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The 51st Signal Battalion is a United States Army unit which is part of the 22d Corps Signal Brigade located at Joint Base Lewis–McChord, Washington. Its mission is to rapidly deploy worldwide to engineer, install, operate, maintain, and defend the LandWarNet in support of full spectrum operations.[3][4] The battalion deployed to Iraq in 2003 – 2004 and in 2008 – 2009[5] and sent elements to Afghanistan in 2010 and 2011. The unit was deployed as of January 2015,[6] and 2019.[7]
| 51st Signal Battalion-Enhanced (ESB-E) | |
|---|---|
 Distinctive Unit Insignia | |
| Active | July 1916 – Present |
| Country |  United States |
| Branch |  United States Army |
| Type | Tactical communications |
| Size | Battalion |
| Part of | 22d Corps Signal Brigade[1] |
| Garrison/HQ | Joint Base Lewis McChord (JBLM), WA |
| Motto(s) | Semper Constans (Always Constant |
| Colors | Orange and white |
| Engagements | World War I
Southwest Asia |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander | LTC Nicolas K. Beck |
The 51st Signal Battalion is the oldest continuously serving active-duty signal unit, as well as the signal unit with the most years of support to the United States Army.[8]
History
editWorld War I
editThe unit was constituted on 1 July 1916 into the Regular Army as the 5th Telegraph Battalion, Signal Corps. The unit was later activated on 12 July 1917 at Monmouth Park, New Jersey. On 1 October 1917, the battalion was re-designated as the 55th Telegraph Battalion. Soon thereafter, the battalion deployed to France and joined the American Expeditionary Force. During World War I, the battalion participated in three campaigns – Lorraine 1918, St. Mihiel, and Meuse-Argonne.
In 1935, the battalion took part in the Pine Camp maneuvers, which at the time were the largest peacetime maneuvers ever.[9]: 74
World War II
editThe battalion returned to New York on 27 June 1919 and moved to Camp Vail, New Jersey. The battalion was re-designated on 18 March 1921, as the 51st Signal Battalion. On 5 August 1925, the battalion returned to Fort Monmouth, New Jersey and would remain there until after World War II. The battalion received additional training at Fort A.P. Hill, Virginia, Camp Blanding, Florida, and Camp Stewart, Georgia. The battalion participated in the Louisiana Maneuvers prior to deploying for Europe.[10]: 123 On 4 March 1943, the battalion headed to North Africa and staged and participated in the Invasion of Sicily, followed by a mission to provide communications support to forces arriving in Italy in October 1943. For its service in World War II, the battalion was credited with five campaigns and received the Meritorious Unit Commendation.
Korean War
editOn 1 March 1945, the unit was reorganized and redesignated as the 51st Operation Signal Battalion. Then again, on 8 September 1950, the unit became known as the 51st Signal Battalion, Corps. During the Korean War, the battalion supported I Corps in ten campaigns and received two Meritorious Unit Commendations and the Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation. The battalion remained in Korea after the hostilities as part of Eighth Army. After the Korean War cease fire, the battalion was reorganized and redesignated as the 51st Signal Battalion. The battalion remained in Korea until 16 March 1981 when it moved to Ludwigsburg, West Germany in support of VII Corps.
Gulf War
editOn November 8, 1990, the battalion was mobilized for immediate deployment to Saudi Arabia in support of Gulf War. For its participation, the battalion received three campaign streamers. On April 15, 1991, the unit returned to Germany. Three years later, on April 16, 1993, the 51st relocated, less personnel and equipment, to Fort Bragg, North Carolina and on October 1, 1993, the unit was re-designated the 51st Signal Battalion (Airborne) by reflagging an existing signal battalion on post.[11]
With the transfer, less personnel and equipment, of the parent 35th Signal Brigade to Fort Gordon, GA, to reflag the existing 93d Signal Brigade in 2007, effectively inactivating the brigade on post and vastly reducing the number of Signal personnel within XVIII Airborne Corps, the 51st was closed out at Fort Bragg and the lineage was transferred to Fort Lewis, WA, as a subordinate unit of the 35th Signal Brigade.[12]
Reorganization to 22nd Signal Brigade
editOn 16 November 2021, the battalion became a subordinate unit of the 22nd Corps Signal Brigade.[1]
Honors
editDecorations
edit
Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army), Streamer embroidered EUROPEAN THEATER[2]- Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army), Streamer embroidered KOREA 1950-1951[2]
- Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army), Streamer embroidered KOREA 1953-1954[2]
- Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army), Streamer embroidered SOUTHWEST ASIA 2003-2004[2]
- Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army), Streamer embroidered IRAQ 2005[2]
- Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army), Streamer embroidered IRAQ 2008-2009[2]
Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation, Streamer embroidered KOREA 1950-1953[2]
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Company B additionally entitled to:
Presidential Unit Citation (Army), Streamer embroidered IRAQ[2]- Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army), Streamer embroidered KOREA 1952[2]
References
edit- ^ a b Wasickanin, George (24 November 2021). "New Signal Brigade activates at Joint Base Lewis-McChord" (Press release). 22d Corps Signal Brigade Public Affairs. United States Army. Archived from the original on 12 December 2021. Retrieved 9 March 2022.
The activation ceremony included a special re-patching segment as the 51st Expeditionary Signal Battalion reorganized as a subordinate unit to the new brigade. The battalion was previously aligned under the 35th Signal Brigade, Fort Bragg, N.C.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae Dalessandro, Robert J. (16 June 2011). "Department of the Army - Lineage and Honors: 51st SIGNAL BATTALION". history.army.mil. United States Army. Archived from the original on 17 November 2019. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
- ^ "51st Signal Battalion". signal.army.mil. United States Army. 15 September 2014. Archived from the original on 30 January 2015. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
- ^ "History 1916-2011". 51stsignalbattalion.com. Archived from the original on 14 February 2015. Retrieved 14 February 2015.
- ^ "51st Signal Battalion returning to Lewis". The News Tribune. ISSN 1073-5860. OCLC 1097134136. Archived from the original on 14 February 2015. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
- ^ "51st Signal Battalion gears up to deploy - News Articles - Northwest Military - Home of the Ranger, NW Airlifter & Weekly Volcano".
- ^ Epperson, Jason (16 May 2019). "Turn and burn; No Rest for B Company, 51st ESB". army.mil. Archived from the original on 15 May 2021. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
- ^ "51st SIGNAL BATTALION - Lineage and Honors Information - U.S. Army Center of Military History". history.army.mil. Retrieved 2024-08-08.
- ^ Allison, James B. (September–October 1936). "The Signal Corps in Action: Maintaining Communications in the Theater of Operations". Army Ordnance. 17 (98). National Defense Industrial Association: 117–138. ISSN 0097-3696. JSTOR 45376525. LCCN sn94089640. OCLC 4872622. p. 74:
At the Pine Camp maneuvers last summer, the 51st Signal Battalion put in excellent pole-line construction for the forward areas.
- ^ Murray, G. Patrick (Spring 1972). "The Louisiana Maneuvers: Practice for War". Louisiana History: The Journal of the Louisiana Historical Association. 13 (2). Louisiana Historical Association: 117–138. ISSN 0024-6816. JSTOR 4231247. LCCN 62050409. OCLC 874366123. p. 123:
Only one Signal Corps outfit, the 51st Signal Battalion, was available to provide a communications network for the entire war games, and the army's teletypewriter (TWX) equipment was also in short supply.
- ^ "51st History". signal.army.mil. Archived from the original on 2015-09-29. Retrieved 2015-10-09.
- ^ "51st ESB - 35th Signal Brigade". army.mil. n.d. Archived from the original on 13 February 2020. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
Further reading
edit- Pyle, Ralph (n.d.). "Interview with Ralph Pyle [Undated]". Experiencing War | Stories from the Veterans History Project (Transcript). Interviewed by Pat McClain. Library of Congress. Archived from the original on 30 October 2020. Retrieved 9 March 2022.
So they made me Chief of Section of a photo outfit and I went directly to Korea as a staff sergeant, Chief of the 51st Signal Battalion.
- School, The Signal Corps (November–December 1938). "The Signal Corps School". The Military Engineer. 30 (174): 414–417. ISSN 0026-3982. JSTOR 44566739. LCCN sn94091632. OCLC 888556677.
- Murray, G. Patrick (Spring 1972). "The Louisiana Maneuvers: Practice for War". Louisiana History: The Journal of the Louisiana Historical Association. 13 (2). Louisiana Historical Association: 117–138. ISSN 0024-6816. JSTOR 4231247. LCCN 62050409. OCLC 874366123.