198th Signal Battalion (United States)

The  198th Signal Battalion is a battalion in the Delaware Army National Guard. It is also known as the First Delaware.

History
The 1st Delaware Regiment was raised on 9 December 1775 for service with the continental army under the command of Colonel John Haslet. The regiment would see action during the New York Campaign, Battle of Trenton, Battle of Princeton, Battle of Brandywine, Battle of Germantown and the Battle of Guilford Court House. The regiment was furloughed on 17 January 1783 at Christiana Bridge, Delaware and disbanded on 15 November 1783.

Lineage
Constituted 9 December 1775 in the Continental Army as the Delaware Regiment (also Known as Haslet's Regiment) Organised during January–March 1776 for one year's service to consist of the following companies under the command of Colonel John Haslet- Mustered into Continental service 11–12 April 1776 at Dover and Lewiston. Reorganized 12 December 1776 - 1 March 1777 as Colonel David Hall's Regiment as Follows- Reorganized September 1780 from new and existing companies as follows- Mustered out of Continental service 3 November 1783 at Christiana Bridge. Reorganized in Delaware as follows- Mustered into Federal service for the War of 1812 as follows- (1st Company, Light Infantry, 8th Regiment, reorganized 6 March 1827 as the 1st Company of Light Infantry, 1st Battalion).
 * 1st Company, Captain Joseph Stidham - New Castle County
 * 2nd Company, Captain Jonathan Caldwell- Kent County
 * 3rd Company, Captain David Hall - Sussex County
 * 4th Company, Captain Henry Darby - New Castle County
 * 5th Company, Captain Charles Pope - Kent County
 * 6th Company, Captain Nathan Adams - Kent County
 * 7th Company, Captain Samuel Smith - New Castle County
 * 8th Company, Captain Joseph Vaughan - Sussex County.
 * Captain John Pattern's Company
 * Captain Robert Kirkwood's Company
 * Captain James Moore's Company
 * Captain Enoch Anderson's Company
 * Captain Thomas Holland's Company
 * Captain John Learmonth's Company
 * Captain Gord Hazzard's Company
 * Captain Peter Jaquett's Company
 * Captain Robert Kirkwood's Company
 * Captain Peter Jaquett's Company
 * Captain William McKennan's Company (mustered in August 1781 at Christiana Bridge
 * Captain Paul Quenoualt's Company (mustered in August 1781 at Christiana Bridge
 * Light Infantry, 1st Regiment 10 October 1793 at Wilmington under Captain David Bush.
 * Artillery Company, 2nd Brigade prior to 9 April 1793 at Dover under Captain Furbee.
 * 1st Company, Light Infantry, 8th Regiment prior to 22 February 1799 at Georgetown, Under Captain Benton Harris.
 * Light Infantry, 1st Infantry, Mustered into Federal service 23 May 1813 at Wilmington; Mustered out of Federal service 31 July 1813; Mustered into Federal service 28 August 1814; Mustered out of Federal service 3 January - 13 March 1815.
 * Artillery Company, 2nd Brigade, Mustered into Federal service 23 May 1813 at Dover; Mustered out of Federal service 2 September 1814.
 * 1st Company, Light infantry, 8th regiment, Mustered into Federal service 2 March 1813; Mustered out of Federal service 4 May 1813 at Lewes; Mustered into Federal service 6 May 1813; Mustered out of Federal service 6 August 1814; Mustered out of Federal service 11 January 1815.
 * Reorganized in 1831 as the Light Infantry Battalion, attached to the 8th Regiment of Delaware Militia, with companies as follows-

Reorganized from 1849-1861 as independent companies as follows- Reorganized 2–22 May 1861 as the 1st Delaware Volunteer Infantry Regiment and mustered into Federal service at Wilmington; mustered out of Federal service 2–26 August 1861. Reorganized 10 September -19 October 1861 and Mustered into Federal service for 3 Years at Wilmington; Mustered out of federal service 12 July 1865 near Munson's Hill, Virginia. (Organized Militia of Delaware redesignated 17 April 1885 as the Delaware National Guard). (Companies of the 1st and 2nd Battalions transferred in October 1917 to the 3rd Battalion, 114th Infantry Regiment (United States), and other units of the 29th Infantry Division (United States). Former elements of the 1st Infantry Regiment, Delaware National guard, reorganized as follows- (1st Separate Battalion, Coast Artillery reorganized and Federally recognized 16 November 1920- Separate lineage) Inducted into Federal service 16 September 1940 at Wilmington. (3rd Battalion organized 1 January 1943 while in Federal service). after 1 March 1944 the above units underwent changes as follows- after 10 October 1949 the above units underwent changes as follows-
 * Georgetown Minute Men- organized 19 July 1831 under Captain Edward L. Wells
 * Volunteer Company, Light Infantry- organized 14 September 1831 under Captain Coulter.
 * Volunteer Company, Light Infantry- organized 14 November 1831 under Captain Thomas McIlwain.
 * Volunteer Company, Light Infantry- organized 17 November 1831 under Captain Gilley G. Short.
 * Kirkwood Rifle Corps- organized 30 June 1846 at Georgetown under Captain Caleb R. Layton, attached to the 13th Regiment of Militia.
 * Company B Artillery, organized 2 February 1849 at Wilmington; redesignated 29 February as the National Guards.
 * Columbia Rifle Corps, organized prior to July 1858 at Wilmington.
 * Companies A, and B, Delaware Blues, organized prior to September 1860 as bell and Everett political clubs.
 * Union Volunteers organized in 1861 at Camden.
 * McLane Rifles organized prior to 1861 at Wilmington.
 * Reorganized 4 April 1869 in the Delaware Volunteers as the 1st Zouave Regiment, with the organization of Company A. (Smyth Zouaves).
 * Reorganized in 1880 in the Organized Militia of Delaware as the 1st Regiment of Infantry.
 * Mustered into Federal service 9–19 May 1898 as the 1st Delaware Volunteer Infantry at Middletown; Mustered out of Federal service (less Companies A, B, G, and M,) 16 November 1898 at Wilmington (Companies a, B, G, and M, mustered out 19 December 1898 at Wilmington).
 * Reorganized during 1899-1900 in the Delaware National Guard as the 1st Infantry Regiment.
 * Mustered into Federal service 8–9 July 1916 at New Castle for service on the Mexican Border; mustered out of federal service 15–16 February 1917.
 * Called into Federal service 25 July 1917, Drafted into Federal service 5 August 1917.
 * Personnel of the entire former 1st Infantry Regiment, Delaware National Guard withdrawn 17 January 1918 from the 29th division and regiment redesignated '''59th Pioneer Infantry.
 * Demobilized (less Companies B, C, and D) 8 July 1919 at Camp Dix, New Jersey (Companies B, C, D demobilized 7 August 1919 at Camp Upton, New York.
 * 198th Artillery Coast Artillery Corps reorganized and Federally recognized 15 September 1921 with headquarters at Wilmington.
 * 198th Artillery (CAC) redesignated 16 August 1924 as the 198th Coast Artillery.
 * Regiment broken up 1 March 1944 and its elements reorganized and redesignated as follows-
 * HHB as 198th Antiaircraft Artillery Group
 * 1st Battalion as 736th Antiaircraft Artillery Gun Battalion
 * 2nd Battalion as 945th Antiaircraft Artillery Automatic Weapons Battalion
 * 3rd Battalion as 373rd Antiaircraft Artillery Gun Battalion. (hereafter separate Lineage)
 * 198th Antiaircraft Artillery Group inactivated 24 December 1945 at Camp Anza, California. reorganized and Federally recognized 27 August 1946 at Wilmington.
 * 736th Antiaircraft Artillery Gun Battalion inactivated 2 January 1946 at Camp Stoneman, California. reorganized and Federally recognized 16 October 1946 at Wilmington. expanded 10 October 1949 to form the 736th Antiaircraft Artillery Gun Battalion and the 156th Antiaircraft Artillery Automatic Weapons Battalion.
 * 736th Antiaircraft Artillery Gun Battalion ordered into active Federal service 29 August 1950 at Wilmington; released from Federal service 2 August 1952 and reverted to state control. Redesignated as 736th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion.
 * 156th Antiaircraft Artillery Automatic Weapons Battalion redesignated 20 July 1951 as the 156th Antiaircraft Artillery Gun Battalion. redesignated 1 October 1953 as the 156th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion.
 * 945th Antiaircraft Artillery Automatic Weapons Battalion inactivated 15 February 1946 at Hokkaido, Japan. reorganized and federally recognized 17 October 1946 with Headquarters at Dover. redesignated 24 October 1949 as the 193rd Antiaircraft Artillery Gun Battalion. redesignated 1 October 1953 as the 193rd Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion.
 * HHB, 198th AA Group, 736th, 193rd, 280th, and 945th Consolidated 1 April 1959 to form the 198th Artillery a Parent Regiment under the Combat Arms Regimental System.
 * Regiment broken up 1 January 1970 and its elements reorganized and redesignated as follows-
 * 1st, and 2nd Battalions to form the 198th Signal Battalion, 3rd Battalion reorganized as various elements.

Distinctive unit insignia
A gold color metal and enamel insignia 1 1/16 inches (2.70 cm) in height overall consisting of the shield and motto of the coat of arms. The shield is white, the old color of Infantry. The eleven mullets represent the eleven battles and campaigns in which the organization served during the Civil War, and the red fleur-de-lis is for World War I service. The red is also the color of the Coast Artillery. The distinctive unit insignia was originally approved for the 198th Coast Artillery on 13 Jun 1934. It was redesignated for the 736th Antiaircraft Artillery Gun Battalion on 26 Jan 1951. On 6 Apr 1961, the insignia was redesignated for 198th Artillery. The distinctive unit insignia was redesignated for the 198th Signal Battalion on 19 Oct 1978.
 * Description
 * Symbolism
 * Background

Blazon
Argent, a fleur-de-lis Gules; on a chief Azure eleven mullets, five and six, Or. That for the regiments and separate battalion of the Delaware National Guard: On a wreath of the colors, Argent and Gules, a griffin's head erased Azure eared and beaked Or, langued Gules, collared Sable, fimbriated Argent and thereon three plates. Motto FIRST REGIMENT OF FIRST STATE
 * Shield
 * Crest

Symbolism
The shield is white, the old color of Infantry. The eleven mullets represent the eleven battles and campaigns in which the organization served during the Civil War, and the red fleur-de-lis is for World War I service. The red is also the color of the Coast Artillery.

Background
The coat of arms was originally approved for the 198th Coast Artillery on 19 Jun 1933. It was redesignated for the 736th Antiaircraft Artillery Gun Battalion on 26 Jan 1951. On 6 Apr 1961, the insignia was redesignated for 198th Artillery. The coat of arms was redesignated for the 198th Signal Battalion on 19 Oct 1978.

Campaign streamers
Revolutionary War War of 1812 Civil War World War I World War II
 * Long Island
 * Trenton
 * Princeton
 * Brandywine
 * Germantown
 * Monmouth
 * Yorktown
 * Cowpens
 * Guilford Cort House
 * New York 1776
 * New York 1777
 * South Carolina 1780
 * South Carolina 1781
 * North Carolina 1781
 * South Carolina 1782
 * Delaware 1813
 * Delaware 1814
 * Delaware 1815
 * Peninsula
 * Antietam
 * Fredericksburg
 * Chancellorsville
 * Gettysburg
 * Wilderness
 * Spotsylvania
 * Cold Harbor
 * Petersburge
 * Appomattox
 * Virginia 1863
 * Meuse-Argonne
 * Northern Solomons

Decorations
none