303d MILITARY INTELLIGENCE BATTALION

COAT OF ARMS

Shield: Or, three piles, one in chief and two conjoined in base azure bearing in chief an edelweiss argent seeded of the field and issuing from base two beacons of the last enflamed tenne and gold.

Crest: On a wreath of the colors, or and azure, in front of a stylized wreath of rice or, four flashes saltirewise gules.

Motto: PRIMI NOSCERE (FIRST TO KNOW).

Symbolism: Oriental blue and silver gray are the colors associated with military intelligence. The blue piles represent the mountains of Central Europe and Korea, where the battalion's predecessor units served. The edelweiss, a small white flower prized by European mountaineers, refers to the unit's service in Central Europe. The two beacons refer to Korea's ancient and effective system of communications, which was accomplished by means of beacon fires on mountain tops, and also refer to the battalion's two unit decorations for service in Korea. The colors red and yellow are traditionally associated with Vietnam, as is the rice wreath, a symbol of excellence and achievement. The red flashes refer to the Meritorious Unit Commendations (Army) earned while serving in Vietnam and also represent accuracy and speed.

DISTINCTIVE UNIT INSIGNIA

The distinctive unit insignia is the shield and motto of the coat of arms.

LINEAGE RA (active)

• Constituted 22 September 1950 in the Regular Army as Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 303d Communication Reconnaissance Battalion .
• Activated 25 September 1950 at Arlington Hall Station, Virginia.
• Consolidated 17 July 1951 with the 540th Signal Service Company (see ANNEX 1) and consolidated unit designated as Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 303d Communication Reconnaissance Battalion.
• Inactivated 25 June 1955 in Korea.
• Redesignated I1 May 1962 as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 303d Army Security Agency Battalion (organic elements concurrently constituted).
• Battalion activated 15 June 1962 at Camp Wolters, Texas. (Companies A, B, and C reorganized and redesignated 15 October 1966 as the 372d, 373d, and 374th Army Security Agency Companies -hereafter separate lineages.)
• Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 303d Army Security Agency Battalion, reorganized and redesignated 21 April 1978 as Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 303d Military Intelligence Battalion (376th Army Security Agency Company [see ANNEX 2] and 370th Army Security Agency Company [see ANNEX 3] concurrently reorganized and redesignated as Companies A and B).

ANNEX 1

• Constituted 12 April 1944 in the Army of the United States as the 3253d Signal Service Company .
• Activated 25 April 1944 in England.
• Inactivated ? 5 January 1946 at Camp Kilmer, New Jersey.
• Redesignated 6 May 1948 as the 540th Signal Service Company .
• Activated 20 June 1948 in Austria. Inactivated 1 April 1949 in Austria.

ANNEX 2

• Constituted 20 February 1968 in the Regular Army as the 376th Army Security Agency Company
• Activated 1 April 1968 at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
• Inactivated 30 June 1974 at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
• Activated 1 July 1974 at Fort George G. Meade, Maryland.

ANNEX 3

• Constituted 10 January 1967 in the Regular Army as the 370th Army Security Agency Company .
• Activated 1 March 1967 at Vint Hill Farms Station, Virginia.

CAMPAIGN PARTICIPATION CREDIT

• Normandy
• Northern France
• Rhineland
• Ardennes-Alsace
• Central Europe

• CCF Intervention
• First UN Counteroffensive
• CCF Spring Offensive
• UN Summer-Fall Offensive
• Second Korean Winter
• Korea, Summer-Fall 1952
• Third Korean Winter
• Korea, Summer 1953

• Counteroffensive, Phase II
• Counteroffensive, Phase III
• Tet Counteroffensive
• Counteroffensive, Phase IV
• Counteroffensive, Phase V
• Counteroffensive, Phase VI
• Tet 69/Counteroffensive
• Summer-Fall 1969
• Winter-Spring 1970
• Sanctuary Counteroffensive
• Counteroffensive, Phase VII

DECORATIONS

• Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army), Streamer embroidered KOREA (Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 303d Communication Reconnaissance Battalion, cited; DA GO 22, 1954)
• Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army), Streamer embroidered VIETNAM 1966-1967 (Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 303d Radio Research Battalion, cited; DA GO 17, 1968)
• Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army), Streamer embroidered VIETNAM 1967-1968 (Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 303d Radio Research Battalion, cited; DA GO 28, 1969, as amended by DA GO 18, 1979)
• Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army), Streamer embroidered VIETNAM 1968-1969 (Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 303d Radio Research Battalion, cited; DA GO 51, 1971)
• Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army), Streamer embroidered VIETNAM 1969-1970 (303d Radio Research Battalion cited; DA GO 43, 1972)
• Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army), Streamer embroidered VIETNAM 1971 (303d Radio Research Battalion cited; DA GO 32, 1973)
• Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation, Streamer embroidered KOREA (Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 303d Communication Reconnaissance Battalion, cited; DA GO 33, 1953, as amended by DA GO 41, 1955)
• Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm, Streamer embroidered VIETNAM 1970-1971 (303d Radio Research Battalion cited; DA GO 6, 1974)
• Republic of Vietnam Civil Action Honor Medal, First Class, Streamer embroidered VIETNAM 1969-1970 (303d Radio Research Battalion cited; DA GO 6, 1974)