The units of the 192th Tank Battalion were inducted into Federal service on 20 September 1940. The organic companies were inducted into Federal Service as follows: Company A( Wisconsin National National Guard) on 25 November 1940 at Janesville, WI; Company B (Illinois National Guard) on 25 May 1940 at Maywood IL; Company C (Ohio National Guard) on 15 October 1940 at Port Clinton, OH; and Company D (Kentucky National Guard) on 25 November 1940 at Harrodsburg, KY. The battalion deployed to service in the Philippines at Bataan and Luzon in October 1941. Following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the battalion came under heavy aerial attack on December 8th, 1941 during the initial bombing by the Japanese Air Force. From that day until they had no choice but to surrender, the battalion engaged an enemy of overwhelming force and against overwhelming odds in the defense of the Philippines. The survivors, and ultimately, prisoners, were forced to take part in the "Bataan Death March" and were not released from the captivity of Japanese Prisoner of War Camps until September 1945 following the allied victory in the war.

Due to their heroism and gallantry in the face of the enemy, these units must be included along with their comrades of the 200th and 515th Coast Artillery Regiments (New Mexico National Guard) who served in the Philippine Islands in defense of Bataan, Corregidor, and Luzon between December 7th 1941 and April 9th, 1942.