The 1st Battalion, 44th Air Defense Artillery Regiment (1-44th ADA) traces its lineage to its constitution in 1917 as part of the Coast Artillery Corps. During World War II, the unit served in the Pacific Theater, participating in campaigns such as Leyte and Okinawa. Reactivated and re-designated multiple times throughout the Cold War, 1-44th ADA transitioned to air defense roles, employing systems such as the HAWK and later the Patriot missile systems. In recent decades, the battalion has deployed in support of operations in the Middle East, providing critical air and missile defense for U.S. and allied forces.
