54th Coast Artillery Regiment (Colored)
U.S. Army

Background
On February 10, 1941 the 54th Coast Artillery Regiment (Colored) activated at Camp Wallace in Texas with African-American enlisted soldiers from Texas, Kansas, and Missouri commanded by white officers. On May 22, 1941 they arrived at Camp Davis in Holly Ridge, North Carolina. During October 1941, assigned to Fort Fisher in North Carolina for live fire training exercises. The regiment were tasked defending coastal installations from enemy ships or aircraft equipped with M1918 155mm howitzers.

1st Battalion & 3rd Battalion
After the United States entry into World War II, in February 1942 the 1st Battalion was ordered to Fort Cronkhite on the northern flank of Golden Gate Bridge near San Francisco followed by the 3rd Battalion. The 1st and 3rd Battalions were both stationed at Fort Cronkhite but also had temporary duty along the south coast defending San Luis Obispo, Fort Ord, Capitola and Monterrey manning coast defense guns to defending the coast of California. On March 3, 1944 both battalions moved to Fort Ord.

On April 19, 1944 the 1st Battalion and 3rd Battalion were relieved from duty on the Western Defense Command (WDC) as the threat of Japanese attacks on the west coast diminished. The 1st Battalion was redesignated as the 606th Coast Artillery (CA) Battalion and moved to Camp Livingston, Louisiana. The 3rd Battalion became the 607th CA (607th CA) and move to Camp Rucker, Alabama. Both were inactivated on August 3, 1944.

2nd Battalion
Meanwhile, in late July 1942, 2nd Battalion moved to Fort Macon in North Carolina. In early September 1942 departs for Fort Cronkhite then shipped out from San Francisco aboard SS President Coolidge across the Pacific bound for Espiritu Santo. Just before arrival, the ship accidentally hit two sea mines and sank on October 26, 1942. Although the 2nd Battalion suffered no casualties, they lost their equipment.

During 1943, the 2nd Battalion remained on Espiritu Santo and was tasked with defending the airfields and continued to practice with their 155mm howitzers. On February 4, 1944 they landed at Torokina on Bougainville where their 15mm howitzers became part of the XIV Corps artillery support. The 2nd Battalion conducted roughly 400 fire support missions expending 13,113 rounds including and became the first Negro combat support unit to engage the enemy in the South Pacific (SoPAC).

On March 8, 1944 and March 9, 1944 the Japanese Army begins a counterattack and bombardment with artillery targeting the Torokina area. In response, the 49th Coast Artillery Battalion began counter battery fire and was credited for the destruction of several enemy 75mm and 105mm howitzers. In the engagement, they suffer two Killed In Action (KIA) and six Wounded In Action (WIA). For their actions, the 2nd Battalion soldiers earned six Bronze Stars and a commendation from the XIV Corps Artillery commander, Brigadier General Leo Kreber.

49th Coast Artillery Battalion
On April 1, 1944 the 2nd Battalion, 54th Coast Artillery Regiment (Colored) was redesignated 49th Coast Artillery Battalion. They remained at Torokina on Bougainville manning their 155mm howitzers as part of XIV Corps artillery.

During May 1944, part of the 2nd Battalion relieved the 3rd Marine Defense Battalion and manned seacoast defenses. Battery B remained in use as field artillery attached to the 135th Field Artillery, moved to positions 1,000 yards outside the perimeter on the Numa Numa Trail, placing fires on enemy positions in the upper Laruma valley in support of regiments of the 37th Division and and Americal Division.

The battalion also provided anti-aircraft defense under the 68th Antiaircraft Artillery Brigade until November 26, 1944. During February 1945 and March 1945 the 49th Coast Artillery Battalion departed for Finschafen in New Guinea while a rear party remained with the unit's heavy ordnance equipment. In late January 1946 returned to the United States and inactivated.

Memorials
During 2009, the 54th Coast Artillery Army Regiment War Memorial Marker was dedicated at Santa Cruz, CA. The memorial plaque reads: "In honor of the all Black Coast Artillery Army Regiment that aided in protecting the California coast from enemy attack during World War II"

References
U.S. Army "The Employment of Negro Troops" Chapter XVIII Ground, Air And The Asset Side pages 497-535
U.S. Army "The Employment of Negro Troops" Endnotes for Chapter XVIII endnotes 1-103
Coast Defense Study Group (CDSG) The Coast Defense Journal, Vol 23, Issue 2 May 2009 page 29 [PDF]
Friends of Fort Fisher - Brief History of the 54th Coast Artillery Regiment by John Moseley
YouTube "The Better Part - 54th Coast Artillery Regiment" May 14, 2011
WECT News 6 - 54th Coast Artillery regiment at Fort Fisher February 15, 2017
KCBX - The All Black 54th Coast Artillery Regiment February 7, 2022
Story of Black Coast Artillery Regiment in SLO County in World War II lecture by Erik Brun February 22, 2022
NPS Golden Gate National Recreation Area - The Men Behind the Guns
HMdb.org 54th Coast Artillery Army Regiment War Memorial

Contribute Information
Do you have photos or additional information to add?