121st Signal Battalion (United States) explained

Unit Name:121st Signal Battalion
Dates:1916-07-01 – 1995-12-15
1996-02-06 – 2006-04-10
Country:United States
Allegiance:Regular Army
Branch:U.S. Army
Role:Communications
Size:Battalion
Command Structure:1st Infantry Division
Motto:TO PARON EY POIEIN (Do well the duty that lies before you)
Colors:Orange and White
Colors Label:Corps Colors
Battles:Spanish–American War
World War I
World War II
Vietnam
Southwest Asia
Identification Symbol Label:Distinctive Unit Insignia

The 121st Signal Battalion was a signal unit of the United States Army, inactivated as of July 2006.[1] Prior to deactivation, it provided signal support to the 1st Infantry Division.[2]

Lineage

  1. Company A organized 1898-07-27 as Company A, Signal Corps;
    Redesignated 1910-04-05 as Field Company A, Signal Corps;
    Re-designated 1915-10-19 as Radio Company A, Signal Corps;
    Re-designated 1916-11-11 as Company A, 2nd Field Battalion, Signal Corps.
  2. Company B organized 1898-07-27 as Company D, Signal Corps;
    Re-designated 1910-04-05 as Field Company D, Signal Corps;
    Re-designated 1916-11-11 as Company B, 2nd Field Battalion, Signal Corps

Honors

Campaign participation credit

  1. Puerto Rico.
  1. Montdidier-Noyon;
  2. Aisne-Marne;
  3. St. Mihiel;
  4. Meuse-Argonne;
  5. Lorraine 1918;
  6. Picardy 1918
  1. Algeria-French Morocco (with arrowhead);
  2. Tunisia;
  3. Sicily (with arrowhead);
  4. Normandy (with arrowhead);
  5. Northern France;
  6. Rhineland;
  7. Ardennes-Alsace;
  8. Central Europe
  1. Defense;
  2. Counteroffensive;
  3. Counteroffensive, Phase II;
  4. Counteroffensive, Phase III;
  5. Tet Counteroffensive;
  6. Counteroffensive, Phase IV;
  7. Counteroffensive, Phase V;
  8. Counteroffensive, Phase VI;
  9. Tet 69/Counteroffensive;
  10. Summer-Fall 1969;
  11. Winter-Spring 1970
  1. Defense of Saudi Arabia;
  2. Liberation and Defense of Kuwait;
  3. Cease-Fire

Decorations

  1. EUROPEAN THEATER
  2. VIETNAM 1966–1967
  3. VIETNAM 1967–1968
  4. VIETNAM 1968–1969
  1. 1996–1997
  2. 1997

French Croix de guerre with Palm, World War I for:

  1. LORRAINE-PICARDY
  2. AISNE-MARNE and MEUSE-ARGONNE
  1. TUNISIA
  2. NORMANDY
  1. FRANCE
  1. Cited in the Order of the Day of the Belgian Army for action at Mons.
  2. Cited in the Order of the Day of the Belgian Army for action at Eupen-Malmedy

Heraldic items

Coat of arms

Blazon

Symbolism

  1. The colors orange and white are for the Signal Corps.
  2. The six Lorraine crosses represent six World War I Battle Honors and are arranged to suggest a telegraph line.
  3. The three fire arrows symbolize three assault landings in World War II and also suggest the Signal functions which such weapons once served.
  1. The Spanish castle taken from the Spanish Campaign Medal symbolizes the organization's service in Puerto Rico during the Spanish–American War and the fleur-de-lis its service in World War I.
  2. The colors white (silver) and orange are the colors of the Signal Corps.

Distinctive unit insignia

  1. The Spanish castle taken from the Spanish Campaign Medal symbolizes the organization's service in Puerto Rico during the Spanish–American War and the fleur-de-lis its service in World War I.
  2. The colors white and orange are the colors of the Signal Corps.
  3. The motto is translated "Do Well The Duty That Lies Before You."
  1. The distinctive unit insignia was originally approved for the 1st Signal Company on 1930-03-18.
  2. It was amended to correct the spelling of the motto on 1930-10-15 and again on 1934-10-10.
  3. The insignia was redesignated for the 121st Signal Battalion on 1958-01-08.

History

The 121st Signal Battalion was formed in 1898 as part of the United States Army Signal Corps, serving in Puerto Rico during the Spanish–American War.[3] In 1921, the two companies were reorganized as the 1st Signal Company, which was later honored with its own distinctive crest.

World Wars I and II

The unit received six battle honors in World War I, symbolized by the six Lorraine crosses appearing on their coat of arms. During World War II, the unit supported the 1st Infantry Division as they conducted combat operations in Normandy, France, Belgium and Czechoslovakia. During this war, the unit was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation, Meritorious Unit Commendation and the French fourragère.

Post-war

In 1957, the 1st Signal Company officially re-designated to the 121st Signal Battalion. In 1962 part of the 121st was deployed to Florida during the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962. B Company was stationed at McCoy AFB (now part of Orlando International Airport) and SGT Norman Hansen and SP4 William Hawkins Jr established communications for the infantry. Hawkins was later promoted to SGT. This was before the public was aware of a problem. The government did not recognize that they were deployed to Florida. Since then, the battalion has served with the 1st Infantry Division in Vietnam, Saudi Arabia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo.

The battalion was deployed to Iraq with the 1st Infantry Division in 2004, returning to Germany in early 2005. Company C, the last company of the unit, was inactivated 10 April 2006, at Larson Barracks, Kitzingen, Germany.

Inactivation

Prior to its inactivation the unit was stationed in Kitzingen, Germany, and supported the 1st Infantry Division with MSE communications. The battalion was last deployed in operation OIF II at Tikrit, Iraq “FOB DANGER” in 2004. The unit consisted of HHC “Dangers Voice”, A (Archangels, Wired-Up!), B (Blackhawks), C (Charlie Rock), and D company. D company was stationed at Fort Riley as a rear detachment of sorts for the battalion along with the rear detachment for the 1st Infantry division. The battalion was inactivated as part of the decrease in over-seas forces that the US military is currently undergoing, the return of the 1st Infantry Division stateside and the fielding of many signal units in the signal regiment with JNN communications equipment. Alpha company was moved to Schweinfurt, Germany prior to inactivation to be stationed with the 2nd BCT, 1ID (Dagger) and was reflagged as the 57th Signal Company.

The last commander prior to inactivation was Lieutenant Colonel Dana Tankins. The last CSM was CSM Mitchell.

See also

Bibliography

Breakout and Pursuit. United States Army in World War II. Washington, D.C.: Office of the Chief of Military History, Department of the Army, 1961. 1st Infantry Division cited. CMH Pub 7-5.

Salerno to Cassino. United States Army in World War II. Washington, D.C.: Office of the Chief of Military History, United States Army, 1969. 1st Infantry Division cited. CMH Pub 6-3.

Getting the Message Through: A Branch History of the U.S. Army Signal Corps . Army Historical Series. Washington, D.C.: Center of Military History, United States Army, 1996. CMH Pub 30-17-1.

A Record of the Activities of the Second Field Signal Battalion, First Division. Cologne: J. P. Bachem, 1919.

History of the First Division During the World War, 1917–1919. Philadelphia: John C. Winston Company, 1922.

Tasks Performed by the 121st Signal Battalion During the Period 1 June 1966 Through 31 May 1967. N.p., 1967.

The Signal Corps: The Outcome (Mid-1943 through 1945). United States Army in World War II. Washington, D.C.: Office of the Chief of Military History, United States Army, 1966.

Vietnam, April 1967 – April 1968: A Pictorial History of the 121st Signal Battalion, 1st Infantry Division. N.p., 1968.

Vietnam, October 1965 – April 1967: A Pictorial History of the 121st Signal Battalion, 1st Infantry Division. N.p., 1967.

1st Infantry Division in Vietnam, 1969. Tokyo: Dai Nippon Printing Company, c. 1969.

1st Infantry Division in Vietnam, July 1965 – April 1967. Tokyo: Dai Nippon Printing Company, 1967.

1st Infantry Division in Vietnam, 1 May 1967 – 31 December 1968. Tokyo: Dai Nippon Printing Company, c. 1969.

Notes and References

  1. http://www.1id.army.mil/1id/news/Jun06/Article_01/Article_01.htm Army's oldest, most decorated signal battalion inactivates
  2. http://www.gordon.army.mil/OCOS/rdiv/ACTVCOMP/121stbn.asp 121st Signal Battalion
  3. https://web.archive.org/web/20060911003841/http://www.tioh.hqda.pentagon.mil/Sig/121SignalBattalion.htm Unit Insignia of the 121st Signal Battalion

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