50th Expeditionary Signal Battalion

50th Signal Battalion
Distinctive Unit Insignia
Active1899-1921; 1940-45; 1951-present. 100 years active
CountryUnited States of America
BranchRegular Army
TypeSignal
SizeBattalion
Part of35th Signal Brigade
Garrison/HQFort Liberty, NC
Motto(s)"Key to Command!"
Commanders
CommanderLTC Merlin Kynaston
Command Sergeant MajorCSM Joshua Miles
U.S. Army Signal Battalions
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44th Signal Battalion 51st Expeditionary Signal Battalion

The 50th Expeditionary Signal Battalion-Enhanced is a United States Army unit which is part of the 35th Signal Brigade located at Fort Liberty, North Carolina. The Brigade's[1] mission is to provide worldwide contingency, force projection, forced-entry signal support to the XVIII Airborne Corps for power-projection operations during war and operations other than war.[2][3]

In 2018, 50th Expeditionary Signal Battalion-Enhanced (50th ESB-E), 35th Theater Tactical Signal Brigade is serving as the ESB-E pilot unit. 50th ESB-E supports the XVIII Airborne Corps. Potentially this ESB-E will provide capabilities that are scalable, from small units (forcible-entry alongside paratrooper jumps), to larger, mature operations, as an expeditionary force keeps growing on the ground.[4]

History

The 50th has been supporting the needs of the Army on and off since 1899, making it one of the oldest active-duty signal units.[5] With missions ranging from underwater cabling to disaster relief home and abroad to convoy security, to peacekeeping, the 50th Signal Battalion has had a broad range of missions.

The unit has served with distinction in the Philippines, Japan, Iceland, France, Germany, Iraq, Afghanistan, Liberia, Somalia, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Panama, Jamaica, and Honduras. The 50th stormed the beaches at Normandy and led from the front in Desert Storm. It was the first and only Airborne Signal Battalion when it joined the XVIII Airborne Corps in the 1950s, though the airborne tab was dropped as a part of force modularity in 2006.

References

  1. ^ "50th Signal Battalion (Corps) (Forced Entry) (Airborne)".
  2. ^ "50th Expeditionary Signal Battalion - United States Army Signal Center of Excellence". Archived from the original on 2015-01-26. Retrieved 2015-02-14.
  3. ^ "History for 50th Signal Battalion". Archived from the original on 2015-02-14.
  4. ^ Amy Walker, PM Tactical Network/PEO C3T Public Affairs (October 9, 2018) Army pilots new signal battalion for scalable expeditionary comms support,
  5. ^ "50th Signal Battalion | Lineage and Honors | U.S. Army Center of Military History (CMH)". history.army.mil. Retrieved 2024-08-08.


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