55th Support Battalion

55th Support Battalion

Distinctive unit insignia
Active 1982–1991
Branch U.S Army
Type

Ordnance (1982–1986)

Quartermaster (1986–1991)
Motto Complete Support
Decorations
Superior Unit Award
Disbanded 1991

The 55th Support Battalion was a unit of the United States Army, which was last active from 9 July 1982 to 15 June 1991.

Heraldry

Distinctive unit insignia 1968

Distinctive unit insignia: When the 55th Maintenance Battalion was reactivated in 1982, a new distinctive unit insignia was created.[1]

Crimson and blue indicate former designation as the 55th Maintenance Battalion. Five decorations for overseas service are represented by the gold wavy bend. The bend also symbolizes hydraulics. The gear refers to mechanics and the flash to electronics. The spearhead is symbolic of the Pershing support mission of the unit.

Motto: "Complete Support"

Previous insignia: The older DUI was used from 1968 until the battalion was deactivated after the Korean War.[2]

History

Pershing

The 55th Maintenance Battalion was reformed 20 June 1981 and activated 9 July 1982 as part of the 56th Field Artillery Brigade, supporting the Pershing missile system in West Gremany.[3] The 579th Ordnance Company was deactivated and reformed as Headquarters and Headquarters Company (HHC) and D Company (General Support) in Neu-Ulm, West Germany.

The 56th Field Artillery Brigade had three field artillery battalions, each with a service battery. The service batteries were deactivated with the automotive, engineer, signal, and missile maintenance platoons reformed as forward support companies under the 55th Maintenance Battalion. The ammunition and security platoons from the service batteries were merged into the headquarters and headquarters batteries which were redesignated as the headquarters, headquarters and service battery (HHSB). [4][5] The brigade aviation assets were formed into E Company.

The battalion provided logistical support for the 56th Field Artillery Brigade, including missile, engineer, communications and automotive, coordinated by the Material Management Center.

On 17 January 1986, the 56th Field Artillery Brigade reorganized as the 56th Field Artillery Command. The 55th Maintenance Battalion was redesignated the 55th Support Battalion and E Company was deactivated and reformed as the 193rd Aviation Company.

The battalion was deactivated 15 June 1991 when the 56th Field Artillery Command was deactivated.

Subordinate units

Commanders

Campaigns

Decorations

Notable members

References

  1. ↑ Stein, Barry Jason (1993). U.S. Army Heraldic Crests: A Complete Illustrated History of Authorized Distinctive Unit Insignia. University of South Carolina Press. p. 364. ISBN 0-87249-963-4.
  2. ↑ "55th Maintenance Battalion". The Institute of Heraldry.
  3. ↑ Bachman, Jim (16 July 1982). "A Battalion is Born". Donau (Neu-Ulm, West Germany).
  4. ↑ "Plotting Pershing on the Map" (PDF). Pershing Cable 25 (1): 2.
  5. ↑ Curtis, Myron F. (January–February 1983). "Pershing Brigade Reorganization" (PDF). Field Artillery Journal: 2.
  6. ↑ "General Orders Number 9" (PDF). Department of the Army. 1 April 1987.
  7. ↑ "General Orders Number 30" (PDF). Department of the Army. 1 July 1987.
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Saturday, January 23, 2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.