Today the Force Structure and Unit History Branch continues the work begun by the Historical Section of the Army War College. The branch maintains historical information on active and inactive units in all components - Regular Army, Army Reserve, and Army National Guard, and prepares official Lineage and Honors Certificates. On the basis of research in primary and secondary material, the certificates outline the major organizational changes undergone by the unit and provide a list of the official battle honors (campaign credit and decorations) that the unit has earned. The information contained on the certificates is reformatted for publication in the Army Lineage Series

While it would take a book to recount the rich history brought about by the changes of each unit in the 4th Battalion, 5th Air Defense Artillery, an overall look at the major reorganizational elements of the Battalion Lineage presents a picture of an organization that was accustomed to fighting and brought strength from change.

4th Battalion, 5th Air Defense Artillery Lineage/DateLine

18 June 1861; Constituted in the Regular Army as "G" Battery, 5th Regiment of Artillery. 04 July 1861; Organized at Fort Greble, Pennsylvania. 13 February 1901; Reorganized and redesignated as the 53rd Company, Coast Guard, Artillery Corps. 30 June 1916; Reorganized and redesignated as 1st Company, Fort Wadsworth, New York. 31 August 1917; Redesignated as the 5th Company, Coast Defenses of Southern New York. 01 June 1922; Reorganized and redesignated as the 53rd Company, Coast Artillery Corps. 01 July 1924; Inactivated in the Coast Defenses of Southern New York; concurrently redesignated as "G" Battery Coast Artillery. 26 June 1944; Disbanded. 28 June 1950; Reconstituted in the Regular Army; concurrently consolidated with "C" Battery, 214th Antiaircraft Artillery Gun Battalion (See ANNEX), and consolidated unit redesignated as "C" Battery, 24th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion. 13 March 1952; Redesignated as "C" Battery, 24th Antiaircraft Artillery Gun Battalion. 16 April 1952; Activated in Korea. 20 December 1954; Inactivated in Korea. 23 May 1955; Redesignated as "C" Battery, 24th Antiaircraft Artillery Missile Battalion. 01 June 1955; Activated at Fort Banks, Massachusetts. 01 January 1956; Redesignated as "B" Battery, 514 Antiaircraft Artillery Missile Battalion. 01 September 1958; Reorganized and redesignated as Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 4th Missile Battalion, 5th Artillery (organic elements constituted 12 August 1958 and activated 01 September 1958). 10 August 1960; Inactivated at Laytonville, Maryland. 26 August 1960; Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 4th Missile Battalion, 5th Artillery, consolidated with "C" Battery, 5th Field Artillery Battalion (organized in 1901) and consolidated unit designated as Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 4th Missile Battalion, 5th Artillery. 01 September 1971; Redesignated (less former "C" Battery, 5th Field Artillery Battalion) as the 4th Missile Battalion, 5th Air Defense Artillery. (Former "C" Battery, 5th Field Artillery Battalion concurrently redesignated as the 4th Missile Battalion, 5th Field Artillery - hereafter separate lineage.) 16 November 1988; Redesignated as the 4th Battalion, 5th Air Defense Artillery, assigned to the 1st Cavalry Division and activated at Fort Hood, Texas. 15 July, 2005, the 4th Battalion, 5th Air Defense Artillery was relieved from assignment to the 1st Cavalry Division and transferred to the 31st Brigade stationed at Fort Bliss, TX. Annex 05 May 1942; Constituted in the Army of the United States as "C" Battery, 504th Coast Artillery. 01 July 1942; Activated at Camp Hulen, Texas. 20 January 1943; Reorganized and redesignated as "C" Battery, 214th Coast Artillery Battalion. 12 February 1946; Inactivated at Camp Kilmer, New Jersey.

The history of the 4th Battalion, 5th Air Defense Artillery recorded the following significant events occurring on the dates listed.

4th Battalion, 5th Air Defense Artillery DateLine

1861 Constituted in the Regular Army as "G" Battery, 5th Regiment of Artillery. (18 June) 1861 Organized at Fort Greble, Pennsylvania. (04 July) 1901 Reorganized and redesignated as the 53rd Company, Coast Guard, Artillery Corps. (13 February) 1916 Reorganized and redesignated as 1st Company, Fort Wadsworth, New York. (30 June) 1917 Redesignated as the 5th Company, Coast Defenses of Southern New York. (31 August) 1922 Reorganized and redesignated as the 53rd Company, Coast Artillery Corps. (01 June) 1924 Inactivated in the Coast Defenses of Southern New York; concurrently redesignated as "G" Battery Coast Artillery. (01 July) 1944 Disbanded. (26 June) 1950 Reconstituted in the Regular Army; concurrently consolidated with "C" Battery, 214th Antiaircraft Artillery Gun Battalion, and consolidated unit redesignated as "C" Battery, 24th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion. (28 June) 1952 Redesignated as "C" Battery, 24th Antiaircraft Artillery Gun Battalion. (13 March) 1952 Activated in Korea. (16 April) 1954 Inactivated in Korea. (20 December) 1955 Redesignated as "C" Battery, 24th Antiaircraft Artillery Missile Battalion. (23 May) 1955 Activated at Fort Banks, Massachusetts. (01 June) 1956 Redesignated as "B" Battery, 514 Antiaircraft Artillery Missile Battalion. (01 January) 1958 Reorganized and redesignated as Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 4th Missile Battalion, 5th Artillery (organic elements constituted 12 August 1958 and activated 01 September 1958). (01 September) 1960 Inactivated at Laytonville, Maryland. (10 August) 1960 Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 4th Missile Battalion, 5th Artillery consolidated with "C" Battery, 5th Field Artillery Battalion (organized in 1901) and consolidated unit designated as Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 4th Missile Battalion, 5th Artillery. (26 August) 1971 Redesignated (less former "C" Battery, 5th Field Artillery Battalion) as the 4th Missile Battalion, 5th Air Defense Artillery. (Former "C" Battery, 5th Field Artillery Battalion concurrently redesignated as the 4th Missile Battalion, 5th Field Artillery - hereafter separate lineage). 01 September 1988 Redesignated as the 4th Battalion, 5th Air Defense Artillery, assigned to the 1st Cavalry Division and activated at Fort Hood, Texas. (16 November) 15 July, 2005 The 4th Battalion, 5th Air Defense Artillery was relieved from assignment to the 1st Cavalry Division and transferred to the 31st Brigade stationed at Fort Bliss, TX.