504th Signal Battalion

504th Signal Battalion History

1960s Field Army Communications System

The Field Army (in Europe the US Army field army was designated Seventh Army) receives signal support from an Army Signal Section, a Combat Area Signal Group, and an Army Signal Group. The Field Army Signal Officer, aided by the Army Signal Section as his staff, normally has operational control over two signal groups.

The Combat Area Signal Group sets up and operates the Field Army Area Communications System which the signal section has devised to support the field army commander's tactical plans. In the 1960s, the 505^th Signal Group provided that support to Seventh Army. This army area communications system is a high-quality, high-capacity, multi-means, multi-axis system that meets the requirements for flexibility, mobility, and dispersion. Basically, the system is composed of area signal centers interconnected by trunk circuits under centralized control. Each area signal center is assigned a geographical area for operations and is interconnected with at least two other signal centers to provide alternate routing and to allow distribution of the traffic load.

The Army Signal Group plays its part in the Field Army Communication System for the field army command posts: main, rear, and alternate. The 12^th Signal Group performed this mission. It also provides communications for the field army tactical operations center and associated air support communications. Internal communication facilities for large logistical complexes are also furnished, as well as ground photographic service for army hqs and air courier and messenger service for the field army. A Signal Supply and Maintenance Battalion (the 504^th Signal Battalion), organic to the signal group, operates field army signal depots and forward supply and maintenance points. Other signal units are attached or assigned to the army signal group to perform such highly specialized missions as cryptologistics, electronic warfare, automated data processing, and signal technical intelligence.

504th Signal Battalion Activation (1961)

The 504th Signal Battalion (Army Supply & Maintenance) was formed in 1961 from a number of company and detachment sized maintenance units already in Germany, which reported to the 7th Army Signal Officer, and a headquarters company deployed from Tobyhanna Signal Depot in Pennsylvania. The battalion was organized under the 505th Signal Group. During the buildup of combat and signal units through 1961, a number of officers were reassigned from incoming communications battalions to populate the battalion's 10-12 direct support detachments (DSUs) and staff positions.  

                        UNIT                                                          DUTY STATION

504th Signal Battalion Deactivation (1965)

The Seventh Army Support Command was an organization reactivated during the summer of 1965 as part of the program to realign the Seventh Army logistic structure in accordance with the new COSTAR concept of operations. This concept of operations centralized the control of all field Army non-divisional combat service support resources. The 7^th Inventory Control Center, which was responsible for the major items supply functions for Seventh Army, was one of the support units so designated under the Seventh Army Support Command. The activation and organization of the subordinate units of 7^th Army SUPCOM, and the deactivation of the 504th Signal Battalion, occurred during the period 25 May 1965 through 21 December 1965.

Sid Faress | Leigh Cheney | Byron Christian | Jim Topple | Ramey Brandon | Dennis Larson | Joe Maylie | Bill Eriksson | Larry Engel | Henry Simpson | Leo Shoemaker | Stan Hurley | Ron Nadeau | Larry Hood | Ben Leavell | Carl Vitatoe

Profiles and photos of some of these people, and others who served with the 504th Signal Bn, can be seen on the People Page. Profiles of some 7th Inventory Control Center people can be seen on the 7th ICC page.