861st ENGINEER COMPANY

Organized 17 August 1865 in the Rhode Island Militia at Providence as Company D (Emmet Guards), Rhode Island Guards Regiment
Redesignated 1 May 1875 as Company D, 5th Battalion of Infantry
Redesignated 1 June 1887 as Company H, 2d Regiment of Infantry; concurrently Rhode Island Militia redesignated as the Brigade of Rhode Island Militia
(Brigade of Rhode Island Militia redesignated 15 April 1907 as the Rhode Island National Guard)
Converted, reorganized, and redesignated 4 November 1908 as the 16th Company, 2d Artillery District, Coast Artillery Corps
Redesignated 3 September 1914 as the 16th Company, 2d Coast Defense Command, Coast Artillery Corps
Redesignated 18 December 1914 as the 16th Company, 1st Artillery District, Coast Artillery Corps
Redesignated 2 January 1917 as the 16th Company, Rhode Island Coast Artillery
Called into Federal service 25 July 1917; drafted into Federal service 5 August 1917
Redesignated 31 August 1917 as the 16th Company, Coast Defenses of Narragansett Bay
Demobilized 21 December 1918 at Fort Wetherill, Rhode Island
Reconstituted 7 June 1920 in the Rhode Island National Guard as the 16th Company, Coast Artillery Corps
Reorganized and Federally recognized 30 June 1920 at East Greenwich
Reorganized and redesignated 1 September 1921 as the 3d Company, Coast Artillery Corps
Reorganized and redesignated 31 January 1922 as the 347th Company, Coast Artillery Corps
Reorganized and redesignated 1 October 1923 as Battery I, 243d Artillery (Coast Artillery Corps)
Reorganized and redesignated 11 July 1924 as Battery I, 243d Coast Artillery
Reorganized and redesignated 15 April 1940 as the Seachlight Battery, 243d Coast Arillery
Inducted into Federal service 16 September 1940 at East Greenwich
Redesignated 22 November 1940 as Battery K, 243d Coast Artillery
Inactivated 10 April 1944 at Camp Forrest, Tennessee
Disbanded 7 October 1944
Reconstituted 25 August 1945 in the Rhode Island National Guard
Redesignated 2 July 1946 as Battery B, 705th Antiaircraft Artillery Gun Battalion
Reorganized and Federally recognized 19 August 1947 at East Greenwich
Ordered into active Federal service 14 August 1950 at East Greenwich; released from active Federal service 13 July 1952 and reverted to state control
Reorganized and redesignated 1 October 1953 as Battery B, 705th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion
Reorganized and redesignated 1 April 1959 as Battery B, 1st Automatic Weapons Battalion, 243d Artillery
Converted, reorganized, and redesignated 1 May 1962 as Company B, 243d Engineer Battalion
Reorganized and redesignated 1 May 1968 as the 861st Engineer Company
Ordered into active Federal service 19 January 2005 at East Greenwich; released from active Federal service 26 July 2006 and reverted to state control
HOME STATION: East Greenwich

CAMPAIGN PARTICIPATION CREDIT

War on Terrorism
Campaigns to be determined

DECORATIONS

None

BY ORDER OF THE SECRETARY OF THE ARMY:

ROBERT J. DALESSANDRO
Director, Center of Military History