Alabama State Guard

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The Alabama State Guard (A.S.G.) was a state militia formed in 1942 by the American Legion at the request of Governor Frank Dixon to offset the absence of National Guard soldiers activated for World War II and to bolster the armed force available domestically in case of civil unrest at a time that many sworn police officers were also serving in the military.

General George Cleere served as commander of the State Guard. It was furnished with uniforms and equipment from the U.S. Army. The militia paid volunteers the at the same rate as the National Guard for encampments at Fort Gaines, Dauphin Island; but no pay was offered for required weekly drills.

The militia was authorized in 1942 to raise 70 companies of 45 guardsmen each, plus as many as 250 civilian support staffers. In reality, only 25 companies were enrolled, consisting of 90 officers, 1,372 guardsmen, and 7 civilian staff workers. These were organized into three infantry regiments. Each regiment was made up of three battalions; and each battalion of up to three companies.

In 1944 the Alabama State Guard's Birmingham Battalion was part of the 2nd Infantry Regiment, under the command of Major Dexter Fearing. Its three companies were headed by Captains Charles Woodrow, R. E. Glasgow, and Sidney Hulslander.

The Alabama State Guard was called out to keep order during several labor disputes. After Japan's surrender in 1945 the militia was disbanded and Cleere helped to reorganize the Alabama National Guard in its place.

References

  • "State Guard Seeks Recruits for Company" (April 9, 1944) The Birmingham News
  • Napier, John H. III (n.d.) "A brief history of Alabama’s Citizen-Soldiers"