60th Air Defense Artillery Regiment (United States)

The 60th Air Defense Artillery Regiment is an air defense unit of the United States Army.

The 60th Coast Artillery (AA) (60th CA), during the World War II era, was part of USAFFE's Harbor Defenses of Manila and Subic Bays, under the Philippine Coast Artillery Command. This anti-aircraft unit was to provide air defense over Manila Bay and the southern tip of the Bataan Peninsula. The 60th CA was equipped with 3-inch guns (an older model with a vertical range of 8,200 m), 37mm Guns, .50-caliber machine guns, and 60 in Sperry searchlights.

One battery, with a platoon of searchlights, was located at Fort Wint, in Subic Bay.

Lineage
Constituted 23 December 1917 in the Regular Army as the 60th Artillery, Coast Artillery Corps and organized at Fort Monroe, Virginia, comprising Regular Army companies and National Guard companies from Virginia and the District of Columbia.

Demobilized 24 February 1919 at Ft. Washington, Maryland (National Guard companies concurrently reverted to control of Virginia and the District of Columbia)

Reconstituted 26 October 1922 in the Regular Army as the 60th Artillery Battalion, Antiaircraft and organized at Fort Crockett, Texas.

Expanded, reorganized and redesignated 1 July 1924 as the 60th Coast Artillery.

Surrendered 6 May 1942 to the Japanese forces on Corregidor Island, Philippine Islands.

Inactivated 2 April 1946 at Fort Mills, Philippine Islands.

Redesignated 1 August 1946 as the 60th Antiaircraft Artillery Automatic Weapons Battalion and activated at Fort Bliss, Texas.

Redesignated 7 December 1949 as the 60th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion Automatic Weapons Battalion, Mobile.

Redesignated 27 July 1950 as the 60th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion.

Inactivated 17 June 1957 at Southampton, England.

Reorganized and redesignated 31 July 1959 as the 60th Artillery, a parent regiment under the Combat Arms Regimental System.

Redesignated 1 September 1971 as the 60th Air Defense Artillery.

Coat of arms

 * Blazon
 * Shield: Per fess embattled Sable and Gules fimbriated Or a pile in bend of the third the lower portion obscured by the second tincture, in sinister chief a mullet of the third.
 * Crest: On a wreath of the colors Or and Sable a carabao skull Sable horned Or.
 * Motto: Coelis Imperamus (We Rule The Heavens).


 * Symbolism
 * Shield:The shield is divided horizontally into two parts, the dividing line being embattled to represent defense. The lower half is red for Artillery; the upper half bears the colors of black and gold, significant of the Orient where the unit had its pioneer service.  A searchlight beam pierces the darkness of this portion of the shield signifying the never ending vigilance which this organization exercises in searching for enemy aircraft.  The star has a double significance. It is symbolic of the state of Texas, the Lone Star State, where the unit was reorganized after World War I, and its battleground in the heavens.
 * Crest The carabao horns are symbolic of service in the Philippine Islands where the 60th Battalion, Coast Artillery Corps served.
 * Background: The coat of arms was originally approved for the 60th Coast Artillery Regiment on 1924-05-21. It was amended to change the blazon of the shield and correct the motto on 1924-10-03. It was redesignated for the 60th Antiaircraft Artillery Automatic Weapons Battalion and amended to correct the description on 1949-11-16. The insignia was redesignated for the 60th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion (Automatic Weapons) on 1954-09-08.  It was redesignated for the 60th Artillery Regiment on 1958-12-15.  It was redesignated for the 60th Air Defense Artillery Regiment effective 1971-09-01.

Distinctive unit insignia

 * Description: A Gold color metal and enamel device 1+1/8 in in height overall blazoned as follows: Per fess embattled Sable and Gules fimbriated Or a pile in bend of the third the lower portion obscured by the second tincture, in sinister chief a mullet of the third. Attached below and to the sides a Red scroll inscribed “COELIS IMPERAMUS” in Gold letters.


 * Symbolism: The insignia is divided horizontally into two parts, the dividing line being embattled to represent defense. The lower half is red for Artillery; the upper half bears the colors of black and gold, significant of the Orient where the unit had its pioneer service. A searchlight beam pierces the darkness of this portion, signifying the never ending vigilance which this organization exercises in searching for enemy aircraft. The star has a double significance. It is symbolic of the state of Texas, the Lone Star State, where the unit was reorganized after World War I, and its battleground in the heavens. The motto translates to “We Rule the Heavens”.


 * Background: The distinctive unit insignia was originally approved for the 60th Coast Artillery Regiment on 1924-05-31. It was amended to correct the motto on 1924-10-03. It was redesignated for the 60th Antiaircraft Artillery Automatic Weapons Battalion and amended to correct the description on 1949-11-16. The insignia was redesignated for the 60th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion (Automatic Weapons) on 1954-09-08. It was redesignated for the 60th Artillery Regiment on 1958-12-15. It was redesignated for the 60th Air Defense Artillery Regiment effective 1971-09-01.

Campaign streamers
World War I World War II
 * St. Mihiel
 * Meuse-Argonne
 * Philippine Islands

Decorations

 * Presidential Unit Citation (Army) Streamer Embroidered BATAAN
 * Presidential Unit Citation (Army) Streamer Embroidered MANILA AND SUBIC BAYS
 * Presidential Unit Citation (Army) Streamer Embroidered DEFENSE OF THE PHILIPPINES
 * Philippine Presidential Unit Citation Streamer Embroidered 7 DEC 1941 TO 10 May 1942