32nd Signal Battalion
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| 32nd Signal Battalion | |
|---|---|
 The crest of the 32nd Battalion. White and orange are for the Signal Corps. The six pieces of the shield symbolize the unit's World War II campaigns. The two war horns symbolize ties to ancient armies, summoned to levies and ordered to move at their signal. The two piles, symbols of their military function, represent the 32nd's signal duties during World War II. Each charged with a silver warhorn. |
|
| Active | 1943-1946, 1955-present |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | U.S. Army |
| Type | Signal battalion |
| Part of | 22nd Signal Brigade |
| Garrison/HQ | Darmstadt, Germany |
| Motto | "Sound the Warhorns!" |
| Battles/wars | Operation Iraqi Freedom |
| Decorations | Meritorious Unit Commendation |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander |
Lieutenant Colonel William S. Schumaker |
The 32nd Signal Battalion is a Mobile Subscriber Equipment (MSE) equipped Corps Signal Battalion. They provide Command, Control, Communications and Computer (C4) support to 22nd Signal Brigade, part of the United States Army's V Corps. The 32nd Signal Battalion consists of 1 Headquarters Company, 3 MSE companies, and 1 MSE signal support company.
As of 2006, the commander of 32nd Signal Battalion is Lieutenant Colonel William S. Schumaker. The Battalion Command Sergeant Major is John O. Graves
Contents |
[edit] Mission
The battalion's mission statement is:
On order, the 32nd Signal Battalion rapidly deploys to provide signal support to V Corps or other contigency forces in support of any assigned mission throughout the spectrum of conflict.
[edit] History
[edit] World War II
On 20 March 1943, the 32nd Signal Construction Company was organized and activated at Chicago, Illinois. Shortly after its activation, the company was transferred, without soldiers or equipment, to the Signal Corps Unit Training center at Camp Crowder, Missouri and ordered into active military service as the 32nd Signal Construction Battalion on 25 March 1943.
The new battalion, consisting of construction companies A and B, and a headquarters, began training immediately for shipment overseas. After training at Camp Crowder, and aiding in flood rehabilitation work in Missouri, the battalion moved to Camp Shanks, New York, to prepare for transport to Europe. When the battalion sailed out of the North River Harbor on 27 February 1944, it consisted of 23 officers, one warrant officer, and 570 soldiers.
Once in England, the battalion began preparing for the June 6th invasion of Normandy. Detachment A of the battalion crossed the channel and began installing wire for communications lines later in the month, on June 8th. On 14th, the remainder of the battalion crossed to France and started work. Moving with the fighting forces across France, the battalion entered German territory at Korneli Munster on the 16th of September. After the capture of the Lundendorf Bridge near Remagen, the battalion strung two telephone cables taken from a captured German submarine across the Rhine river, while under attack from small arms fire and aircraft. The cables provided dependable communications between the American forces on both sides of the river at the breakthrough point. Communications support continued until the German surrender on the 9th of May, 1945.
On May 19th, the battalion moved from Weimar, Germany, to Marseilles, France, where it re-organized as a Signal Light Construction Battalion and boarded ships enroute to the Pacific Theater. On August 1st, 1945, while still at sea, the ship's captain announced the end of hostilities with Japan. The battalion debarked at Hagas Ti Port, Okinawa, and set up camp on September 1st.
On 30 December 1945, the battalion was reconstituted as a corps-type signal battalion and a month later, inactivated on Okinawa.
[edit] Cold War Era
The 32nd Signal Battalion (Corps) was reactivated at Cambri Fritch Kaserne, Darmstadt, Germany, under V Corps USAREUR, January 28th, 1955. The old 32nd Signal Battalion, a reserve unit, was inactivated and became the soldiers and equipment of the 32nd Signal Battalion (Corps).
In October 1961, the battalion’s cable construction capability was eliminated. In March 1964, after spending nine years in Darmstadt, USAREUR moved the battalion to McNair Kaserne in Hoechst, Germany, just outside Frankfurt.
In May of 1961, the battalion increased in size from 3 to 5 companies. On the 26th of June, 1969, the 201st Signal Company was attached to the battalion, bringing the number of assigned personnel over 1000.
On March 16th, 1981, the 32nd Signal Battalion (Corps) was split into a Command Operations Battalion, designated the 17th Signal Battalion (Command), a Corps Radio Battalion, the 32nd Signal Battalion (Radio), and Brigade Headquarters, the 22d Signal Brigade. The 32nd Signal Battalion (Radio) had four companies which provided the command multichannel radio systems, radioteletype and FM in support of V Corps.
In June of 1986, the 32nd Signal Battalion (Radio) was re-organized as a corps-area battalion and re-designated the 32nd Signal Battalion (Area). In addition to providing command multichannel and radioteletype support, the battalion provided three Corps Area Signal Centers, complete with automatic switching to support V Corps’ tactical area of operations.
[edit] 1990 through 2001
From September through December 1990, the battalion was re-organized as a Corps MSE Battalion, conducting a 100% swap-out of its equipment and re-activating D Company.
The 32nd Signal Battalion (MSE) consists of five companies, authorizing over 580 personnel. The radioteletype and cable installation capability of the battalion since been eliminated, but gained enormous capabilities with the Mobile Subscriber Equipment. The battalion’s primary mission is to provide six MSE node centers for the Corps Area Support Network, one large extension node, and 26 small extension nodes to support V Corps and its subordinate units.
In January 1992, the 32nd Signal Battalion moved back to Darmstadt, to Kelley Barracks Kaserne, where it continues to provide communications support for V Corps from the city where peacetime support began in 1955.
On March 22nd, 1993, the 32nd Signal Battalion was presented the United States Army Superior Unit Award for meritorious achievement.
In December of 1995, elements of the 32nd Signal Battalion deployed to Taszar, Hungary, in support of Operation Joint Endeavor. This year-long deployment marked the beginning of the 32nd’s roll in peace keeping operations.
In April 1999, the 32nd deployed over half of the Battalion to Tirane, Albania, to support Task Force Hawk, Operation Allied Force. Following the Allied victory, elements of the 32nd deployed into Kosovo as part of Task Force Falcon. More recently, 32nd Signal Battalion soldiers served with distinction in the Balkans, supporting the Kosovo TOA in June 2001.
[edit] Operation Iraqi Freedom
The 32nd Signal Battalion received its deployment order to Kuwait in January 2003. On February 26th , the 32nd Signal Battalion stood up Task Force Warhorn, a contingent of elements from three signal battalions, under the 22nd Signal Brigade. On the 5th of March, the 32nd Signal Battalion’s main body arrived in Kuwait. The Warhorns were given the responsibility of all MSE communications for units south of the berm, ranging from the tactical assembly areas (TAAs) at the Iraqi border to the various desert kabals throughout Kuwait.
On the eve of the war, several Task Force Warhorn assets were in place along the Iraqi border. NC02 enabled RAU coverage along the berm-crossing site, providing the only communications during the three-day berm crossing back into the Corps MSE network. Shortly after the opening shots were fired, NC05 moved north towards LSA Adder, eventually relocating to Tallil Airbase to link Iraq into the Kuwait network. Unbeknownst to C Company soldiers, they were sitting in the middle of the largest weapons cache in southern Iraq, and the Iraqis wanted their weapons back. Meanwhile, Node Center 01 was task organized under the 17th Signal Battalion and traveled north to LSA Bushmaster while TACON for movement under one of3ID’s Brigade Combat Teams. Alpha Company sandwiched their vehicles between Bradleys, M1A1 tanks and MLRS launchers to cross the berm, eventually moving as far north as the Karbala Gap during the next 72 hours. Node Center 02, task organized under the 440th Signal Battalion, sprinted north to Dogwood, arriving there on 24 March. Task Force Warhorn, in the meantime, was responsible for MSE and long-haul communications from LSA Adder south to the kabals in Kuwait.
As Baghdad fell in mid April, it became evident that 32nd Signal assets would not be focused around the city in preparation for a prolonged battle. Instead, Task Force Warhorn would place its assets at Balad South East airfield, approximately 1 hour’s drive north of Baghdad. Balad, or LSA Anaconda, as it would later be known, was to become the major logistical hub for central Iraq. As the Corps Rear’s base of operations, LSA Anaconda’s impact on the outcome of the war and later peacekeeping operations cannot be underestimated. A Company with Node Centers 01 and 02, and C Company with Node Center 05 arrived there in late April and early May to begin signal operations.
In May of 2003, LSA Anaconda had a population of 16,000 soldiers and contractors. At its height, there were 6 Node Centers, 1 LEN, and 33 SENs in system at the airbase. Due to the sheer volume of voice and data users, the 32nd had to deal with several problems it hadn’t had to deal with in the past. The demand to call home for MWR purposes, or to call back to bases in the United States or Europe, increased significantly.
Task Force Warhorn then took the initiative to move towards much-needed network integration with commercial equipment to alleviate the problem. Additionally, the Warhorn battalion worked with our brethren from the United States Air Force’s 32nd Combat Comms Squadron, who brought a tactical data package to the fight, and improved connectivity to the LSA.
The battalion’s performance during Operation Iraqi Freedom was a factor in the removal of the Iraqi government of Saddam Hussein, and to his eventual capture. In October 2005, the 32nd Signal Battalion deployed to LSA Anaconda, Iraq, for a year rotation in Operation Iraqi Freedom 05-07.
[edit] Units, Commendation, and Campaign Credits
| Subunits | Decorations | Campaign Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Headquarters and Headquarters Company - Outlaws |
Meritorious Unit Commendation, streamer embroidered EUROPEAN THEATER |
Normandy |
| Northern France | ||
| Alpha Company - Warriors | Meritorious Unit Commendation, Operation Iraqi Freedom | Rheinland |
| Bravo Company - Bulldawgs | B Company entitled to Meritorious Unit Commendation, streamer embroidered EUROPEAN THEATER |
Ardennes |
| Charlie Company - Charlie Rock | Central Europe | |
| Delta Company - Devils | Army Superior Unit Award | Pacific Theater, no inscription |
| Motto: | "Sound the Warhorns!" | |
