MISSION STATEMENT:

Mission:Install, operate, maintain and manage defense communications, sustaining base communications and information mission services in support of U.S. Southern Command, its service components and other governmental agencies in theater.
 

56th SIGNAL BATTALION HISTORY:

     Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 56th Signal Battalion, was first constituted on 18 October 1927 and allotted to the 4th U.S. Corps Area. On 1 February 1941, at Fort Jackson, South Carolina,the battalion was reactivated and spent the next seventeen months training in the United States. In accordance with signal doctrine of that time, units such as the 56th Signal Battalion were assigned the mission of providing communications for U.S. Army corps headquarters. On 1 July 1942, the battalion embarked from New York aboard the transport ship “Argentina” en route to Northern Ireland. The battalion initially landed in Scotland on 12 July 1942 and remained there until 14 July 1942. From 15 July until 20 November 1944, the unit conducted training in Northern Ireland. The 56th Signal Battalion arrived in England on 24 November 1942 and remained there for over eighteen months until 5 June 1944. While there, the battalion underwent additional training with the British Army Royal-School-of-Signals. This training assisted the battalion in establishing solid communications between American and British forces as they prepare to battle their way across Europe. On D-Day, 6 June 1944, assigned to Fifth U.S. Corps, the battalion participated in initial amphibious landings on Omaha Beach, Normandy, France. During this period from 6 June 1944 through 8 May 1945, the 56th Signal Battalion supported combat operations in: France (from 6 June – 6 September 1944,) Belgium (from 9-11 September 1944,) Luxembourg (from 15-23 September 1944,) Belgium (from 4 October 1944 – 26 February 1945,) Germany (from 8 March – 7 May 1945,) and Czechoslovakia (from 8 May until Victory in Europe Day 1945). The 56th Signal Battalion was awarded battle streamers in recognition of participation in combat operations during the Normandy, Northern France, Rhineland, Ardennes-Alsace, and Central Europe campaigns. The battalion was also awarded the Meritorious Unit Commendation for notable World War II service. On 24 February 1946, subsequent to the close of the war, after more than forty-three months in Europe, the battalion departed from LeHarve, France en route to New York City, aboard the ships “Elizabeth B. Stanton” and “Rockhill Victory.” On 8 March 1946, at Camp Kilmer, New Jersey, the battalion was inactivated for the second time.

     The more recent history of the battalion emerges on 20 September 1988, at Corozal, in the Republic of Panama with the reorganization of U.S. Army Information Systems Command South into the 1109th Signal Brigade and the 1190th Signal Battalion (Provisional). This reorganization was necessary in order to facilitate a more streamlined command, control, and communications architecture needed to support United States Southern Command. During this period, the country of Panama was under the stranglehold of a military dictator, General Manuel Noriega. Operation JUST CAUSE, a joint military U.S. operation, was conducted in Panama from 20 December 1989 through 31 January 1990. JUST CAUSE removed General Noriega from power and returned order and democracy to Panama. The 1109th Signal Brigade and the 1190th Signal Battalion were awarded “Panama” battle streamers for their roles in supporting this campaign.

     On 16 October 1991, the 1109th Signal Brigade was redesignated as the 106th Signal Brigade, and the 1190th Signal Battalion (Provisional) as the 56th Signal Battalion. From there, in Corozal, Panama, the 56th Signal Battalion provided vital strategic and sustaining base communications to organizations and installations of the United States Southern Command. From September 1994 to March 1995, the 56th Signal Battalion provided strategic and sustaining base communications in support of Operation Safe Haven and Safe Passage. Safe Haven provided temporary refuge for more than 8,000 Cuban migrants from Castro’s dictatorship. At the conclusion of Safe Haven, 7,000 of the Cuban migrants were provided “Safe Passage” back to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba where they hoped to obtain visas to the United States. On 20 June 1997, the 106th Signal Brigade inactivated leaving in place only the 56th Signal Battalion. Two weeks prior, the 154th Signal Battalion inactivated leaving one company to join the ranks of the 56th. This made the 56th Signal Battalion the most unique signal battalion in the Army; one comprised of both tactical and strategic companies. The battalion was responsible for maintaining tactical communications in support of the United States Army South, Joint Task Forces-Panama, and other subordinate task forces. In 1999, the battalion relocated from Corozal, Panama to Fort Buchanan, Puerto Rico as part of the United States Army South relocation. On 18 June 1999, the battalion furled its colors in Panama and on 24 June 1999 it unfurled its colors during the battalion change of command at Fort Buchanan. The battalion’s mission was to provide high-quality long haul and BASOPS support, as well as tactical communications support to forces deployed in the USARSO AOR. This support capability was provided through mobile subscriber equipment (MSE), satellite terminal communications (SATCOM) and single channel tactical satellite (SCTACSAT). The battalion provided unparalleled Command Control Communications (C4) support to Headquarters United States Army South, and U.S. Army Garrison, Fort Buchanan, Puerto Rico, and designated locations. In June 2002, after four years in Fort Buchanan, Puerto Rico, the Department of the Army directed the relocation of USARSO to Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio, Texas. In addition, the 94th Signal Company inactivated. With this announcement, the 56th Signal Battalion reorganized its mission and force structure to better meet the changing requirements of USARSO, the 93rd Signal Brigade and customers throughout the AOR. The 56th Signal Battalion established a Forward Detachment at Fort Sam Houston, Texas to provide Command and Control to the USARSO Commander and Staff. This Detachment was comprised of Soldiers and Civilians within a communications section and the USARSO G6. Additionally, the battalion was reorganized to include two new companies, the 518th Tactical Installation Networking (TIN) Company and the 235th Signal TACSAT Company which were located at Fort Gordon, Georgia. After the relocation from Fort Buchanan, the 56th Signal Battalion was comprised of the Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, the 235th Signal TACSAT Company, the 252d Theater Tactical Signal Company, the 518th Tactical Installation and Networking (TIN) Company, and the Forward Detachment.

     On 28 April 2006, the 235th Signal TACSAT Company realigned with HHC, 63rd Signal Battalion in preparation for the unit’s transformation to an Expeditionary Signal Battalion and subsequently was inactivated on 16 October 2006. On 5 June 2006, the 518th TIN Company was realigned with the 67th Signal Battalion in support of its deployment to OIF IV. Then, on 10 April 2006, the 556th Theater Signal Maintenance Platoon was realigned under Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 56th Signal Battalion and on 19 June 2006, the South Theater Network Operations and Security Center (S-TNOSC) was also realigned under the 56th Signal Battalion. In April 2007 the battalion’s parent organization, the 93rd Signal Brigade, was redesignated the 35th Signal Brigade and on 1 June 2007 the Army Signal Activity United States Southern Command (ASA-SOUTHCOM) realigned from the 35th Signal Brigade and became a subordinate element of the 56th Signal Battalion. Based on this realignment, the battalion assumed control of communications support for USSOUTHCOM.

     On 1 July 2007 the 56th Signal Battalion realigned under the 21st Signal Brigade in order to establish more effective command and control under NETCOM’s construct. On 16 October 2007, the S-TNOSC was re-aligned from the 56th under its new established MTOE. This MTOE established it as the 7th Signal Center directly under the 21st Signal Brigade. The 252nd Signal Company Soldiers were transferred to Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 56th Signal Battalion on 1 April 2007 and the 252nd Signal Company was officially inactivated on 15 October 2007. Throughout 2007, the battalion has supported various Army Reserve Units on humanitarian missions in South and Central America by providing NIPRNET, SIPRNET and DSN capabilities. It also supported many medical, dental and veterinarian readiness training exercises (MEDERETE, DENTRETE & VETRETE) with Single Channel Tactical Satellite Radio communications in South and Central America. With the South-TNOSC, the battalion was able to provide critical network operations and security for critical circuits supporting units within the USSOUTHCOM area of responsibility. The battalion has continued to provide support to the Global War on Terrorism with WIAS taskers to Iraq, Afghanistan, and Africa. The unit exercised its mission responsibilities by deploying in support of Consequence Management in support of SOCSOUTH. The unit continues to provide continuous support for PATT in Bogotá, Colombia by providing four Radio Operators to provide a command and control network for ongoing operations. In addition, the 56th provides an operator to maintain a dedicated communications link at Apiay, Colombia to support on going operations.