121st Signal Battalion (United States)

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

Lineage

 * Constituted 1916-07-01 in the Regular Army as a Signal Corps battalion.
 * Organized 1916-09-16 at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, as the 2nd Field Battalion, Signal Corps, to consist of the following pre-existing companies:
 * 1) Company A organized 1898-07-27 as Company A, Signal Corps; Redesignated 1910-04-05 as Field Company A, Signal Corps; Redesignated 1915-10-19 as Radio Company A, Signal Corps; Redesignated 1916-11-11 as Company A, 2nd Field Battalion, Signal Corps.
 * 2) Company B organized 1898-07-27 as Company D, Signal Corps; Redesignated 1910-04-05 as Field Company D, Signal Corps; Redesignated 1916-11-11 as Company B, 2nd Field Battalion, Signal Corps
 * Company C, 2nd Field Battalion, Signal Corps, organized 1917-05-11.
 * Battalion assigned 1917-05-24 to the 1st Expeditionary Division.
 * Reorganized and redesignated 1917-08-03 as the 2nd Field Signal Battalion
 * Reorganized and redesignated 1921-02-09 as the 1st Signal Company.
 * Reorganized and redesignated 1957-02-15 as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 121st Signal Battalion (organic elements constituted 1957-02-08 and activated 1957-02-15 at Fort Riley, Kansas)
 * Inactivated 1995-12-15 at Fort Riley, Kansas
 * Activated 1996-02-06 in Germany.
 * Company B inactivated 2005-11-09 at Larson Barracks in Kitzingen.
 * Company A inactivated 2006-03-31 at Conn Barracks in Schweinfurt.
 * Company C and HHC inactivated 2006-04-10 at Larson Barracks.

Campaign Participation Credit

 * War with Spain:
 * 1) Puerto Rico.
 * World War I:
 * 1) Montdidier-Noyon;
 * 2) Aisne-Marne;
 * 3) St. Mihiel;
 * 4) Meuse-Argonne;
 * 5) Lorraine 1918;
 * 6) Picardy 1918
 * World War II:
 * 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


 * Vietnam:
 * 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
 * Southwest Asia:
 * 1) Defense of Saudi Arabia;
 * 2) Liberation and Defense of Kuwait;
 * 3) Cease-Fire

Decorations
French Croix de Guerre with Palm, World War I for:
 * Presidential Unit Citation (Army) for EUROPE 1944–1945
 * Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army) for
 * 1) EUROPEAN THEATER
 * 2) VIETNAM 1966–1967
 * 3) VIETNAM 1967–1968
 * 4) VIETNAM 1968–1969
 * Army Superior Unit Award for
 * 1) 1996–1997
 * 2) 1997
 * 1) LORRAINE-PICARDY
 * 2) AISNE-MARNE and MEUSE-ARGONNE
 * French Croix de Guerre with Palm, World War II for:
 * 1) TUNISIA
 * 2) NORMANDY
 * French Croix de Guerre with Gilt Star, World War I for:
 * 1) FRANCE
 * French Medaille Militaire, Fourragere
 * Belgian Fourragere 1940
 * 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
 * Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm for VIETNAM 1965–1968
 * Republic of Vietnam Civil Action Honor Medal, First Class for VIETNAM 1965–1970

Blazon

 * Shield: Per bend enhanced Argent and Tenné on the first palewise in bend six Lorraine Crosses and on the second palewise in bend three fire arrows all counterchanged.


 * Crest: On a wreath of the colors Argent and Tenné, a Spanish castle Argent charged with a fleur-de-lis Tenné.


 * Motto: TO PARON EY POIEIN (Do Well The Duty That Lies Before You).

Symbolism

 * Shield:
 * 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.


 * Crest:
 * 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.


 * Background: The coat of arms was approved on 1958-01-08.

Distinctive Unit Insignia

 * Description: A white fleur-de-lis superimposed on an orange Spanish castle by a gold band with the motto "TO PARON EY POIEIN."


 * Symbolism:
 * 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."


 * Background:
 * 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. 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 honours in World War I, symbolised 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 Award and the French Forager.

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 in 2004. The unit consisted of 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 before the inactivation to be stations with the 2nd BCT, 1ID (Dagger) and was reflagged as the 57th Signal Company.

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