Massachusetts State Defense Force
Encyclopedia
The Massachusetts State Defense Force (MASDF) is one of the State Military Forces
of Massachusetts
. The guard reports directly to the State Adjutant General and is under the command of the Governor. The guard is headquartered at Milford, Massachusetts
, in the same building as the National Guard. The director of the guard is appointed by The Adjutant General of Massachusetts (TAGMA).
The MASG is composed of volunteers who operate solely within Massachusetts and may not be called into federal service. The force has regular and auxiliary branches, with regular-branch volunteers pledging a 3-year enlistment with attendance requirements. It is headquartered in Milford
, with Regional Support Battalions located in Reading
, Bourne
, Worcester
, Westfield
and Pittsfield
.
The MASG assists the United States National Guard forces, assumes state missions when the National Guard is deployed, provides emergency support during disasters, and assists in color guard
s and funeral details.
formed the MASG's predecessor in 1863, which served until its disbandment in 1866. It was reformed in 1898 as the Massachusetts Provisional Militia for the Spanish-American War
before again being disbanded in 1899.
In 1908, the Mass. Vol. Militia consisted of two brigades and some unattached units ("total strength, 6,524"), commanded by William H. Brigham and Governor Curtis Guild, Jr.
:
The First Brigade included:
The Second Brigade included:
The "unattached" units consisted of:
and served until deactivation in February 1947, and was reactivated on a statewide basis in 1966.
.
The Massachusetts State Defense Force went on inactive status in Feb 2008.
The Massachusetts State Defense Force was reactivated May 31st, 2011.
State Defense Forces
State defense forces in the United States are military units that operate under the sole authority of a state government; they are partially regulated by the National Guard Bureau but they are not a part of the Army National Guard of the United States...
of Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
. The guard reports directly to the State Adjutant General and is under the command of the Governor. The guard is headquartered at Milford, Massachusetts
Milford, Massachusetts
Milford is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. It had a population of 27,999 at the 2010 census.For geographic and demographic information on the census-designated place Milford, constituting the center of the town, please see the article Milford ,...
, in the same building as the National Guard. The director of the guard is appointed by The Adjutant General of Massachusetts (TAGMA).
The MASG is composed of volunteers who operate solely within Massachusetts and may not be called into federal service. The force has regular and auxiliary branches, with regular-branch volunteers pledging a 3-year enlistment with attendance requirements. It is headquartered in Milford
Milford, Massachusetts
Milford is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. It had a population of 27,999 at the 2010 census.For geographic and demographic information on the census-designated place Milford, constituting the center of the town, please see the article Milford ,...
, with Regional Support Battalions located in Reading
Reading, Massachusetts
Reading is an affluent town situated in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, some north of central Boston. The population was 24,747 at the 2010 census.-Settlement and Independence:...
, Bourne
Bourne, Massachusetts
Bourne is a town in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 18,721 at the 2000 census.For geographic and demographic information on specific parts of the town of Bourne, please see the articles on Bourne , Buzzards Bay, Monument Beach, Pocasset, Sagamore, and Sagamore...
, Worcester
Worcester, Massachusetts
Worcester is a city and the county seat of Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Named after Worcester, England, as of the 2010 Census the city's population is 181,045, making it the second largest city in New England after Boston....
, Westfield
Westfield, Massachusetts
Westfield is a city in Hampden County, in the Pioneer Valley of western Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 41,094 at the 2010 census. The ZIP Code is 01085 for homes and businesses, 01086 for Westfield State...
and Pittsfield
Pittsfield, Massachusetts
Pittsfield is the largest city and the county seat of Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is the principal city of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Berkshire County. Its area code is 413. Its ZIP code is 01201...
.
The MASG assists the United States National Guard forces, assumes state missions when the National Guard is deployed, provides emergency support during disasters, and assists in color guard
Color guard
In the military of the United States and other militaries, the color guard carries the National Color and other flags appropriate to its position in the chain of command. Typically these include a unit flag and a departmental flag...
s and funeral details.
Early history
The Massachusetts General CourtMassachusetts General Court
The Massachusetts General Court is the state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The name "General Court" is a hold-over from the Colonial Era, when this body also sat in judgment of judicial appeals cases...
formed the MASG's predecessor in 1863, which served until its disbandment in 1866. It was reformed in 1898 as the Massachusetts Provisional Militia for the Spanish-American War
Spanish-American War
The Spanish–American War was a conflict in 1898 between Spain and the United States, effectively the result of American intervention in the ongoing Cuban War of Independence...
before again being disbanded in 1899.
In 1908, the Mass. Vol. Militia consisted of two brigades and some unattached units ("total strength, 6,524"), commanded by William H. Brigham and Governor Curtis Guild, Jr.
Curtis Guild, Jr.
Curtis Guild, Jr. was the 43rd Governor of Massachusetts in the United States. He served from 1906 to 1909.-Early life and education:...
:
- Cavalry: 1 squadron of 3 troops
- Artillery: Field, 1 battalion of 3 batteries; 1 coast artillery corps of 12 companies
- Infantry: 5 regiments of 12 companies each
- Cadet Corps: 2 corps of 4 companies each
The First Brigade included:
- 2d Infantry (12 companies):
- Company A - Worcester
- Company B - Springfield
- Company C - Worcester
- Company D - Holyoke
- Company E - Orange
- Company F - Pittsfield
- Company G - Springfield
- Company H - Worcester
- Company I - Northampton
- Company K - Springfield
- Company L - Greenfield
- Company M - Adams
- 6th Infantry (12 companies):
- Company A - Wakefield
- Company B - Fitchburg
- Company C - Lowell
- Company D - Fitchburg
- Company E - South Framingham
- Company F - Marlboro
- Company G - Lowell
- Company H - Stoneham
- Company I - Concord
- Company K - Lowell
- Company L - (colored) Boston
- Company M - Milford
The Second Brigade included:
- 5th Infantry (12 companies):
- Companies A, B - Charlestown
- Company C - Newton
- Company D - Plymouth
- Company E - Medford
- Company F - Waltham
- Company G - Woburn
- Company H - Charlestown
- Company I - Attleboro
- Company K - Hingham
- Company L - Malden
- Company M - Hudson
- 8th Infantry (12 companies):
- Company A - Cambridge
- Company B - Everett
- Company C - Cambridge
- Company D - Lynn
- Company E - Cambridge
- Company F - Haverhill
- Company G - Gloucester
- Company H - Salem
- Company I - Lynn
- Company K - Somerville
- Company L - Lawrence
- Company M - Somerville
- 9th Infantry (12 companies):
- Company A, B, C, D, E - Boston
- Company F - Lawrence
- Company G - Worcester
- Company H, I - Boston
- Company K - Clinton
- Company L - Natick
- Company M - Lowell
The "unattached" units consisted of:
- 1st Squadron of Cavalry (3 troops): Troop A, B, D - Boston
- 1st Battalion of Field Artillery (3 batteries):
- Battery A - Boston
- Battery B - Worcester
- Battery C - Lawrence
- 1st Corps of Cadets (4 companies): Companies A, B, C, D - Boston
- 2d Corps of Cadets (4 companies): Companies A, B, C, D - Salem
- Coast Artillery Corps (12 companies):
- 1st, 2d, 3d Companies - Boston
- 4th Company - New Bedford
- 5th Company - Chelsea
- 6th Company - Cambridge
- 7th, 8th Companies - Boston
- 9th Company - Taunton
- 10th Company - Brockton
- 11th Company - Boston
- 12th Company - Fall River
World War I
In April 1917, the General Court again reformed the militia, renaming it the Massachusetts State Guard. It was activated during World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and served until deactivation in February 1947, and was reactivated on a statewide basis in 1966.
Today
The Guard was renamed the Massachusetts Military Reserve in June 1994; the State Guard name was restored during the group's reorganization after the September 11, 2001 attacksSeptember 11, 2001 attacks
The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks (also referred to as September 11, September 11th or 9/119/11 is pronounced "nine eleven". The slash is not part of the pronunciation...
.
The Massachusetts State Defense Force went on inactive status in Feb 2008.
The Massachusetts State Defense Force was reactivated May 31st, 2011.
Further reading
- Taylor. The Massachusetts Volunteer Militia. Outing Magazine, 1891. Google books
- United States Adjutant-General's Office, Military Information Division. Organized militia of the United States, 1896. Google books
- The law for the government of the Massachusetts Militia: being chapter 367 of the acts of 1893, with amendments and additions thereto, made during the years 1893-97, inclusive. Wright & Potter Prtg. Co., 1898
- George Warren Nason. History and complete roster of the Massachusetts regiments, minute men of '61 who responded to the first call of President Abraham Lincoln, April 15, 1861, to defend the flag and Constitution of the United States ... and biographical sketches of minute men of Massachuetts. Smith & McCance, 1910. Google books
External links
- Official Website
- Massachusetts Guard Bibliography a reference bibliography compiled by the United States Army Center of Military History