50th Signal Battalion (Corps) (Forced Entry) (Airborne)

The 50th Signal Battalion (Corps) (Forced Entry) (Airborne) provides worldwide contingency, force projection, signal support to the XVIII Airborne Corps Headquarters as the Corps Assault Command Post, Tactical Command Posts, initial JTF Headquarters, initial (ARFOR) Headquarters, and designated Corps Major Subordinate Commands in support of Army, Joint and Combined Operations during war and operations other than war.

Originally constituted on 16 December 1899 in the Regular Army, as Company H, Signal Corps, and organized in the Philippine Island, the unit received campaign credit for the Philippine Insurrection. Company H returned to Benicia Barracks, CA, on 15 March 1905, where it remained for over ten years. During this time, the company provided communications to the frontier areas of California, Washington, Nebraska, Texas, and Arizona, primarily via telegraph.

The unit moved to Fort Sam Houston, TX, on 25 May 1915 where it was consolidated with the 1st Provisional Company, Signal Corps, as the 1st Telegraph Battalion. In October 1917, the battalion was again designated as the 51st Telegraph Battalion. The battalion left New York bound for France aboard the KAROA on 15 August 1918 as a part of the American Expeditionary Forces. During World War I, the battalion participated in the Champagne, Oise-Aisne, and Meuse-Argonne Campaigns. After the war, the battalion was stationed at Fort Sam Houston, TX, from 20 August 1919 until its inactivation on 24 September 1921.

The battalion was reactivated on 01 July 1940 at Fort Sheridan, Illinois. After several exercises at Camp McCoy, WI; Camp Forrest, TN; and Camp Robinson, AR, the battalion left New York on 27 December 1941 for Iceland, where it provided allied military and all communications for nearly two years. From Iceland, the battalion moved to England, where it prepared for the Normandy invasion. The battalion supported the D-day assault forces on the morning of 6 June 1944 by establishing communications from the VII Corps Headquarters to the 4th Infantry Division, the 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions, and the 9th Air Force. After the breakout, the battalion supported to the 3rd Armored Division as it raced across France, Belgium, and into Germany. During the war, the battalion received credit for participating in the following campaigns, Normandy, Northern France, the Rhileland, Ardennes Alsace, and Central Europe. The battalion also received a Meritorious Unit Commendation for the European Theater.

The battalion was again reactivated in responses to the Korean War on 24 October 1951 and redesignated the 50th Signal Battalion (Corps). Though it underwent a series of reorganizations during the fifties, its mission was still to a part of the InterAmerican Peace Force deployed to the Dominican Republic on 9 May 1965. There it received yet another Meritorious Unit Commendation.

In March 1970, the battalion became a part of the 35th Signal Group, which supported the XVIII Airborne Corps. The battalion was reorganized and redesignated on 16 June 1983 as the 50th Signal Battalion (Corps Command Operations) (Airborne). During Operation Urgent Fury in Grenada, the battalion established the communications link between 82nd Airborne Division and the commander of both the XVIII Airborne Corps and U.S. Forces in Grenadian telegraph system as well as in maintaining communications for the commander of the military support element in Grenada. During Operations Just Cause in Panama, the battalion provided communications to the 82nd Airborne Division, JTF South, and the 7th Infantry Division.

The battalion was reorganized and redesignated on 01 February 1989 as the 50th Signal Battalion (Corps) (Forced Entry) (Airborne). The battalion deployed to Saudi Arabia in August 1990 in support of Operation Desert Storm and Desert Shield. This Operation Desert Storm and the Battalion's subsequent redeployment April 1991.

The 50th Signal Battalion (Corps) (Forced Entry) (Airborne) deployed to Haiti in September 1994 in support of JFT-180. The 50th Signal Battalion was the first battalion to provide Mobile Subscriber Equipment Communications aboard the USS MT Whitney.

Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 50th Signal Battalion (Corps) (Forced Entry) (Airborne) provides administrative, logistical, staff support, and direct support for C&E and COMSEC maintenance in support of the battalion during Army, Joint, and Combined operations.

Alpha Company 50th Signal Battalion (Airborne) provides worldwide contingency, force projection, signal support to the XVIII Airborne Corps Headquarters as the Corps Assault Command Post, initial Army Forces (ARFOR) Headquarters, initial Joint Task Force Headquarters, and designated Corps MSCs in support of Army, Joint and Combined operations.

Bravo Company, 50th Signal Battalion (Corps) (Forced Entry) (Airborne) provides worldwide contingency force projection and signal support to the XVIII Airborne Corps as the Corps Assault Command Post, initial Army Forces (ARFOR) Headquarters, initial Joint Task Force Headquarters, and designated Corps Major Subordinate Commands (MSCs) in support of Army, Joint, and Combined Operations during war and in support of military operations other than war.

Charlie Company 50th Signal Battalion (Corps) (Forced Entry) (Airborne) provides worldwide contingency force projection and signal support to the XVIII Airborne Corps as the Corps Assault Command Post, initial Army Forces (ARFOR) Headquarters, initial Joint Task Force Headquarters, and designated Corps Major Subordinate Commands (MSCs) in support of Army, Joint, and Combined Operations during war and in support of military operations.

Delta Company 50th Signal Battalion (Airborne) provides worldwide contingency, force projection signal support to the XVIII Airborne Corps Headquarters as the Tactical Command Post, Army Forces Headquarters, and Joint Task Force Headquarters and to designated Corps MSCs in support of Army, Joint, and Combined combat operations during war and in operations other than war.

514th Signal Company, 50th Signal Battalion (Airborne) provides self sustaining world-wide, rapid deployable force projection with over the horizon and reachback signal support for the XVIII Airborne Corps Headquarters and Assault Command Post, initial Joint Task Force Headquarters, Army Forces Headquarters and designated Corps Major Subordinate Commands (MSCs) throughout the entire spectrum of conflict or peacetime mission.