World war I

The lineage of the brigade began during the final months of the First World War when the United States rapidly expanded its heavy artillery capabilities to break the stalemate on the Western Front. The unit was formally organized on October 1, 1918, at Fort Monroe, Virginia, as the 41st Artillery Regiment, Coast Artillery Corps. Designated as a heavy artillery formation, the regiment was designed to operate large-caliber, railway-mounted guns and defensive coastal fortifications under the leadership of its first commander, Colonel Archibald H. Sunderland.

Because the regiment was stood up late in the global conflict, its opportunity for overseas combat was short-lived. The signing of the Armistice on November 11, 1918, halted all active hostilities in Europe, precluding the unit's plans for imminent deployment to France. With the war concluded and the American Expeditionary Forces winding down, the regiment was demobilized at Fort Monroe on December 22, 1918.

Following a brief period of inactivity, the regiment's colors and lineage were transferred to the Pacific Theater on January 15, 1921. There, the unit was reconstituted as the Hawaiian Railway Battalion, a highly specialized formation designed to operate mobile, rail-mounted coastal defense guns along the coastlines of Oahu. This unique mission required engineering ingenuity and tactical precision to ensure the security of America's primary naval stronghold in the Pacific.

On July 1, 1924, the unit was officially redesignated as the 41st Coast Artillery, formalizing its role as a key pillar of Hawaii's defensive network. The regiment remained stationed on the islands for the next several years, maintaining coastal batteries, conducting defensive maneuvers, and preparing for potential Pacific crises. The unit was deactivated on June 30, 1931, concluding its initial period of active service during the interwar years.