93rd Signal Brigade
When the 93rd Signal Brigade got the call to deploy to Saudi Arabia, it was destined to install one of the largest, most complex tactical corpslevel communications networks in U.S. Army history.
Instead of supporting the normal REFORGER-size corps (two divisions plus attachments), the brigade provided communications between five full divisions, an armored cavalry regiment and the corps headquarters.
Organizing the work force
To do the job, brigade acquired the 1st Signal Battalion in addition to its organic 26th, 34th and 51st Signal battalions. The plus-up also included a satellite company a tropospheric signal company and an aditional communications security logistics unit. By Dec. 1, the brigade strength jumped from just under 2,000 to more than 2,600.
Movement to the tactical assembly areas began Dec. 8, and the brigade had the backbone of the communications system in place by Dec. 24. By New Year's day, the brigade had closed in theater. At the peak of the ground war, the system consisted of 13 area signal centers, four command signal centers, 46 subordinate unit locations, 105 multichannel systems and more than 1,500 telephones.
Forming a network
In addition to the British Ptarmigan communications system, the signalers had to integrate four generations of U.S. Army communications equipment into one cohesive network, ranging from the tactical advanced communications system to ultra-modern mobile subscriber equipment.
Jan. 17, the brigade remained in the tactical assembly areas until called on to help implement the corps deception plan, The brigade moved three area signal centers and supported 27 unit moves during the three-day corps move to forward assembly areas west of the Wadi al Batin. The communications network to support the forward attack areas was in place by Feb. 15.
The ground war begins
As the ground war began, five area signal companies, along with all the signal soldiers supporting the divisions and the 2nd ACR, advanced into enemy territory following the frontline units.
Tactical satellite systems provided critical command and control communications during the first 48 hours of war. Within 72 hours, the backbone connectivity had been reestablished using tropospheric scatter and lineof-sight systems. The unit had provided VII Corps with command and control capabilities as they had done so well in the past.
The brigade's history
Originally constituted as a battalion on Nov. 3, 1941, the 93rd Signal Brigade activated at Camp Crowder, Mo. on May 15, 1942 and alerted for overseas deployment a year later. Assigned to the European Theater of Operations the battalion participated in several major campaigns during World War II.
Shortly after D-Day the 93rd provided combat communication to Army fighting units on a continuous basis. From July 25, 1944 until Mar. 21, 1945, the battalion supported the Allied push across Northern France into the German Rhineland.
In 1980, the 93rd Signal Brigade was established as the VII Corps Signal Brigaden the "Voice of Jayhawk."