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Last Updated 24 March 2009 |
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The Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 11th Signal Brigade, was constituted on 1 September 1943 as the 3103rd Signal Service Battalion and activated 20 December 1943 at Fort Monmouth, New Jersey. The battalion departed for England on 23 January 1944. After eight months in England, the battalion deployed to France on 31 August 1944. The battalion saw service supporting both Army Group and theater-level echelons, eventually supporting forces in Germany by the end of the war. During World War II, the battalion received campaign credit for Northern France, Rhineland, and Central Europe. After returning to the United States, the battalion was inactivated at Fort Monmouth, New Jersey, 8 October 1945. The battalion remained on inactive status until it was consolidated with Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 11th Signal Group, 4 September 1964, to support the Joint Chiefs of Staff worldwide contingencies. The 11th Signal Group was originally assigned to Fort Lewis, Washington, as part of the U.S. Army Strategic Communications Command. While there, it became a regular participant in exercises in Alaska. The group was reorganized and re-designated Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 11th Signal Group, 25 April 1966. The following December, the group was reassigned to Fort Huachuca, its current home. The group was designated 1 October 1979 as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 11th Signal Brigade. Two of the longest missions in the brigade’s history began in the 1980s. In June 1983, elements of the unit began a 10-year mission in Honduras, rotating soldiers into the country every six months, providing communications support for US forces there. In April of 1987, soldiers from the brigade deployed to Bahrain in support of Operations Earnest Will, and later, Southern Watch. The last members of the brigade returned from Honduras in October 1993 and from Bahrain in October 1994. Shortly after Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait in August 1990, the entire 11th Signal Brigade (less two companies that remained to execute other contingency missions) deployed to Saudi Arabia in support of Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. Among the brigade’s many accomplishments were the installation, operation, and maintenance of the largest Echelons Above Corps tactical communications network ever installed, consisting of 88 separate communications links servicing subscribers and tying major communications sites together at Echelons Above Corps and Corps levels. The brigade received campaign credit for the Defense of Saudi Arabia, Liberation and Defense of Kuwait, and the Cease-Fire. On 15 May 1992, the brigade was awarded the Meritorious Unit Commendation for service during the Persian Gulf War. In December 1992, the brigade deployed soldiers to Somalia to provide area communications as part of Operations Restore and Continue Hope. Task Force Thunderbird, consisting of soldiers from every unit in the brigade provided signal support to United States and United Nations forces until March 1994. In September 1994, elements of the brigade deployed to Haiti in support of Operation Uphold Democracy. While there, the soldiers provided cable, tactical satellite, and electronic mail support to U.S. forces there. The last soldiers returned from Haiti in March 1995. Elements of the brigade deployed to Kuwait in late February of 1998 as part of Operation Desert Thunder. Their mission was to provide vital communications links to Army Central Command in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. The last of those deployed returned in July of 1998. In November 1998, the brigade once again responded to a situation in the Middle East. The brigade sent 20 soldiers to Southwest Asia in support of the 54th. While deployed they improved the automation infrastructure and developed a "Fight Tonight" concept plan. The soldiers returned back to Fort Huachuca approximately 20 days after deployment. In March 1999, the brigade deployed more soldiers and equipment to the Middle East. This time 45 Soldiers from the 40th and 86th Signal Battalions augmented the assets of the 54th Signal Battalion during operation Southern Watch and Exercise Lucky Sentinel '99. Half of the contingent from Fort Huachuca returned upon the completion of Lucky Sentinel while the other half remained in Qatar to provide ongoing support to ARCENT Qatar. In November 1999, the brigade was called to duty in support of the International Forces East Timor. 125 Thunderbirds deployed to East Timor with the bulk of the United States contingent. This was the first time that U.S. Soldiers were part of a joint peacekeeping effort that wasn't U.S. led. The brigade soldiers spent 60 days providing tactical and commercial voice and data services to the Australian led peacekeeping force. In October 2001 the brigade deployed the bulk of the 86th Signal Battalion to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. The Thunderbirds remained in Afghanistan until the spring of 2002. In August 2002, the 40th Signal Battalion deployed most of A Co to the Horn of Africa also in support of OEF and CENTCOM. Thunderbirds supported CENTCOM’s largest exercise of the year, Internal Look 2002 from Kuwait and continued their participation in Operation Iraqi Freedom in the spring of 2003 deploying over 1200 Thunderbirds to the CENTCOM AOR. Thunderbirds have supported contingency operations in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Somalia, Honduras, Korea, Cuba, and Haiti; provided support to Army installations in Washington, California, Texas, Arkansas, Indiana, Oklahoma, and Wisconsin; and participated in training exercises in Kuwait and Egypt, as well as throughout the United States in Arizona, new Mexico, Texas, California, Nevada, Georgia, South Carolina, Virginia, Florida, Louisiana, and Massachusetts. This operational tempo has given rise to the Thunderbirds’ claim of “Most Active Signal Brigade in the Army.” |
