Commemorating the 360th anniversary of the North Carolina National Guard.

Commemorating the 360th anniversary of the North Carolina National Guard.

Whereas the North Carolina National Guard traces its roots to the Carolina Charter and the establishment of the Province of Carolina on March 24, 1663;

Whereas during the Revolutionary War, much of the organized militia of North Carolina became part of the North Carolina Line, fighting as far north as New York and as far south as Florida, including the Battle of Fort Moultrie, the Battle of Germantown, Valley Forge, and the Battle of Monmouth;

Whereas the unorganized militia fought in all of the battles in North Carolina, from the Battle of Moore’s Creek Bridge to the Battle of Guilford Courthouse;

Whereas, during the War of 1812, the militia of North Carolina provided coastal defense and a regiment of infantry during the Mexican War;

Whereas, in 1918, the 30th Division, consisting of units from the North Carolina National Guard and soldiers from South Carolina and Tennessee, fighting alongside other units from the United States and Australia, broke Germany’s Hindenburg Line, a decisive victory that helped bring World War I to an end;

Whereas the soldiers of the 30th Division received more Medals of Honor than any other division during World War I and more than half of the decorations given by the British to United States troops;

Whereas, in 1940, the 30th Division was one of the first 4 National Guard divisions called into Federal service, a year before the United States entered World War II;

Whereas the 30th Division, now made up of 2 North Carolina Regiments (the 119th and 120th Infantry) and 1 Tennessee Regiment (the 117th Infantry), formed the nucleus of many new units that entered World War II ahead of their “mother division”;

Whereas, in 1948, the North Carolina Air National Guard was organized with an air defense mission;

Whereas the North Carolina Air National Guard was activated at the outbreak of the Korean War and a significant number of its personnel were assigned to Korea as individual replacements;

Whereas the North Carolina Army National Guard also saw several of its units activated for the Korean War, with engineer units deploying to Korea and members of anti-aircraft units deploying as individual replacements;

Whereas, in 1960, the mission of the North Carolina Air National Guard was changed from air defense to aeromedical transport;

Whereas, in 1966, the 145th Military Airlift Group of the North Carolina Air National Guard participated in aeromedical evacuation from war-torn Vietnam and was the first Air National Guard unit to fly into a conflict area in peacetime;

Whereas the North Carolina National Guard underwent multiple reorganizations after World War II, including the loss of the 30th Division, but the lineage of the 30th Division is perpetuated by the 30th Armored Brigade Combat Team;

Whereas, in the Gulf War, the North Carolina National Guard mobilized 4 battalions and 15 separate companies and detachments for service;

Whereas, since the tragedies of 9/11, North Carolina has deployed over 24,000 National Guard soldiers and airmen across the globe;

Whereas the National Guard is the oldest component of the United States military establishment and has a long and proud history stretching back 360 years;

Whereas, in war or peace, the North Carolina National Guard has been there, and will continue to be there, whenever or wherever needed by their country, their State, or their neighbor, as an “Always Ready – Ready Team”;

Whereas the North Carolina National Guard is currently composed of the 30th Armored Brigade Combat Team, 449th Combat Aviation Brigade, 130th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, 113th Sustainment Brigade, 60th Troop Command, 139th Regiment, and 145th Airlift Wing;

Whereas, throughout its history, the North Carolina National Guard has protected and assisted their fellow North Carolinians during hurricanes, floods, winter storms, wildfires, and threats of violence;

Whereas North Carolina guardsmen have also assisted their fellow citizens following major disasters in other States, such as South Carolina, Louisiana, and South Dakota, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico; and

Whereas March 24, 2023, marks the 360th anniversary of the North Carolina National Guard: Now, therefore be it

Resolved,