Defense Artillery, a proud member of the army'scombat arms, has roots going back to the summer of 1861 when Confederate Lieutenant Thomas Lafayette Rosser elevated a field piece, fired, and hit a Union Army observation balloon. Fifty-six years would pass, however, before antiaircraft artillery would burst forth in France as a full-fledged combat arm. In the First World War, the airplane became a formidable attack weapon. Recognizing this new threat, the Secretary of War ordered three Coast Artillery Corps officers to Europe in July 1917 to study French and English antiaircraft techniques.     
     This study led to the establishment of the American Antiaircraft  School at Langres, France on Oct. 10, 1917. Meanwhile, an urgent request by General Pershing that antiaircraft units be formed for immediate service in France resulted in America's first antiaircraft battalion being activated in November 1917. Units of this battalion began arriving at the French Antiaircraft School in December where they studied the French 75mm cannon modified for antiaircraft use. 
      Air Defense Artillery played a major role in the Second World War. With its arsenal of air defense weapons, which included the 3-inch, 90mm, 40mm, 37mm guns, and the .50 caliber machine guns, air defense artillerymen were among the first units to be shipped to the Pacific Theater. They participated in the landings of North Africa and the invasion of Europe that followed. Introduction of the Nike missile in 1946 marked the beginning of the guided missile era. Evolving technology subsequently .