[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 110 (Friday, June 23, 2023)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E610-E611]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         HONORING THE U.S. ARMY'S 54TH COAST ARTILLERY REGIMENT

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JIMMY PANETTA

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, June 23, 2023

  Mr. PANETTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the soldiers who 
served during World War II in the United States Army's 54th Coast 
Artillery Regiment. The 54th was the U.S. Army's only all-Black heavy 
artillery regiment and it shared the mission of defending the central 
coast of California from enemy attack.
  This historic regiment defended the Golden Gate Bridge, the San 
Francisco Harbor, and Monterey Bay, in addition to the millions of tons 
of cargo and munitions coming out of the port. Further down the 
coastline, the 54th defended coastal oil terminals at Morro Bay and 
Port San Luis. The Monterey Bay was particularly vulnerable to Japanese 
invasion due to its gently inclining shoreline and ready access to a 
major coastal highway.
  Activated at Camp Wallace, Texas on February 10, 1941, the 54th was 
comprised of Black soldiers from Texas, Kansas, and Missouri. Despite 
that these troops were armed and clothed with used weapons and 
secondhand uniforms dating to World War I, they did not complain and 
served with pride and distinction.

[[Page E611]]

  After completing their training at Fort Fisher in late February of 
1942, the 1st Battalion and 3rd Battalion of the Regiment were ordered 
to Fort Cronkhite in San Francisco, California. Until April of 1944, 
these two battalions rotated along the Central Coast shoreline 
batteries and manned the coastal artillery weapons at Point Pinos 
Lighthouse in Pacific Grover shortly after Pearl Harbor Attack on 
December 7, 1941.
  Additionally, many soldiers of the 54th were former Negro Baseball 
League players. While stationed in Pacific Grove, the soldiers formed a 
community baseball league. They named it the Twilight League because 
all the lights in the seaside town were turned off at sunset for 
increased security from the Japanese.
  On April 19, 1944, the 1st Battalion and 3rd Battalion were relieved 
from duty on the Western Defense Command as the threat of Japanese 
attacks on the West Coast diminished.
  Although they have since disbanded, the legacy and influence of the 
54th Regiment lives on in the memory of our Central Coast communities. 
Many troops returned to the Central Coast after the Allied Powers 
emerged victorious and were active, integral members of our community.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues in the U.S. House of Representatives 
to join me in recognizing the U.S. Army's 54th Coast Artillery Regiment 
in honor of their lasting impact on the Central Coast and our Nation's 
history. We are forever grateful for their service and bravery in World 
War II and in the defense of our coastline. It is therefore fitting and 
proper that we honor them here today.

                          ____________________