HEADQUARTERS AND HEADQUARTERS DETACHMENT, 337th SUPPORT BATTALION
Constituted 27 May 1942 in the Pennsylvania National Guard as Headquarters, 3d Battalion, 213th Coast Artillery and activated 15 June 1942 in Federal service at Bayonne, New Jersey.
Reorganized and redesignated 1 April 1944 as Headquarters, 337th Antiaircraft Artillery Searchlight Battalion. Inactivated 24 September 1944 at Citiavecchia, Italy.
Consolidated with Battery A, 73d Antiaircraft Artillery Gun Battalion (originally organized 23 March 1794 as the Reading Union Volunteers and attached to the 6th Regiment, Pennsylvania Militia as a light Infantry Company; in Federal service during the Whiskey Insurrection of 1794; mustered into Federal service 12 September 1814 as the Reading Washington [Guards] Blues and attached to the1st Regiment, Pensylvania Volunteers; mustered out 8 January 1815 and returned to State control; organized as the Reading Artillerist and assigned to the 1st Reading Battalion of Volunteers during 1820; mustered into Federal service 5 January 1847 at Pittsburgh as Company A, 2d Regiment of Pennsylvania Volunteers; mustered out 21 July 1846 at Philadelphia and resumed State status; mustered into Federal service 20 April 1861 at Harrisburgh as Company G, 1st Pennsylvania Volunteers; mustered out 27 July 1861 at Harrisburgh and resumed State status; mustered into Federal service 14 August 1862 at Harrisburgh as Company C, 128th Pennsylvania Volunteers; mustered out 19 May 1863 and returned to State control; reorganized 2 May 1881 at Reading as Company A ; [Reading Artillerist]; 4th Infantry, Pennsylvania National Guard; mustered into Federal service 9 May 1898 at Mount Gretna as Company A, 4th Pennsylvania Volunteers; mustered out 16 November 1898 at Philadelphia and returned to State control; reorganized 13 January 1899 at Reading as Compnay A, 4th Infantry, Pennsylvania National Guard; mustered into Federal service 8 July 1916 at Mount Gretna for Mexican Border duty; mustered out 16 January 1917 and resumed State status; mustered into Federal service 16 July 1917 at Reading and drafted into Federal service on 5 August 1917; reorganized and redesignated 11 October 1917 as Company B, 108th Machine Gun Battalion and assigned to the 28th Division; relieved from the 28th Division and demobilized 18 October 1919 at Camp Dix, New Jersey; reorganized and Federally recognized 8 April 1921 at Reading as Company A, 3d Separate Infantry Battalion, Pennsylvania National Guard; converted and redesignated 1 May 1922 as Battery A, 213th Artillery [Antiaircraft]; Coast Artillery Corps; redesignated 1 August 1924 as Battery A, 213th Coast Artillery [Antiaircraft]; inducted into Federal service 15 September 1940 at Reading.
Redesignated 23 March 1944 as Battery A, 73d Antiaircraft Artillery Gun Battalion).
Redesignated 24 May 1946 as Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 337th Antiaircraft Artillery Searchlight Battalion. Reorganized and Federally recognized 9 December 1946 at Reading.
Reorganized and redesignated 1 December 1947 as Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 337th Antiaircraft Artillery Gun Battalion (90mm Gun). Ordered into active Federal service 1 May 1951 at Reading. Released from active Federal service 31 Decembver 1952 and resumed State status. Redesignated 1 October 1953 as Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 337th Antiaircraft Artillery (90mm Gun). Redesignated 1 June 1959 as Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 2d Gun Battalion (90mm) 213th Artillery. Redesignated 1 May 1962 as Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 4th Howitzer Battalion (105mm Self Propelled), 213th Artillery.
Converted and redesignated 17 February 1968 as Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 337th Maintenance Battalion.
Converted and redesignated 1 September 1994 as Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 337th Support Battalion (Corps).
CAMPAIGN PATICIPATION CREDITS
(War of 1812):
Streamer without inscription
(Mexican War):
Vera Cruz
Cerro Gordo
Churubusco
Molino del Ray
Chapultepec
Contreras
Puebla 1847
(Civil War):
Antietam
Chancellorsville
Virginia 1862
(War with Spain):
Puerto Rilco
World War I):
Champagne-Marne
Aisne-Marne
Oise-Aisne
Meuse-Argonne
Champagne 1918
Lorraine 1918
(World War II):
Tunisia
Naples-Foggia (with arrowhead)
Rome-Arno
Rhineland
COAT OF ARMS:
SHIELD: Gules, within an annulet of six mullets or a keystone celeste, fimbriated of the second and charged with a broadarrow, point to chief of the like.
CREST: That for the regiments and separate battalions of the Pennsylvania Army National Guard: On a wreath of the colors (or and gules) a lion rampant guardant proper, holding in dexter paw a naked scimitar argent, hilted or and in sinister an escutcheon argent, on a fess sable three plates.
MOTTO: Ready Service
SYMBOLISM:
Crimson and light blue are the colors used for Maintenance and indicate a former designation of this unit. The six gold stars, symbolic of achievement, represent participation in six wars of the past. The keystone alludes to the State of Pennsylvania where part of the unit was originally organized during 1794. The arrowhead represents the assault landing at Salerno during World War II.
DISTINCTIVE BADGE:
The distinctive unit insignia redesignated 25 October 1995 for the 337th Support Battalion was originally authorized for the 337th Maintenance Battalion, 23 June 1977. A gold color metal and enamel device consisting of a circular crimson enamel background bearing a light blue keysone charged witha gold arrowhead, point up, all within a circle of six gold stars; overlapping at the top a semi-circircular gold scroll folded back on each side and inscribed "READY"; at the base a siminlar gold scroll folded back on each side and inscribed 'SERVICE", all in black letters.
1SG Charles W. Aresta, The Hawaiian Military Insignia Collectors and Study Group, 1813 Sereno Street, Honolulu, Hawaii 96817-2318 (Fax or Ph: 1-808-537-2753) or e-mail: ra1sgt@hawaii.rr.com
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