115th Signal Battalion (United States)

115th Signal Battalion 278th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion 104th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion 2nd Battalion, 151st Engineers
Coat of arms of the battalion, as approved in 2004
Active	21 December 1940 – 26 January 1946 15 January 1947 – present
Country	United States
Allegiance	Alabama
Branch	United States Army
Size	Battalion
Part of	31st Chemical Brigade
Motto(s)	"First in Duty"
Engagements	World War II Aleutian Islands Rhineland
Insignia
Distinctive Unit Insignia

The 115th Signal Battalion is a military communications battalion of the United States Army's Signal Corps, belonging to the Alabama Army National Guard. As of 2024 it is part of the 31st Chemical Brigade, and organised as an 'expeditionary' unit.

History

The 115th Signal Battalion traces its lineage back to the 2nd Battalion, 151st Engineers which was organised and federally recognised on 21 December 1940 in the Alabama National Guard. The new battalion's headquarters was in Florence, and was inducted into Federal service on 27 January 1941 at home stations. On 12 September 1942, it became the 2nd Battalion, 151st Engineer Combat Regiment, and finally split as a separate unit on 11 July 1944 as the 1343rd Engineer Combat Battalion. On 16 January 1946, Company C of the battalion was inactivated while at Camp Kilmer in New Jersey, and the rest of the battalion followed on 26 January 1946.

On 15 January 1947, the battalion was converted, redesignated, and federally recognised as the 104th Antiaircraft Artillery Automatic Weapons Battalion with headquarters in Florence, Alabama. On 16 January 1951 it was ordered into Federal service in Florence, and redesignated on 11 May 1953 as the 104th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion. On 15 June 1954, it was released from Federal service and reverted to state control, concurrently consolidating with the 278th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion, becoming the 278th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion. On 2 May 1959 it became the 1st Automatic Weapons Battalion, 278th Artillery.

On 16 December 1959, the artillery connection was finally lost when the battalion was redesignated as the 115th Signal Battalion. On 11 June 1963 it was ordered into Federal service at home stations, and released on 16 June 1963. Once more ordered into Federal service on 10 September 1963, they were released just 2 days later on 12 September 1963. During the Cold War, it was designated as the 115th Signal Battalion (Corps) (Radio), and tasked with providing radio communications for a corps headquarters.

As part of the Modular Reorganization of the Army begun in 2005, new 'theater' signal units and created, mostly in the Army Reserve. These new units would – if mobilised – provide theater-level communications to one of the new 'theater armies'. In addition, these units can be 'plugged in' to support units which do not have their own communication capabilities including military intelligence, chemical, engineering, and artillery battalions. As a consequence, the battalion was renamed as the 115th Expeditionary Signal Battalion. The battalion also subsequently came under the control of the 31st Chemical Brigade, also part of the Alabama Army National Guard.

As of 20 February 2024, the structure of the battalion is as follows:

• Headquarters & Headquarters Company, at Fort Cromwell-Pickens, Florence
• A Company (Expeditionary Signal Company), at Fort Cromwell-Pickens, Florida
• B Company (Expeditionary Signal Company), in Haleyville
  • Detachment 1, in Huntsville
• C Company (Area Signal Company), in Huntsville
  • Detachment 1, in Florence

Heraldry

Coat of Arms

Blazon

• Shield: Gules, on a pile throughout between two 40mm shells Or a fountain and overall the insignia of the Signal Corps.
• Crest: That for the regiments and separate battalions of the Alabama Army National Guard: On a wreath of the colors, Or and Gules, a slip of cotton plant with full bursting boll Proper.
• Motto: "First in Duty"

Symbolism

• Shield: The colors red and yellow are used for Artillery. The pile represents a searchlight beam to indicate the Coast Artillery origin of the unit. The shells denote the organization's function as an Antiaircraft Artillery Automatic Weapons unit. The insignia highlights the battalion affiliation with Signal Corps. The fountain, a heraldic symbol for water depicts the battalion's campaign service during World War II in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater.
• Crest: The crest is that of the Alabama Army National Guard.

Background

The coat of arms approved for the Battalion on 8 December 1960 was cancelled and the new design for the insignia was authorized on 28 December 2004.

Distinctive Unit Insignia

Blazon

A Gold color metal and enamel device 1 1/8 inches (2.86 cm) in height overall consisting of a shield blazoned as follows: Gules, on a pile throughout between two 40mm shells Or a fountain overall the insignia of the Signal Corp. Attached to the shield a Gold motto scroll inscribed "FIRST IN DUTY" in Red letters.

Symbolism

The colors red and yellow are used for Artillery. The pile represents a searchlight beam to indicate the Coast Artillery origin of the unit. The shells denote the organization's function as an Antiaircraft Artillery Automatic Weapons unit. The insignia highlights the battalion affiliation with Signal Corps. The fountain, a heraldic symbol for water depicts the battalion's campaign service during World War II in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater.

Background

The distinctive unit insignia approved for the Battalion on 8 December 1960 was cancelled and the new design for the insignia was authorized on 28 December 2004.

References

• Raines, Rebecca Robbins (2005). Signal Corps. Army Lineage Series. Washington, District of Columbia, United States: Center of Military History United States Army. ISBN 978-1517301675.