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51st Expeditionary Signal Battalion

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51st Signal Battalion-Enhanced (ESB-E)
Distinctive Unit Insignia
ActiveJuly 1916; 108 years ago (1916-07) – Present
Country United States
Branch United States Army
TypeTactical communications
SizeBattalion
Part of22d Corps Signal Brigade[1]
Garrison/HQJoint Base Lewis McChord (JBLM), WA
Nickname(s)Oldest and the Finest
Motto(s)Semper Constans (Always Constant)
Colors   Orange and white
EngagementsWorld War I

World War II

Korean War

  • UN Defensive[2]
  • UN Offensive[2]
  • CCF Intervention[2]
  • First UN Counteroffensive[2]
  • CCF Spring Offensive[2]
  • UN Summer-Fall Offensive[2]
  • Second Korean Winter[2]
  • Korea, Summer-Fall 1952[2]
  • Third Korean Winter [2]
  • Korea, Summer 1953[2]

Southwest Asia

  • Defense of Saudi Arabia[2]
  • Liberation and Defense of Kuwait[2]
  • Cease-Fire[2]

War on Terrorism

Commanders
Current
commander		LTC Nicolas K. Beck

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 (2003) – 2004 (2004) and in 2008 (2008) – 2009 (2009)[5] and sent elements to Afghanistan in 2010 and 2011. The unit was deployed as of January 2015,[6] and 2019.[7]

The 51st's heraldric crest was approved 11 July, 1928. The bend, from the arms of Lorraine and St. Mihiel, is for service in France in World War I. Its participation in four engagements of that war is represented by the four telephone poles.[8]

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.[9]

History

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World War I and Inter-war Years

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The 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.[10] Soon thereafter, the battalion deployed to France and joined the American Expeditionary Force. During World War I, the battalion participated in three major operations – Lorraine 1918, St. Mihiel, and Meuse-Argonne.[11]

The 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. At this time, it was the Signal Corps' only battalion-sized unit in existence.[12]

In 1935, the battalion took part in the Pine Camp maneuvers in New York, which at the time were the largest peacetime maneuvers ever.[13]: 74  The 51st was solely responsible for installation of all communications during this exercise; in this capacity, it employed 177 miles of bare copper wire, 126 miles of twisted pair field wire, and 8,260 feet of lead-covered overhead cable.[14]

In 1937, in support of newly-formed combat divisions, the 51st conducted a wheeled road march from Fort Monmouth, NJ to Fort Sam Houston, TX. At the time this was the longest motor convoy of its size in United States Army history.[15]

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, [16]: 123  which was the largest test of tactical communications since World War I. During these years, the 51st provided all tactical communication support for the Army. Chief Signal Officer James B. Allison once remarked to an Army War College audience that 51st's support was so prolific, that each individual member of 51st was probably known by name to the audience.[17]

World War II

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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.[18]

Korean War

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On 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

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On 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.[19]

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.[20]

Reorganization to 22nd Signal Brigade

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On 16 November 2021, the battalion became a subordinate unit of the 22nd Corps Signal Brigade.[1]

Honors

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Decorations

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  • 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]

Company B additionally entitled to:

References

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  1. ^ 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.
  2. ^ 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.
  3. ^ "51st Signal Battalion". signal.army.mil. United States Army. 15 September 2014. Archived from the original on 30 January 2015. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
  4. ^ "History 1916-2011". 51stsignalbattalion.com. Archived from the original on 14 February 2015. Retrieved 14 February 2015.
  5. ^ "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.
  6. ^ "51st Signal Battalion gears up to deploy - News Articles - Northwest Military - Home of the Ranger, NW Airlifter & Weekly Volcano".
  7. ^ 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.
  8. ^ Stein, Barry Jason (1993). U.S. Army Heraldic Crests: A Complete Illustrated History of Authorized Distinctive Unit Insignia. Univ of South Carolina Press. ISBN 978-0-87249-963-8.
  9. ^ "51st SIGNAL BATTALION - Lineage and Honors Information - U.S. Army Center of Military History". history.army.mil. Retrieved 2024-08-08.
  10. ^ Signal Corps (Paperbound). Government Printing Office. ISBN 978-0-16-086716-3.
  11. ^ Signal Corps (Paperbound). Government Printing Office. ISBN 978-0-16-086716-3.
  12. ^ Raines, Rebecca R.; History, Center of Military (1996-06-19). Getting the Message Through: A Branch History of the U.S. Army Signal Corps (Paperback). United States Department of Defense. ISBN 978-0-16-045351-9.
  13. ^ 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.
  14. ^ A History of Army Communications and Electronics at Fort Monmouth, New Jersey, 1917-2007. United States Department of Defense. 2008. ISBN 978-0-16-081359-7.
  15. ^ A History of Army Communications and Electronics at Fort Monmouth, New Jersey, 1917-2007. United States Department of Defense. 2008. ISBN 978-0-16-081359-7.
  16. ^ 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.
  17. ^ of, United States Military History, Office of the Chief (1956). United States Army in World War II: Tecnical Services, Signal Corps [v.1], The Emergency (to December 1941).{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  18. ^ Signal Corps. Center of Military History, United States Army. 2005.
  19. ^ "51st History". signal.army.mil. Archived from the original on 2015-09-29. Retrieved 2015-10-09.
  20. ^ "51st ESB - 35th Signal Brigade". army.mil. n.d. Archived from the original on 13 February 2020. Retrieved 26 January 2022.

Further reading

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