17th Signal Battalion
Encyclopedia
The 17th Signal Battalion of the United States Army
was a MSE (Mobile Subscriber Equipment) equipped signal battalion based in Kitzingen
, Germany (Larson Barracks). The battalion was one of three that made up the 22nd Signal Brigade, based in Darmstadt
, Germany.
On order, 17th Signal Battalion rapidly deploys to provide signal support to V Corps in support of conventional or contingency operations.
The battalion was deactivated on 17 August 2006.
on 30 November 1942 at Camp Crowder, Missouri
. From its activation until 20 October 1943, the battalion participated in the Second Army maneuvers. On 1 November 1943, the battalion was assigned to Headquarters, U.S. First Army
, station in Patchway
, England where its primary mission was to provide communications for First Army Headquarters. The battalion was then deployed and participated in the World War II
campaigns of Normandy, Northern France, Rhineland
, Ardennes-Alsace
, and Central Europe.
Following World War II, the 17th Signal Battalion was inactivated at Camp Bowie
, Texas. The Battalion was reactivated on 5 July 1950 at Karlsruhe
, Germany, and again inactivated on 25 September 1965.
On 16 March 1981, the battalion was reactivated under the 22nd Signal Brigade at McNair
Kaserne
, Höchst
, Germany, and entrusted with the mission of providing command and control communications to the US V Corps Commanding General and subordinate units. Charlie Company 17th Signal was located on Gibbs Kaserne and supported the V Corps Emergency Action Center located on the Abrams Complex. This area came to be known as "The Patio". Eventually, Delta Company was formed and replaced Charlie Company at Gibbs while they rejoined the rest of the battalion in residence at McNair until they and other members of the battalion were deployed to Operation Desert Shield & Desert Storm. In December 1992, with Charlie Company having returned, the entire battalion moved to their new home on Larson Barracks in Kitzingen
, Germany.
In recent years the battalion has participated in Operations Desert Shield, Desert Storm, Deny Flight
, Provide Hope
and Joint Endeavor. In October 2002 the 17th Signal Battalion participated in Operation Internal Look and later deployed in support of Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom.
The battalion was inactivated on 17 August 2006. The unit's final commander was LTC Glenn A. Kennedy II. In the end, the 17th Signal Battalion consisted of a Headquarters Company, 3 MSE Area Support Companies (Alpha, Bravo, & Charlie), and an MSE Signal Support Company (Delta).
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
was a MSE (Mobile Subscriber Equipment) equipped signal battalion based in Kitzingen
Kitzingen
Kitzingen is a town in the German state of Bavaria, capital of the district Kitzingen. It is part of Franconia geographical region and has around 21,000 inhabitants.Surrounded by vineyards, Kitzingen County is the largest wine producer in Bavaria...
, Germany (Larson Barracks). The battalion was one of three that made up the 22nd Signal Brigade, based in Darmstadt
Darmstadt
Darmstadt is a city in the Bundesland of Hesse in Germany, located in the southern part of the Rhine Main Area.The sandy soils in the Darmstadt area, ill-suited for agriculture in times before industrial fertilisation, prevented any larger settlement from developing, until the city became the seat...
, Germany.
On order, 17th Signal Battalion rapidly deploys to provide signal support to V Corps in support of conventional or contingency operations.
The battalion was deactivated on 17 August 2006.
Subunits
- HHC 17th Signal Battalion
- Alpha Company MSE Area Support
- Bravo Company MSE Area Support
- Charlie Company MSE Area Support
- Delta Company MSE Signal Support
History
The 17th Signal Battalion was activated in the Army of the United StatesArmy of the United States
The Army of the United States is the official name for the conscription force of the United States Army that may be raised at the discretion of the United States Congress in the event of the United States entering into a major armed conflict...
on 30 November 1942 at Camp Crowder, Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
. From its activation until 20 October 1943, the battalion participated in the Second Army maneuvers. On 1 November 1943, the battalion was assigned to Headquarters, U.S. First Army
U.S. First Army
The First United States Army is a field army of the United States Army. It now serves a mobilization, readiness and training command.- Establishment and World War I :...
, station in Patchway
Patchway
Patchway is a town in South Gloucestershire, England, situated northwest of central Bristol. The town is a housing overflow for Bristol being contiguous to Bristol's urban area, and is often regarded as a large outer suburb. Nearby are the other Bristol satellite towns of Filton and Bradley Stoke....
, England where its primary mission was to provide communications for First Army Headquarters. The battalion was then deployed and participated in the World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
campaigns of Normandy, Northern France, Rhineland
Rhineland
Historically, the Rhinelands refers to a loosely-defined region embracing the land on either bank of the River Rhine in central Europe....
, Ardennes-Alsace
Battle of the Bulge
The Battle of the Bulge was a major German offensive , launched toward the end of World War II through the densely forested Ardennes mountain region of Wallonia in Belgium, hence its French name , and France and...
, and Central Europe.
Following World War II, the 17th Signal Battalion was inactivated at Camp Bowie
Camp Bowie
Camp Bowie is a United States National Guard training center located in west central Texas near the cities of Brownwood and Early.-History:Camp Bowie, in honor of the Texas patriot James Bowie, was a military training facility during World War II, and was the third camp in Texas to be so named...
, Texas. The Battalion was reactivated on 5 July 1950 at Karlsruhe
Karlsruhe
The City of Karlsruhe is a city in the southwest of Germany, in the state of Baden-Württemberg, located near the French-German border.Karlsruhe was founded in 1715 as Karlsruhe Palace, when Germany was a series of principalities and city states...
, Germany, and again inactivated on 25 September 1965.
On 16 March 1981, the battalion was reactivated under the 22nd Signal Brigade at McNair
Lesley J. McNair
General Lesley James McNair was an American Army officer who served during World War I and World War II. He was killed by friendly fire when a USAAF Eighth Air Force bomb landed in his foxhole near Saint-Lô during Operation Cobra as part of the Battle of Normandy.McNair, Frank Maxwell Andrews and...
Kaserne
Kaserne
Kaserne is a loanword taken from the German word Kaserne , which translates as "barracks". It is the typical term used when naming the garrison location for NATO forces stationed in Germany...
, Höchst
Höchst (Frankfurt am Main)
Höchst is a district of Frankfurt am Main, Germany. It is part of the Ortsbezirk West, and is subdivided into 4 Stadtbezirke.Höchst am Main became part of Frankfurt am Main in 1928 together with its boroughs Sindlingen, Unterliederbach and Zeilsheim. It is situated 10 km west of downtown...
, Germany, and entrusted with the mission of providing command and control communications to the US V Corps Commanding General and subordinate units. Charlie Company 17th Signal was located on Gibbs Kaserne and supported the V Corps Emergency Action Center located on the Abrams Complex. This area came to be known as "The Patio". Eventually, Delta Company was formed and replaced Charlie Company at Gibbs while they rejoined the rest of the battalion in residence at McNair until they and other members of the battalion were deployed to Operation Desert Shield & Desert Storm. In December 1992, with Charlie Company having returned, the entire battalion moved to their new home on Larson Barracks in Kitzingen
Kitzingen
Kitzingen is a town in the German state of Bavaria, capital of the district Kitzingen. It is part of Franconia geographical region and has around 21,000 inhabitants.Surrounded by vineyards, Kitzingen County is the largest wine producer in Bavaria...
, Germany.
In recent years the battalion has participated in Operations Desert Shield, Desert Storm, Deny Flight
Operation Deny Flight
Operation Deny Flight was a North Atlantic Treaty Organization operation that began on April 12, 1993 as the enforcement of a United Nations no-fly zone over Bosnia and Herzegovina...
, Provide Hope
Operation Provide Hope
Operation Provide Hope was a humanitarian operation conducted by the U.S Air Force to provide medical equipment to former Soviet republics during their transition to democratic and free-market states. The operation was announced by Secretary of State James A. Baker, III on January 22-23, 1992 and...
and Joint Endeavor. In October 2002 the 17th Signal Battalion participated in Operation Internal Look and later deployed in support of Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom.
The battalion was inactivated on 17 August 2006. The unit's final commander was LTC Glenn A. Kennedy II. In the end, the 17th Signal Battalion consisted of a Headquarters Company, 3 MSE Area Support Companies (Alpha, Bravo, & Charlie), and an MSE Signal Support Company (Delta).
Lineage
- Constituted 1 November 1942 in the Army of the United States as the 17th Signal Operations Battalion
- Activated 30 November 1942 at Camp Crowder, MissouriMissouriMissouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
- Inactivated 18 February 1946 at Camp BowieCamp BowieCamp Bowie is a United States National Guard training center located in west central Texas near the cities of Brownwood and Early.-History:Camp Bowie, in honor of the Texas patriot James Bowie, was a military training facility during World War II, and was the third camp in Texas to be so named...
, Texas - Redesignated 5 July 1950 as the 17th Signal Operation Battalion and activated in Germany
- Allotted 15 December 1950 to the Regular Army
- Reorganized and redesignated 20 October 1953 as the 17th Signal Battalion
- Inactivated 25 September 1965 in Germany
- Activated 16 March 1981 in Germany
- Inactivated 17 August 2006 in Germany
Campaign Participation Credit
- World War II:
- NormandyNormandyNormandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
- Northern France
- RhinelandRhinelandHistorically, the Rhinelands refers to a loosely-defined region embracing the land on either bank of the River Rhine in central Europe....
- Ardennes-Alsace
- Central EuropeCentral Europe CampaignAfter crossing the Rhine the Western Allies fanned out overrunning all of western Germany from the Baltic in the north to Austria in the south before the Germans surrendered on 8 May 1945. This is known as the "Central Europe Campaign" in United States military histories.By the early spring of...
- Southwest Asia:
- Defense of Saudi Arabia
- Liberation and Defense of Kuwait
- Cease-Fire
- Operation Enduring Freedom
- Operation Iraqi Freedom I
- Operation Iraqi Freedom III
Decorations
- Joint Meritorious Unit AwardJoint Meritorious Unit AwardThe Joint Meritorious Unit Award is a military award that was established on June 4, 1981 by Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger and was implemented by Department of Defense Directive 1348.27 dated July 22, 1982...
- Army Superior Unit Award