The 213th

The 213th was a Coast Artillery Anti-Aircraft regiment, one of fourteen such units in the National Guard in 1940.  By the official Table of Organization and Equipment (TO&E), the regiment had eight “line” and three headquarters batteries.  Its home armories were spread over a wide arc across east-central Pennsylvania.

Battery A, based in Reading, was the regiment’s searchlight battery.  Batteries B, C, and D – in Allentown, Bethlehem and Easton respectively – were the regiment’s heavy hitters, each battery had four 3 inch anti-aircraft guns along with height finders and directors needed to coordinate their fire.  Together these first four batteries, plus a Headquarters Battery, in Lebanon, made up the First Battalion.

Battery E, in Lancaster, was a heavy machine gun battery with water-cooled .50 caliber guns.  Batteries F, G, and H – in Pottsville, Reading and Lebanon respectively – were supposed to have the 37 mm automatic gun, under development for over a decade and only now entering production.  Instead of the 37s, these three batteries were equipped with far less capable .30 caliber water-cooled medium machine guns on anti-aircraft mounts.  These batteries, along with a Headquarters Battery from Lancaster made up the Second Battalion of the Regiment.

The Regimental Headquarters Battery, the Regiment’s Medical Detachment and the Band, all based in Allentown, completed the Regiment.