Active 1966 – present Size Brigade | Country United States | |
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The 1st Signal Brigade ("First to Communicate") is a military communications brigade of the United States Army subordinate to the Eighth United States Army and located at Yongsan Garrison in South Korea.
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Vietnam War
The 1st Signal Brigade was activated on 1 April 1966 in the Republic of Vietnam. The brigade's mission in Vietnam was to originate, install, operate, and maintain a complex communication system that fused tactical and strategic communications in Southeast Asia under a single, unified command. The formation of the brigade brought together three signal groups that were already in South Vietnam.
At the peak of the Vietnam War the brigade consisted of more than 21,000 soldiers, in six Signal groups (including the 160th Signal Group), 22 signal battalions and several communications agencies, making the 1st Signal Brigade the largest signal unit in the U.S. Army at the time.
South Korea to present
In November 1972 the brigade was relocated to the Republic of Korea under the U.S. Army Strategic Communications Command. On 29 January 1973 the 1st Signal Brigade was reestablished by General Order 56 from HQ, USASTRATCOM. The brigade's mission in South Korea is to provide communications support to the United Nations Command, U.S. Forces Korea and the Eight U.S. Army. The brigade was also given the mission of installing, maintaining and operating the Defense Communications System in South Korea.