Massachusetts State Defense Force

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.^[1] 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 guards and funeral details.^[2]

History

Early history

The Massachusetts General Court 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.:^[3]

• 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 II 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 attacks.

The Massachusetts State Defense Force went on inactive status in Feb 2008.

The Massachusetts State Defense Force was reactivated May 31st, 2011.^[4]

See also

• List of Massachusetts Civil War units
• First Corps of Cadets (Massachusetts)^[5]

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

References

1. ^ Massachusetts State Defense Force Web site: "Who We Are". Retrieved Nov. 25, 2007.
2. ^ Massachusetts State Defense Force Web site: "Our Mission". Retrieved Nov. 25, 2007.
3. ^ United States War Dept. Roster of the organized militia of the United States, by divisions, brigades, regiments, companies, and other organizations, with their stations.;February 1, 1908. Govt. print. off., 1908. Google books
4. ^ [1]. Retrieved Jun. 14, 2011
5. ^ The one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the foundation of the First Corps Cadets, Massachusetts Volunteer Militia, October 19, 1891. N. Sawyer & son, printers, 1892. Google books

External links

• Official Website
• Massachusetts Guard Bibliography a reference bibliography compiled by the United States Army Center of Military History