armory Act of 1888, Massachusetts began building large armories in Boston, Worcester, and Springfield.

In April 1898, President McKinley called on Massachusetts to furnish six regiments for service in the war with Spain.

In 1903, important national defense legislation increased the role of the National Guard (as the militia was now called) as a Reserve force for the United States Army.

In 1907, the MVM was re-designated as the Massachusetts National Guard.

Regulation of the security industry commenced in 1915, wherein the state of California provides licensing and regulation of private security guards under the Administration of the State Board of Prison Directors.

During the next several months, units recruited to full war strength so that by July 25, 1917 some 18,000 Soldiers entered active duty.

When the 26th Division was fully reorganized in 1923, it was composed completely of Massachusetts National Guard units.

Starting in 1936, units began to train at the Guard’s Camp Edwards on Cape Cod.

The 26th landed in France in September 1944 and entered combat the following month.

The next mobilization occurred in 1961 when four units mobilized for service during the Berlin Crisis.

Over 75,000 Army and Air Guardsmen were called upon to help bring a swift end to Desert Storm in 1991.

In 1995, Guard units began supporting peacekeeping operations in Bosnia, including the 65th Public Affairs Detachment, the 126th Military History Detachment, Battery E of the 101st Field Artillery, and companies from the 104th and 181st Infantry Regiments.

Following the attacks of September 11, 2001, more than 50,000 Guard members were called up by both their States and the Federal government to provide security at home and combat terrorism abroad.

In August 2003, the 1st Battalion, 181st Infantry entered active service and deployed to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba for base security operations.

In the largest and swiftest response to a domestic disaster in history, the Guard deployed more than 50,000 troops in support of the Gulf States following Hurricane Katrina in 2005.