307th Field Battalion Signal was made up in 1917 in camp Gordon in Georgia in the National Army. At the beginning, the company was made up of 471 men. The unit was divided into a detachment of outpost, one of wire and radio, one of provisioning and a HQ.

The battalion took part in the First World War, it have its baptism of fire in Toul in France. It also took part in the great American offensive which was probably one of the deciding factors of the results of the First World War.

Men of 307th worked between 39 and 40 hours without sleeping, extending from the lines of communication and staying them operational under fire, the explosives and German. The men accompanied the infantry and installed instantaneous lines of communication each time an objective was achieved. This which gave to this company its very large valor!

On October 31, 1918, 11 days before the armistice, the battalion was helped up.

On May 6, 1919, the battalion was back to The United States to be demobilized there with camp Harrison, in Virginia, on May 22 1919.

On June 24, 1921, the 307th Field Battalion Signal was reconstituted in 82nd Company Signal and organized (as) unit of reserve with 82nd Infantry Division.

The company supported 504th PIR and 505th PIR in Salerno. After the capture of Naples, the Company was transferred in Ireland to rest and be re equipped for the operation “NEPTUNE”.

 

June 6 44, the company of transmission fills 3 C-47 and 7 gliders for the attack on Normandy.

In 33 days of combat, the casualties of the company of 9 killed men, 1 officer and 7 missing men and 26 wounded. They were not replaced. The number of the casualties added to the accidents of gliders and thus to the equipments damages, seriously prevented the operational effectiveness of the company.  Once again, in such a circumstance, the company proved the great valor of its men. On the whole, the company will count 1 Silver Star, 6 Bronze Star and 16 Purple Hearts. The company accepted also one Presidential Unit Citation, it was decorated with the French Military Cross with Palm and with the French Fourragere.

 

Less than 4 months after the attack of Pearl Harbor by the Japanese, and the entry of the United States in the War, 82nd Company signal was given in activity. On August 15, 1942, the unit was re-organized and Re-indicated as 82nd Airborne Company Signal and attached to the “All Américan”, the 82nd Airborne.

The first combat in which the company of transmission took part was in the night of July 9, 1943 when it was parachuted behind the enemy lines with the 505th PIR in prelude to the invasion of Sicily. The Campaign was marked by the type of combat: the company establishing 8 separately post command. The end of the Sicilian Campaign was a preparation and training for future operation in Italy.

 

The company was returned in England for the next operation: “MARKET GARDEN”.

September 9, 1944, the British Field Marshall Montgomery proposed a plan baptized Market Garden intends has to fix a head of bridge until The Rhine.

The operation was a combination between an airborne attack to take and hold the principal roads and bridges of Holland and a motorized advance.

It carried out, on September 17 1944, its third jump of combat.

After Market-Garden, the company was sent in France in rest, in Sissone where they quickly modified the communication network of division to fulfill the divisional requirements of the HQ and the units subordinates.

 

On December 16 1944, the Germans launched an offensive by The Belgian Ardennes surprising the Allies.

Two days later, 82nd was sent to block the German advance.

On December 19 in the morning, 82nd entered in Belgium and moved towards north while 101st was sent to Bastogne.

The German advance separated the two airborne units.

82nd has as a whole faced great difficulty by holding the positions along the edge in the north of the projecting one.

The company made movement to Werbomont in Belgium. In Werbomont, the company installed the communication network to all the units of division.

 

Then the company began a whole series of movement following the division which leads it in the heart of Germany. In Ludwigslust, the Company maintained and repaired more 320km of wire, installing and directing a telephone exchange for the Division HQ.

In Berlin, where the division was sent, the company installed a telephone exchange and a local service of telephone for division.

A center of message for division indicated like Champion Radio was installed to provide the blocked and fast transmission of message.

 

The company remained in Berlin until its return to The United States with 82nd on January 3, 1946. On January 12, it took part in a procession in New York on the 5^th avenue: Victory Parade.

On January 19, 1946, the company was gathered with Strong Bragg in North Carolina. In March 1948, the Company is demobilized and the men divided in the different body of reserve.

9 months later, it is reactivated in the regular army and 82nd Airborne.

The 1^er September 1957, 82nd Company Signal Re-is indicated like 82nd Battalion Signal (Airborne).

---