Heritage of the
2nd Battalion 174th
Air Defense Artillery
The growing sophistication of air power in combat, developed prior to and during W.W.II, necessitated the diversification of combat artillery to include air defense. Consequently the 2nd Battalion, 174th Air Defense Artillery Avenger, Ohio Army National Guard, was first established on 19 May 1944, as the 180th Coast Artillery Battalion. On 31 May 1944 the Battalion was activated at Fort Ruger, Hawaii and remained active in the Western Pacific Theater until 13 December 1945 when it was returned to inactive status in the Mariana Islands.
On 1 March 1951, the 180th Coast Artillery Battalion was allotted to the Ohio Army National Guard as the 180th Antiaircraft Artillery Gun Battalion. Federal recognition was granted on 29 May 1951 with the headquarters being established in Dayton, Ohio.
The battalion was again reorganized and redesigned on 1 September 1959 as the 174th Artillery, a parent regiment in the Combat Arms Regimental System, to consist of the 1st Gun Battalion, 2nd Automatic Weapons Battalion, and the 3rd Detachment. 1 April 1963 saw a further development as reorganization brought about the 174th Artillery, 1st and 2nd Automatic Weapons Battalions, and 3rd Detachment.
In 1968 there was a reorganization of the Ohio National Guard. On 15 February 1968 the 175th Artillery was reorganized to consist of the 1st and 2nd Battalions. The 2nd Battalion added units in Zanesville, Cambridge, and Steubenville to the existing battalions locations in Athens, McConnesville, Logan, New Lexington, Caldwell, and Marietta. On 1 February 1972 the 174th Artillery was reorganized to consist of the 2nd Battalion only. The 2nd Battalion (Automatic Weapons) (Self Propelled) 174th Artillery was redesigned as the 2nd Battalion (Automatic Weapons)(Self Propelled) 174th Air Defense Artillery.