551st Signal Aircraft Warning Battalion
"VIDEO ET MONEO" ---- "I Watch and Warn."
Served with the 551st SAW in the South Pacific during World War II .

Promoted to Warrant Officer June 4, 1944
Aircraft Warning Officer, Ground Reporting Station
Officer in charge of operation and maintenance of radar unit...
in charge of radio communications.

More about the Signal Corps in World War II
551st Home Addresses list

Before returning home members of the 551st SAW were given a Home Addresses list so they could stay in touch. I have rendered a computer version of the cover and first three pages.
If you would like me to look up a name in the list, email me the person's name and the hometown and state he/she lived in at the time of enlistment. It is a very long list organized by State.
The Mission of the 551st Signal Battalion

To transform basically trained soldiers (B, C, & D Co), who live
by the seven Army values , into highly motivated, self-disicplined,
physically fit, and technically knowledgeable Signal Soldiers .

Lineage and Honors of 551st SAW
  • Constituted 10 December 1941 in the Army of the United States as the 551st Signal Aircraft Warning Battalion, Separate.
  • Activated 15 December 1941 at Fort Dix, New Jersey.
  • Re-designated 12 December 1942 as the 551st Signal Aircraft Warning Battalion.
  • Inactivated 1 February 1946 in the Philippine Islands.
  • Re-designated 23 September 1986 as the 551st Signal Battalion and allotted to Regular Army; Headquarters concurrently transferred to the United States Army Training and Doctrine Command and organized at Fort Gordon, Georgia.
  • Transformation 10 August 2001 placed the 551st Signal Battalion under the 15th Regimental Signal Brigade; training 74B/C/G IET & Non-IET soldiers and effective 25 October 2001, training 31P IET & Non-IET soldiers. Effective 28 June 2002, the 31S IET and Non-IET soldiers became part of the 551st Signal Battalion.

Campaign Credits of 551st SAW
World War II
  • Northern Solomons
  • Leyte
  • Southern Philippines

Solomon Islands Flag & Scene
Decorations of 551st SAW

Philippine Presidential Unit Citation, Streamer embroidered 17 October 1944 to 4 July 1945
SYMBOLISM

The unit crest is the sea lion, adapted from the Philippine Presidential flag, and commemorates the unit's campaign participation in the Philippines during World War II. The collar reflects the colors of the Philippine Presidential Unit Citation as well as our national colors. Electronic capabilities are represented by the lightening bolt, whose barbs allude to combat readiness, while lightening blue refers to the South Seas and the geographical area of the Philippines

 The unit shield is in the orange and white of the Signal Corps, the wedge-shaped pile is symbolic of the driving force of the organization, the bell representing contact. The V-shaped pile is also symbolic of victory; the interlacing or grill on each side represents the plotting functions of the organization. The Latin motto "VIDEO ET MONEO" translates to "I Watch and Warn".

For more info:
 http://www.gordon.army.mil/551/battalion%20history.htm

Coin
551st Signal Battalion "Patriot" Coin


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2003 All rights reserved.