26th SIGNAL BATTALION



Constituted 13 July 1931 in the Regular Army as the 5th Construction Battalion, Signal Corps. Redesignated 5th Signal Construction Battalion and activated 10 February 1941 at Camp Claiborne, Louisiana. Redesignated 7 August 1941 as the 26th Signal Battalion. Reorganized and redesignated 14 May 1945 as the 26th Signal Light Construction Battalion. Inactivated 17 December 1945 at Camp Kilmer, New Jersey. Redesignated 27 September 1951 as the 26th Signal Construction Battalion. Activated 2 November 1951 in Korea. Redesignated 15 April 1954 as the 26th Signal Battalion. Inactivated 28 May 1955 in Korea. Activated 15 August 1961 in Germany; inactivated 15 October 1991 at Heilbronn, Germany.



CAMPAIGN STREAMERS

World War II Southwest Asia

Normandy Defense of Saudi Arabia

Northern France Liberation and Defense of Kuwait

Rhineland

Ardennes-Alsace

Central Europe



Korean War

UN Summer-fall Offensive

Second Korean Winter

Korea Summer-fall 1952

Third Korean Winter

Korea Summer 1953





DECORATIONS

Meritorious Unit Commendation, Streamer embroidered EUROPEAN THEATER (26th Sig Const Bn cited for period 13 Jun 1944-17 Feb 1945; GO 117 Hq, CommZ ETO, 28 Jun 1945)



Meritorious Unit Commendation, Streamer embroidered KOREA (26th Sig Const Bn cited for period 1 Feb-31 Jul 1953; DAGO 1, 1954)



Meritorious Unit Commendation, Streamer embroidered KOREA 1953-1954 (Co B 26th Sig Bn cited for period 1 Aug 1953-27 Jul 1954; DAGO 42, 1955)



COAT OF ARMS

SHIELD: Tenne, on a fess between in chief a bolt of lightning fesswise and a demi-sun issu-ing from base argent, three telegraph poles wired by two wires throughout of the first.



CREST: On a wreath of the colors (argent and tenne) in front of a chevron, the point termi-nating in a fleur-de-lis gules two torches crossed in saltire of the first, each emitting five tongues of flame or.



MOTTO: Weather or not.



Orange and white are the colors used for the Signal Corps. The three telephone poles refer to the unit's mission of (1) installing, (2) operating and (3) maintaining area signal centers as part of the Army area signal system. The lightning bolt alludes to all electric and electronic equipment used in the accomplishment of mission. The demi-sun, a symbol of and source of energy and power, refers to both sunrise (day) and sunset (night) and indicates round-the-clock service given by the unit regardless of weather and conditions. The ten tongues of flame in the crest represent the total of the combined campaigns credited the organization for service in France during World War II, as represented by the fleur-de-lis and in Korea represented by the chevron, an allusion to the mountainous terrain of that area. The color red of the fleur-de-lis and chevron further alludes to the Meritorious Unit Commendations received during these campaigns.



DISTINCTIVE INSIGNIA

The insignia is the shield and motto of the coat of arms.