Florida State Guard

The Florida State Guard
The shoulder patch worn by Florida State Guardsmen during World War II.
Active	1941 - 1947
Country	United States
Allegiance	Florida
Branch	Army
Type	State defense force
Role	Military reserve force
Size	2,100 +/-
Part of	Florida Department of Military Affairs
Garrison/HQ	Tallahassee, Florida
Commanders
Civilian leadership	Governor Spessard Holland Governor of the State of Florida (1941-1945)
Civilian leadership	Governor Millard F. Caldwell Governor of the State of Florida (1945-1949)

The Florida State Guard (FSG) is the currently inactive state defense force of the state of Florida, which was active during World War II. The FSG was created to serve as a stateside replacement the Florida National Guard while the National Guard was deployed abroad. Unlike the Florida National Guard, the Florida State Guard was trained and funded by the state and therefore could not be federalized and was available to the governor of Florida whenever needed. Although the force was disbanded, Florida law allows the governor of Florida to create and maintain a Florida state defense force should he or she decide to do so.

Before the United States entered World War II, President Franklin D. Roosevelt instituted a peacetime draft, and federalized various National Guard units, including Florida’s National Guard. As a result, states which had previously counted on their National Guard to maintain peace, quell riots, protect against sabotage, or repel a potential invasion were given the alternative of creating their own state-level military forces under the State Guard Act signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on October 21, 1940. In 1941, the Florida Legislature and Governor Holland created Florida Defense Force, later to be rebranded as the Florida State Guard.

Membership was open to all men in Florida aged 18 to 63. The commitment lasted for three years, although members who were eligible could be drafted into the federal military at any time. Most of the members were veterans of World War I. Members of the Florida Defense Force’s air wing, the First Air Squadron, were required to either have a private pilot’s license or have served in the military at least one year. By 1943, the Florida State Guard numbered 2,100 men in 36 units.

The purpose of the state defense forces, including the FSG, was to fulfil the National Guard’s state obligations. This could include guarding infrastructure, protecting against sabotage, calming riots, or aiding law enforcement. Although the mainland United States was never invaded during World War II, state defenses would have shared responsibility with the federal military and National Guard in defending American territory.

During the war, the First Air Squadron of the FSG regularly patrolled the coast of Florida, searching for German U-boats. The squadron was also used to assist in search-and-rescue missions.

Each county was able to organize its own unit so long as it could recruit at minimum fifty men who met the qualifications required by the state. By 1943, there were 63 separate units of state guardsmen organized. The FSG also maintained a separate air squadron, known as the First Air Squadron