The 12th Coast Artillery Regiment was a

Coast Artillery Coastal artillery is the branch of the armed forces concerned with operating anti-ship artillery or fixed gun batteries in coastal fortifications. From the Middle Ages until World War II, coastal artillery and naval artillery in the form of ...

regiment in the

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land warfare, land military branch, service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight Uniformed services of the United States, U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army o ...

, constituted in the

Regular Army A regular army is the official army of a state or country (the official armed forces), contrasting with irregular forces, such as volunteer irregular militias, private armies, mercenaries, etc. A regular army usually has the following: * a standin ...

on 27 February 1924. It served in the Harbor Defenses of the Chesapeake with headquarters at

Fort Monroe Fort Monroe, managed by partnership between the Fort Monroe Authority for the Commonwealth of Virginia, the National Park Service as the Fort Monroe National Monument, and the City of Hampton, is a former military installation in Hampton, Virgi ...

, Virginia from 1924 to 1932. At that point the regiment effectively became the 2nd Coast Artillery; on paper the 2nd Coast Artillery was transferred from the Harbor Defenses of Cristobal in the Panama Canal Zone and the 12th was transferred (less personnel and equipment) to that harbor defense. However, the 12th was never activated again, and on 19 June 1944 was disbanded.Gaines, p. 10

Lineage

Constituted in the Regular Army on 27 February 1924 as 12th Coast Artillery (Harbor Defense) (HD), and organized 1 July 1924 at

by redesignating the following companies of the

Coast Artillery Corps The U.S. Army Coast Artillery Corps (CAC) was an administrative corps responsible for coastal, harbor, and anti-aircraft defense of the United States and its possessions between 1901 and 1950. The CAC also operated heavy and railway artillery ...

(CAC): 112th, 58th, 139th, 158th, 164th, 103rd, 166th, and 169th. * HHB and Batteries A, B, and C activated. * on 25 November 1929 Battery A designated Mine Battery, Battery C designated Antiaircraft (AA) Battery. * on departure of the 61st Coast Artillery (AA) from Fort Monroe in May 1930, the 12th was reorganized with two active antiaircraft batteries to perform duties as the Coast Artillery School's training and demonstration regiment. * Regiment inactivated and transferred to Panama Canal Zone, less personnel and equipment, 29 April 1932.Gaines, pp. 5, 10 (personnel transferred to 2nd Coast Artillery to reactivate that regiment at

) * Regiment allotted to Panama Canal Zone, but not activated in World War II. Regiment disbanded 14 June 1944.

Distinctive unit insignia

* Description A gold griffin statant wing wings elevated and addorsed within a red ring bearing the motto "IMPIGER ET ANIMOSUS" in gold. Due to the lack of artwork, tools, drawings and having no sample, we are unable to determine the exact design of the insignia. * Symbolism The griffin is a fictitious heraldic animal noted for watchfulness and strength, half eagle and half lion, and emphasizes the motto which translates to "Alert and Courageous." * Background The distinctive unit insignia was approved on 10 November 1924. It was rescinded on 14 March 1975.

Coat of arms

*Blazon ** Shield: Gules a fess dancette Sable fimbriated Argent in chief two fleurs-de-lis Or. ** Crest: On a wreath of the colors Or and Gules, a griffin statant with wings elevated and addorsed Or. Motto: IMPIGER ET ANIMOSUS (Alert and Courageous). *Symbolism ** Shield: The shield is red for Artillery; the black fess dancette (zigzag figure) is taken from the shield of the Coast Defenses of Chesapeake Bay, and is edged in silver, as on the shield of the Coast Defenses of Chesapeake Bay. Two batteries, the 112th Company (Battery A, 60th Artillery, C.A.C.) now Headquarters Battery of this Regiment, and the 158th Company (Headquarters and Service Battery, 1st Anti-Aircraft Battalion), now Battery C of this Regiment, saw service in France. These two batteries are represented by the two fleur-de-lis (lilies). ** Crest: The crest is the griffin, fictitious heraldic animal noted for watchfulness and strength, half eagle and half lion, also further emphasized in the motto "Alert and Courageous." * Background: The coat of arms was approved on 1 November 1924. It was rescinded on 14 March 1975.

References

*
Gaines, William C., Coast Artillery Organizational History, 1917-1950, ''Coast Defense Journal'', vol. 23, issue 2

''Coast Artillery Journal'', August 1923, page 123

''Coast Artillery Journal'', March 1927, page 253
* (dead link 15 September 2017)

External links

*

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Military units and formations in Virginia Military units and formations established in 1924 Military units and formations disestablished in 1944

Lineage

Distinctive unit insignia

Coat of arms

See also

References

External links