Activated: 15 February 1942 Station: Mitchell Field, Long Island, New York, Per WD letter to the Commanding General, Air Force Combat Command, Subject: Constitution and Activation of the 136th, 137th, 138, 139th and 140th Signal Radio Intelligence Companies (Aviation).
The 137th SRI Company began assembling and organizing at Camp Mills, Santini Barracks and Barnum Woods at Mitchell Field, Long Island under Captain Robert C. House (CPT House went on to command 302ND FIGHTER CONTROL SQUADRON in 1944) . When the TO&E was nearly filled, the Company Headquarters and the main intercept station, with all supporting personnel, were assigned to the Jones Beach Hotel, Wantaugh, Long Island, New York with the mission of intercepting enemy sea and land transmissions and locating the source. Direction finding units were deployed along the east coast from Long Island to Sea Isle City, New Jersey.
In 1943, Captain Michael F Mishley became the commanding officer of the unit. On 25 February, 1944, the unit was reorganized and re-designated the 137th Signal Radio Intelligence Company. The 137th SRI left Camp Kilmer, N.J. on 4 April 1944 and boarded the HMS Arundel Castle at the 14th Street pier in NYC. The ship sailed in a convoy for Europe on 6 April; arrived at the Firth of Clyde, Scotland on 15 April, then on to Glasgow where the unit boarded a train for Perham Downs, Salisbury Plains, England, arriving on 17 April 1944.
Lieutenants were:
Traffic analysis:
On 6 June, 1944, the 137th SRI left Perham Downs and was transferred to Dartford, Kent, and was billeted at the Bergman Osterberg School (Currently known as the University of Greenwich, Dartford Campus) where, while training for its mission on the continent, it assisted the Civil Defense Services in rescuing wounded and clearing up V-1 bomb damage. On 29 August 1944, the unit left Dartford by vehicles for the port of Southhampton, where they boarded the Liberty Ship George W. Lively and sailed for France on 1 September. Because of bad weather, the unit had to remain on board for a day, then debark via Rhino onto Utah Beach on 3 September. The 137th SRI Co. (Tango) was then assigned to the 9th U.S. Army (Conquer) with the mission of intercepting enemy radio transmissions, locating transmission sites with use of direction finders, and attempting to locate and identify transmitting units and analyze messages.
The unit participated in the following battles:
The 137th SRI Co. was awarded the Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army), Streamer embroidered EUROPEAN THEATER, per Hq Com Z ETOUSA GO 34 dated 17 March 1945 . The unit returned from France aboard the U.S. Liberty Ship Joseph S. Leidy, arriving at the Port of New York on 27 August 1945. It then was inactivated on 12 December 1945 per GO 49, Hq. and Hq. Det., Special Troops, 1st Amy, Fort Jackson, South Carolina, dated 8 December 1945.
In 15 November 1948, the 137th SRI Co. was reactivated in the U.S. Army Reserve in New York City, N.Y. and re-designated as the 406th Mobile Radio Broadcasting Company. It was then inactivated on 24 October 1950. On 17 July 1951, the 137th SRI Co. was re-designated in the Organized Reserve as the 504th Communication Reconnaisance Group. It was once again reorganized in the reserves on 9 July 1952. On 21 April 1955, the 137th SRI Co. was re-designated as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 504th Communication Reconnaisance Group, withdrawn from the Army Reserves and allotted to the Regular Army. It was activated on 16 May 1955 at Fort Devens, Massachussetts. On 1 July1956, the 137th SRI Co. was re-designated as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 504th Army Security Agency Group. It was then inactivated on 18 December 1957 at Camp Wolters, Texas. The unit was again re-activated on 1 July 1974 at Hunter Army Airfield in Georgia. The 137th SRI Co. was re-designated as follows: 21 April 1978 as: Headquarters and Operations Company, 504th Military Intelligence Group 16 April 1982 as: Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 504th Military Intelligence Group 16 Sept 1985 as: Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 504th Military Intelligence Brigade.
By C. J. Lancellotti