The United States Army 40th Expeditionary Signal Battalion History
The 40th Signal Battalion is a combat ready theater tactical signal battalion capable of worldwide deployment in response to Joint Chiefs of Staff, Department of the Army, Forces Command, and Army Signal Command mission directives across the spectrum of conflict. The 40th Signal Battalion consisted of six line companies while deployed: Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, Delta, Echo and 69th signal companies, and a Headquarters and Headquarters Company.
The 40th Signal Battalion was constituted 31 July 1942 as the 40th Signal Construction Battalion and activated on 21 September 1942 at Camp Campbell, Kentucky. The battalion departed for England on 12 January 1944 and arrived in France 30 days after the initial D-Day landings and immediately set out on its cable construction mission across northern France to support the allied force breakout. From France, the battalion supported missions in Luxembourg, Belgium and Holland, before entering Germany on 8 December 1944, where it stayed until the end of World War II. The battalion left Marseilles, France for Boston, Massachusetts on 31 August 1945 and was reassigned to Camp Gniber, Oklahoma, where it was inactivated on 25 January 1946.
The battalion was reactivated on 19 September 1950 at Camp Gordon, Georgia. The battalion departed for Germany on 17 January 1952 and was reorganized and re-designated as the 40th Signal Battalion on 1 October 1953. The battalion remained in Germany for another two years until it redeployed to New York and later to Fort Devens, Massachusetts, on 17 April 1956. The 40th Signal Battalion was then reassigned to Fort Gordon, Georgia, arriving on 5 December 1958. Eventually, the battalion was reassigned to Fort Bragg on 13 July 1964. The battalion was alerted for deployment to Vietnam and arrived at Cam Ranh Bay on 16 September 1966. During the war, the battalion participated in 14 Campaigns and was awarded two Meritorious Unit Citations. It saw service in Vietnam until 28 June 1972, when it flew back to Travis Air Force Base, California, for eventual reassignment to Fort Lewis, Washington, as a color guard detachment. The battalion was reorganized and reassigned to its present home at Fort Huachuca, Arizona on 22 January 1973, where it was assigned to what is currently the US Network Enterprise Technology Command/9th ASC.
In August 1990, the battalion deployed to Southwest Asia for the Gulf War in support of Desert Shield and Desert Storm. During the war, the battalion participated in three Campaigns and was awarded one Meritorious Unit Citation. The Battalion colors returned in April 1991 leaving a small contingent in Saudi Arabia. In January 1993, elements deployed to Somalia in support of Operation Continue Hope, and in September 1994, to Haiti for Operation Uphold Democracy. Soldiers from the unit also deployed to Kuwait in February 1998 in support of Operation Distant Thunder.
After September 2001, the battalion prepared to support the War on Terror culminating in the Battalion's deployment in November 2003 to Djibouti , located on the Horn of Africa in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, and to Kuwait in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The Battalion returned from Southwest Asia in February 2004. In July and September 2005 elements of Alpha, Charlie and Delta Companies returned to various locations in Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom 05-07, returning in October 2006.
On 16 December 2006, the 40th Signal Battalion was re-designated as the 40th Expeditionary Signal Battalion (ESB). During this time, the battalion re-organized from four to three line companies. Additionally, the 40th ESB assumed operational control of the 69th Cable and Wire Company.
In December 2007, 586 Soldiers of the 40th Expeditionary Signal Battalion deployed to Southwest Asia in support of Iraq, Kuwait and Afghanistan. B Company 40th ESB remained at Ft Huachuca for 4 additional months to provide contingency support for the Homeland Defense mission supporting NORTHCOM. In May 2008, B Company arrived in Iraq, and assumed control of all sites occupied by the 35th Integrated Theater Signal Battalion. At the completion of the relief in place, the 40th Expeditionary Signal Battalion assumed complete control of the operational base communications for the whole Iraq Theater.
MISSION STATEMENT
40th Expeditionary Signal Battalion rapidly deploys worldwide to provide and protect Expeditionary Signal Networks and Systems in support of war fighters at all echelons across the full spectrum of operations.
DEPLOYED MISSION STATEMENT for (OIF 2007-2009)
Team 40th installs, operates, maintains, and protects the operational base networks and services in support of OIF 07-09; acts as executive agent for Communications-Integration (COMM-I) and NETOPS; responsible for planning, integrating, and coordinating resources for all operational base communications services in the Iraq theater of operations. Provides forces in support of the strategic network in Kuwait and Afghanistan in support of CENTCOM, U.S. government agencies, and coalition partners.
About the 40th Distinctive Unit Insignia (Unit Crest)
Source from The Pentagon Website
Description: A silver color metal and enamel device
1 1/8 inches (2.86cm) in height overall consisting of the shield and motto of the coat of arms.
Symbolism: The background of the shield is black. The bend is orange bordered in silver for Signal Corps. The silver peach is symbolic of the State of Georgia, the origin of the cadre and original officers of the 29th Signal Construction Battalion. The horse's head represents the state of activation - Kentucky. The telephone poles are symbolic of telephone construction, the type of work done by this unit; the two poles represent the second unit from one origin - the 29th Signal Construction Battalion.
Motto: BENE FACTUM (Well Done)
The distinctive unit crest was originally approved for the 40th Signal Construction Battalion on 6 Jan 1943. It was redesignated for the 40th Signal Battalion (Construction) on 30 Jul 1954. The insignia was amended to correct the update and correct the description on 23 Oct 2003.
About the 40th
Coat of Arms
Coat of Arms
Blazon: Sable on a bend Tenné, fimbriated Argent between in chief a peach leaved and in base a horse's head couped two telephone poles of single arm each palewise of the third.
Crest: On a wreath of the colors Argent and Sable a mural crown of the first masoned Sable and charged with a lion passant guardant Azure, armed and langued Gules and enfiled by an oriental pole arm of the last.
Shield: The background of the shield is black. The bend is orange bordered in silver for Signal Corps. The silver peach is symbolic of the State of Georgia, the origin of the cadre and original officers of the 29th Signal Construction Battalion. The horse's head represents the state of activation - Kentucky. The telephone poles are symbolic of telephone construction, the type of work done by this unit; the two poles represent the second unit from one origin - the 29th Signal Construction Battalion.
Motto: BENE FACTUM (Well Done)
Crest: The lion adapted from the arms of Normandy commemorates the unit's initial combat service, while the mural crown with its five embattlements represents the total combined campaigns credited the organization for service in France and Europe during World War II. The polearm is indicative of service in Vietnam and its two outer scarlet blades allude to the Meritorious Unit Commendations awarded during that period.
Background: The coat of arms was originally approved on 6 Jan 1943, for the 40th Signal Construction Battalion. On 30 Jul 1954, it was redesignated for the 40th Signal Battalion (Construction). The coat of arms was amended to include a crest to the design on 25 Apr 1973. The insignia was amended to correct the blazon of the shield on 23 Oct 2003.
The New & Improved 40th
Coat of Arms
New (Coat of Arms) info:
Shield: The only major differences are the ribbon, helmet and the Motto was added BENE FACTUM (Well Done).
Crest: The lion adapted from the arms of Normandy commemorates the unit's initial combat service, while the mural crown with its five embattlements represents the total combined campaigns credited the organization for service in France and Europe during World War II. The polearm is indicative of service in Vietnam and its two outer scarlet blades allude to the Meritorious Unit Commendations awarded during that period.
Background: The coat of arms was originally approved on 6 Jan 1943, for the 40th Signal Construction Battalion. On 30 Jul 1954, it was redesignated for the 40th Signal Battalion (Construction). The coat of arms was amended to include a crest to the design on 25 Apr 1973. The insignia was amended to correct the blazon of the shield on 23 Oct 2003.
Lineage and Honors Information as of 13 September 2008
Source from Army History website
40th Signal Battalion Lineage
Constituted 31 July 1942 in the Army of the United States as the 40th Signal Construction Battalion
Activated 21 September 1942 at Camp Campbell, Kentucky
Reorganized and redesignated 25 May 1945 as the 40th Signal Light Construction Battalion
Inactivated 25 January 1946 at Camp Gruber, Oklahoma
Redesignated 31 August 1950 as the 40th Signal Construction Battalion
Activated 19 September 1950 at Camp Gordon, Georgia
Allotted 31 October 1950 to the Regular Army
Reorganized and redesignated 1 October 1953 as the 40th Signal Battalion
Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 40th Signal Battalion, reorganized and redesignated 1 October 1981
as Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 40th Signal Battalion (organic elements inactivated 30 September 1981 at Fort
Huachuca, Arizona)
Reorganized and redesignated 16 January 1998 as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 40th Signal
Battalion (organic elements concurrently activated at Fort Huachuca, Arizona)
40th Signal Battalion Honors
Campaign Participation Credit
World War II: Normandy; Northern France; Rhineland; Ardennes-Alsace; Central Europe
Vietnam: Counteroffensive, Phase II; Counteroffensive, Phase III; Tet Counteroffensive; Counteroffensive, Phase IV; Counteroffensive, Phase V; Counteroffensive, Phase VI; Tet 69/Counteroffensive; Summer-Fall 1969; Winter-Spring 1970; Sanctuary Counteroffensive; Counteroffensive, Phase VII; Consolidation I; Consolidation II; Cease-Fire
Southwest Asia: Defense of Saudi Arabia; Liberation and Defense of Kuwait; Cease-Fire: 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1998
OIF & OEF: 2003, 2005, 2007-2009
Decorations
Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army), Streamer Embroidered VIETNAM 1966-1967
Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army), Streamer Embroidered VIETNAM 1967-1968
Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army), Streamer Embroidered SOUTHWEST ASIA 1990-1991
Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army), Streamer embroidered SOUTHWEST ASIA 2002-2004
Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army), Streamer embroidered IRAQ 2005-2006
Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army), Streamer embroidered SOUTHWEST ASIA 2007-2009
Company C additionally entitled to:
Presidential Unit Citation (Navy), Streamer embroidered IRAQ 2003
DISTINGUISHED UNIT INSIGNIA HISTORY
SGM Dana Bowie points out "our Unit Crest goes where we go", since 1984.
CPT James (Jim) Karr made the wooden Distinguished Unit Insignia in 1984, while assigned to HHC, 40th Signal Battalion. He presented the Unit Insignia to the Battalion Commander, LTC Harry B. Loper on 12 September 1984. After the first presentation, the crest was presented to every Battalion Commander prior to assuming command, by the previous Battalion Commander.
When the 40th Signal Battalion deployed to War, the Distinguished Unit Insignia deployed with the unit. The Distinguished Unit Insignia was Hung at Command Post Messenger, Saudi Arabia in October 1990 during Operation Desert Shield. It was later hung at Command Post Thunderbird, Saudi Arabia in November 1990 through June 1991.
The Distinguished Unit Insignia deployed with 40th Expeditionary Signal Battalion in December 2007 to Camp Victory, Baghdad, Iraq. In September 2008 the Headquarters relocated to Camp Liberty, Baghdad Iraq where the Distinguished Unit Insignia was hung, until the redeployment in March, 2009.
The Distinguished Unit Insignia will be presented to the next Battalion Commander of the 40th Expeditionary Signal Battalion in April, 2009. Click on picture to read writing
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The 11th Signal Brigade shoulder sleeve insignia is centered on a white oblong shield with an 1/8-inch yellow border, arched at the top and the bottom, 2 inches in width and 3 inches in height overall. A white globe with orange gridlines surmounted by a black THUNDERBIRD with yellow lightning bolts extends over the globe from its orange eye.
