The Adjutant General Corps

The position of the Adjutant dates back to Roman times.   The Roman "ADJUTARE" was a key advisor who assisted the commander in battle. Since these ancient times, commanders throughout history have relied and depended on their adjutants to dispatch and carry out their orders.

On June 16, 1775, the Continental Congress decreed that there be an Adjutant General in the Continental Army, similar to such positions in the French and British Armies of that day.   Congress appointed Horatio Gates, a former British Army Major, as the first Adjutant General on June 17, 1175, and commissioned him in the grade of Brigadier General.    General Gates was the second officer to receive a commission in the Continental Army;  George Washington was the first.   General Gates proved himself to be an able assistant to General Washington as well as a brilliant field commander.   Following his strategic victory over the British at Saratoga on October 17, 1777, the Congress awarded General Gates our country's highest honor, the Congressional Gold Medal.   Today the Adjutant General's Corps recognizes members of its ranks for exceptionally meritorious service by inducting them into the Order of Horatio Gates and awarding them an official replica of Horatio Gates' Gold Medal.

During the war of 1812, Adjutants General proved themselves to be officers of exceptional character, judgement, and combat prowess.   Among these heroes were:  Winfield Scott at the Battle of Fort George, Pendleton Gaines for his defense of Fort Erie, Alexander Macomb for repulsing the British in the Battle of Plattsburg, and the famous explorer, Zebulon Pike, killed in battle while leading the victorious assault on York, Canada.

Adjutants General became the only officers invested with the authority to speak for the commander.   Recognizing this, the Army began appointing West Point graduates almost exclusively as Adjutants General from 1838 through the early 1900's.   The first two graduates so appointed, Samuel Cooper and Lorenzo Thomas, served with distinction as Adjutants General during the Civil War.   Cooper served the South, and Thomas served the North.

The unique branch insignia of the Adjutants General's Corps became our official symbol on December 14, 1872.   The shield was previously used by the Topographic Engineers as an authentication device on military maps.   Thirteen embossed stars replaced the letters T.E. thus creating the branch insignia worn by all Adjutants General's Corps soldiers today.   The insignia symbolizes the trust placed in the branch by the Army as representing the values of the nation and the authority to speak "For the Commander."

For more than 200 years the mission of the Adjutant General's Corps has remained constant and clear:  to assist the commander in war and peace, and be the vanguard of personnel supprt to the Army.   Today, through the unflagging dedication of our soldiers, the Corps continues to develop new and better means of providing quality service support.   Our pride in the past is only surpassed by our optimism for the future.   We are prepared to Defend and Serve!

The 369th Adjutant General Battalion was consituted on 7 October 1943 in the Army of the United States and activated on 1 November 1943 at Schofield Barracks, Territory of Hawaii.   It was inactivated on 1 February 1946 in Korea.   On 16 Jul 1947, it was reactivated at Columbia, South Carolina and inactivated there on 1 August 1950.   During World War II, it supported operations in the Western Pacific and the Ryukyus, and earned the Meritorious Unit Commendation.

The 14th Adjutant General Battalion was constituted on 25 July 1942 in the Army of the United States and activated on 15 August 1942 at Fort Lewis, Washington.   It was inactivated in Japan on 25 January 1950, reactivated there on 24 June 1955, and inactivated there on 25 July 1955.   During World War II, it supported operations in New Guinea, Leyte and the Phillipines and earned the Phillipines {residential Unit Citation.

The 30th Adutant General Battalion was constituted on 1 November 1942 in the Army of the United States and activated in New Orleans, Louisiana on 10 December 1942.   On 1 December 1945, it was inactivated in Italy.   During World War II, it supported operations in Italy and earned the Meritorious Unit Commendation.

The 67th Adjutant General Battalion was constituted on 21 April 1943 in the Army of the United States and activated at Camp Wolters, Texas on 22 April 1943.   It was inactivated on 6 November 1945 in France. During World War II it supported operations in Normandy and Northern France.

The 42d Adjutant General Battalion was contituted in the Army of the United States on 27 December 1942 and activated on 25 February 1943 at New Orleans, Louisiana.   It was inactivated on 17 September 1945 in France.   During World War II it supported operations in Normany and Northern France.

The 120th Adjutant General Battalion was constitutes in the Army of the United States on 22 February 1945 and activated at Fort Shafter, Territory of Hawaii on 15 March 1945.   It was inactivated at Fort Shafter on 20 June 1947.   During World War II, it supported operations in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and earned the Meritorious Unit Commendation.

The 46th Adjutant General Battalion was constituted in the Army of the United States on 25 March 1943 and activated on 15 April 1943 at Camp Cooke, California.   It was inactivated in the Phillipines on 31 May 1945.   During World War II, it supported operations in New Guinea and Luzon and earned the Phillipine Presidential Unit Citation.

The 43d Adjutant General Battalion was constituted in the Army of the United States on 27 December 1942 and activated on 25 February 1943 at New Orleans, Louisiana.   It was inactivated on 31 May 1945 in the Phillipines.   During World War II, it supported operations in New Guinea and Luzon and was awarded the Phillipine Presidential Unit Citation.

The 39th Adjutant General Battalion was constituted in the Army of the United States on 27 December 1942 and activated on 25 June 1943 at New Orleans, Louisiana.   It was inactivated in France on 30 November 1945.   During World War II, it supported operations in Normany and Northern France.

The 95th Adjutant General Battalion was constituted in the Army of the United States on 14 February 1944 and activated at Camp Cooke, California on 27 February 1944.   It was inactivated in France on 9 November 1945.   During World War II, it supported operations in Northern France.