Extremely rare Hat Badge.  The Minnesota National Guard, along with the rest of the National Guard of the United States, was federalized in 1940. As a result, states lost their military forces, and were forced to raise their own military units to replace the federalized National Guard. In 1940, Section 61 of the National Defense Act of 1916 was modified to allow the establishment of state defense forces. The Minnesota State Guard as created in 1941.

By 1942, the State Guard had reached a strength of approximately 6,100 members.  By 1942, the First Separate Infantry Battalion of the Minnesota State Guard was placed on active duty, requiring prospective members to enlist for the duration of the war plus an additional six months.  The battalion was responsible for providing full-time security for Duluth, Two Harbors, and the Thomson Dam in Jay Cooke State Park.  In at least one event, members of the Minnesota State Guard competed in a rifle competition against students from the Shattuck Military School.

In 1948, two battalions of Minnesota State Guard, equipped with one dozen M4 Sherman tanks, were deployed to quell a violent strike by the meat packer’s union in the St. Paul and Newport areas.   After the violence was quelled, troops withdrew from most of their deployed zones but continued to patrol the Wilson plant in Albert Lea, Minnesota.

strength of approximately 6,100 members.