 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (March 2011) |
| Air Defense Artillery branch | |
|---|---|
 Branch plaque | |
| Active | 1968 to present |
| Country |  United States |
| Branch |  United States Army |
| Type | Combat Arms |
| Role | Air and Missile Defense |
| Patron | Saint Barbara |
| Motto(s) | "First to Fire" |
| Color | Scarlet[1] |
| March | ADA March |
| Mascot(s) | Oozlefinch |
| Anniversaries | 17 November 1775- The Continental Congress elected Henry Knox "Colonel of the Regiment of Artillery"[2] |
| Insignia | |
| Branch insignia |  |
The Air Defense Artillery Branch is the air defense branch of the United States Army, specializing in the use of anti-aircraft weapons (such as surface-to-air missiles) to conduct anti-aircraft warfare operations. In the U.S. Army, these groups are composed of mainly air defense systems such as the Patriot Missile System, Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD), and the Avenger Air Defense system which fires the FIM-92 Stinger missile.
The Air Defense Artillery branch descended from Anti-Aircraft Artillery (part of the U.S. Army Coast Artillery Corps until 1950, then part of the Artillery Branch) into a separate branch on 20 June 1968. On 1 December 1968, the ADA branch was authorized to wear modified Artillery insignia, crossed field guns with missile. The Branch Motto, "First To Fire", was adopted in 1986 by the attendees of the ADA Commanders' Conference at Fort Bliss. The motto refers to a speech given by General Jonathan Wainwright to veterans of the 200th Coast Artillery (Antiaircraft) stating they were the 'First to Fire' in World War II against the Empire of Japan.[3]
- ^ US Department of Defense. DA PAM 670-1. 11 October 2017
- ^ "TIOH Air Defense Artillery branch page". Archived from the original on 16 March 2012. Retrieved 28 December 2011.
- ^ Hamilton, John. Blazing skies: Air Defense Artillery on Fort Bliss, 1940–2009. Washington D.C.: Government Printing Office. p. 279. ISBN 978-0-16-086949-5.