1st Military Intelligence Battalion (United States)

U.S. Army unit October 2020 1st Military Intelligence Battalion(Aerial Exploitation) 1MIBnCOA.png 1st Military Intelligence coat of arms 1957–19821984–present United States United States of America 23px United States 23px Intelligence battalion Aerial Signals Information Acquisition 66th Military Intelligence Brigade, Regular Army Lucius D. Clay Kaserne RC-12 GuardrailRQ-5 Hunter Flying Eye Battalion"Special Designations", United States Army Center of Military History (Special Designation) Infomare Laboramus ("We labor to inform") Korean WarVietnam WarOperation Desert StormOperation Iraqi Freedom III-IV and V-VIOperation Enduring Freedom VI Presidential Unit CitationMeritorious Unit CommendationSuperior Unit AwardVietnam Cross of Gallantry 150px Distinctive Unit Insignia 1st Military Intelligence Battalion (Aerial Exploitation), nicknamed the "Flying Eye Battalion", is a unit of the United States Army which specializes in the acquisition of aerial signals information in direct support of the 66th Military Intelligence Brigade. 1st MI Battalion (AE) is currently headquartered at Lucius D. Clay Kaserne in Germany. Battalion history The unit was originally formed on 14 December 1956 as Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 1st Air Reconnaissance Support Battalion, and formally activated 1 February 1957 at Fort Polk, Louisiana. It was reorganized and redesignated 1 May 1959 as Company A, 196th Aerial Photo Interpretation Detachment at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Then on 20 March 1962 it was converted and redesignated the 1st Military Intelligence Battalion (Air Reconnaissance Support). In October 1962 the 1st Military Intelligence Battalion (ARS) was instrumental in identifying Russian missile activity from clear photographic evidence produced from Air Force U-2 Spy Planes.Finnegan and Danysh, p 132 Upon its return from Vietnam in 1973, 1st MI was assigned to Fort Bragg, North Carolina and eventually inactivated 15 July 1982.Finnegan and Danysh, p 260 Reactivated 14 January 1984 in Germany as V Corps' aerial exploitation battalion, 1st MI is currently assigned to the 66th Military Intelligence Brigade out of Lucius D. Clay Kaserne, Wiesbaden, Germany, and supported Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. 1st MI Battalion has served in the Korean War, as Company A, 196th Aerial Photo Interpretation Detachment, which was formed 10 July 1945 at Fort Jackson, South Carolina the Vietnam War, as 1st Military Intelligence Battalion (ARS) (MIBARS)Finnegan and Danysh, p 147 Operation Desert Storm Operation Joint Endeavor Operation Joint Guard Operation Joint Forge Operation Joint Guardian Operation Noble Anvil Operation Iraqi Freedom Operation Enduring Freedom Current unit organization The battalion has undergone various reorganizations. Currently it comprises four companies: Headquarters and Headquarters Service Company – Runs battalion command and control and provides logistics support Company A – Provides aerial images through the use of the Hunter Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Company B – Produces SIGINT collection and Aerial Electronic Warfare with the Guardrail Common Sensor Company C – Conducts analysis and dissemination of SIGINT Vietnam unit organization The unit served in Vietnam from 23 December 1965 from Ft. Bragg and departed Vietnam on 19 April 1971 to return to Ft. Bragg, as 1st Military Intelligence Battalion (Air Reconnaissance Support)(MIBARS).Stanton, p 236 Detachments were stationed in multiple locations during the battalion's deployment. Each detachment consisted of an operations/imagery interpretation section, a reproduction section and a supply and maintenance section. Headquarters and Headquarters Company was based in Saigon at Muscara Compound. It included an aviation platoon ("The Good Guys"). Detachment A was based at Biên Hòa and supported III Corps operations. Detachment B was based at Da Nang and supported I Corps operations. Detachment C was based at Cần Thơ and supported IV Corps operations. Detachment D was based at Nha Trang and supported II Corps operations. 45th Military Intelligence Detachment was assigned to 1st MI Battalion in 1968 and was based in Phu Bai. It was eventually organized as Detachment E and supported operations in I Corps. Decorations The following decorations have been awarded to the 1st Military Intelligence Battalion:Finnegan and Danysh, p 261 Presidential Unit Citation (Air Force) for Southeast Asia 1966–1967"Lineage and Honors Information", 1st Military Intelligence Battalion, U.S. Army Center of Military History Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army) for Vietnam 1965–1966 Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army) for Vietnam 1966–1967 Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army) for Vietnam 1967–1968 Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army) for Vietnam 1969–1970 Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army) for Vietnam 1970–1972 Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army) for Iraq 2005–2006 Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army) for Afghanistan 2007–2009 Army Superior Unit Award for 1995–1996 Army Superior Unit Award for 1999–2003 Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Gold Star for Vietnam 1965–1971 Company A is additionally entitled to: Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army) for Korea 1950–1952 Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army) for Korea 1953 Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation for Korea 1950–1952 Notes Citations 30em References cited http://www.history.army.mil/html/forcestruc/lineages/branches/mi/0001mibn.htm 1st Military Intelligence Battalion Lineage and Honors Lineage and Honors Information http://www.history.army.mil/html/forcestruc/lineages/branches/mi/0001mibn.htm 1st Military Intelligence Battalion U.S. Army Center of Military History 6 February 2012 25 June 2012 https://web.archive.org/web/20120625023916/http://www.history.army.mil/html/forcestruc/lineages/branches/mi/0001mibn.htm dead Special Designations http://www.history.army.mil/html/forcestruc/spdes-123-ra_ar.html United States Army Center of Military History 21 April 2010 23 June 2010 https://web.archive.org/web/20100609010022/http://www.history.army.mil/html/forcestruc/spdes-123-ra_ar.html 9 June 2010 dead Finnegan John Patrick and Romana Danysh Military Intelligence 1998 U.S. Army Center of Military History Washington, DC 978-0-16-048828-3 Stanton Shelby L Vietnam Order of Battle 1987 Galahad Books New York, New York 978-0-671-08159-1 External links Ist MI in OEF 1st MIBARS in Vietnam 1st Military Intelligence Battalion (Aerial Exploitation) GlobalSecurity.org website Category:Military units and formations of the United States Army in the Vietnam War 001 Category:Military units and formations established in 1957