This We'll Defend
A timeless motto, reinvented with every generation
Forty years ago, on June 10, 1984, an explosion no one heard and a collision no one saw changed the world. On this date, 100 nautical miles above the earth, the Army’s Homing Overlay Experiment (HOE) executed the first-ever successful, kinetic intercept of a ballistic missile. Designed by Lockheed Martin, the HOE system was described as trying to “hit a bullet with a bullet”, and its success helped usher in the modern era of missile defense. By demonstrating it was possible to throw a shield up in space, this event also gave new meaning to the Army’s motto, “This We’ll Defend”.
Source: U.S. Army Center for Army Leadership.
First used as a motto in 1778, This We’ll Defend can be found on the Army Flag and on the Department of the Army Emblem. It continues to be a central part of the Army’s mission and vision, a source of motivation and sense of purpose for those in the ranks. Yet the motto signifies something even deeper, something with relevance for all Americans, irrespective of their direct connection to the Army.
As evidenced by the HOE test, the Army has long helped define our nation’s boundaries. This is true spatially and geographically, but also true in terms of national identity. The “this” in the motto is not just about terrain the Army will defend, it’s about people. Where, how, and against what threats the Army deploys its forces always tells us something about our national identity.
The Army is not unique in this. Each service within the military can make a similar claim. The Navy can point to historic episodes such as Commodore Perry and the opening of trade with Japan in 1854; the Marines to the many conflicts they featured prominently in, such as in the Philippines. Without seeking to diminish the important influence all the services have on Americans’ sense of self, our focus is on the Army.
The June 10 HOE test, for example, was part of a multi-decade process that started, arguably, with the Soviet’s Sputnik launch of October 1957. Spurred to action by fears the Soviets were overtaking us in rocket capabilities, Americans launched an unprecedented effort to win the space wars, one that continued for three decades. Led by rocket scientists and service members at places like Redstone Arsenal, the Army played a pivotal role in winning the space wars.
Source: National Air and Space Museum.
In doing so, the Army helped shift Americans towards seeing space as a natural domain for American endeavors, and one that also required our active defense. And by succeeding at seemingly-impossible tasks like intercepting a missile, the Army also helped Americans reinvigorate a sense of national confidence that had suffered greatly during the 1960s and 1970s.
Today the story of June 10, 1984 is worth revisiting, both for its technical implications and the lessons it might hold for national identity. The technical importance of HOE is evident with the critical role missile defense is playing in Ukraine, Israel, and throughout the Mediterranean and Gulf, among other locations. On the national identity side, Americans could benefit from stories and experiences that remind us that our capacity for innovation is limited only by the constraints we impose on ourselves. It’s a moment when the Army’s motto, This We’ll Defend, could find new meaning and importance as we seek to emerge from this period of polarization and division.
Additional Resources:
U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command: https://www.smdc.army.mil/
PBS History of the missile wars: https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/missile/etc/cron.html
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