21st Signal Brigade (United States)

21st Signal Brigade
Active	22 June 1965 - 27 November 1971 16 October 2003 - present
Country	United States
Branch	Army
Type	Signal
Size	Brigade
Garrison/HQ	Fort Detrick, Maryland
Nickname(s)	"Razor Sharp" (Special Designation)
Motto(s)	"Edge Of The Sword"
Decorations	Army Meritorious Unit Commendation 1968 Army Superior Unit Award 2009
Battle honours	Vietnam Counteroffensive Vietnam Counteroffensive, Phase II Vietnam Counteroffensive, Phase III Tet Counteroffensive Vietnam Counteroffensive, Phase IV Vietnam Counteroffensive, Phase V Vietnam Counteroffensive, Phase VI Tet 69/Counteroffensive Vietnam Summer—Fall 1969 Vietnam Winter—Spring 1970 Sanctuary Counteroffensive Vietnam Counteroffensive, Phase VII Vietnam Consolidation I
Website	https://home.army.mil/detrick/units-tenants/21st-signal-brigade
Commanders
Current commander	COL John L. Sanders
Command Sergeant Major	CSM Thomas L Bray
Insignia
Identification symbol

The 21st Signal Brigade was activated on September 1, 1965, at Fort Bragg, NC and was deployed to Nha Trang, Vietnam in 1966 to supply communications to I and II Corps areas as the 21st Signal Group. The Brigade participated in 13 campaigns and earned the Meritorious Unit Commendation before being deactivated on November 21, 1971.

On October 16, 2003, the 1108th Signal Brigade was reflagged as the 21st Signal Brigade at Fort Detrick, Maryland and serves there until the present day. ^[1] The unit conducts theater level communications network operations. The brigade earned the Army Superior Unit Award in 2009. ^[2]

Subordinate Units July 1969

	41st Signal Battalion; Qui Nhon, Vietnam [3]
	43rd Signal Battalion (Modified Support); Pleiku, Vietnam
	459th Signal Battalion, Phu Bai, Vietnam [4] [5]
	73rd Signal Battalion (Support); Don Duong, Vietnam [6]

Subordinate Units Today

	114th Signal Battalion; Raven Rock Mountain Complex, Adams County, Penn.
	302d Signal Battalion; Fort Detrick, Maryland
	56th Signal Battalion; Joint Base San Antonio, Texas

Insignia

The shoulder sleeve insignia is a rounded rectangle that is diagonally divided white and orange (signal corps colors) by a gold lightning bolt. In the center is a vertical sword created from a satellite dish and a globe for a hilt. The shoulder sleeve insignia was approved effective 16 October 2003.

The distinctive unit insignia is a gold metal pin with a central upfacing sword flanked by two orange lightning bolts surrounded by an "s" shaped scroll with the motto "Edge of the Sword" in black letters. The distinctive unit insignia was originally approved for the 21st Signal Group on 19 August 1968. ^[7]

References

1. "21st Signal Brigade History". Fort Detrick Website. Retrieved May 10, 2025.
2. Lynge, Tracy (June 6, 2024). "21st Signal Brigade holds change of command ceremony". US Army. Retrieved May 10, 2025.
3. Benner, Jim. "Signal Battalions 9th to 43rd". Base Camp Phu Loi. Retrieved May 10, 2025.
4. Musgrave, Col. Thomas (November 15, 1969). "Lessons Learned, Headquarters, 21st Signal Group" (PDF). Defense Technical Information Center. Retrieved May 10, 2025.
5. Morrissey, James (January 3, 2019). "First days of the Tet Offensive for the 459th Signal Battalion". Historynet. Retrieved May 10, 2025.
6. Zelenznikar, Lt. Col. Louis (August 13, 1969). "Lessons Learned, Headquarters, 73d Signal Battalion" (PDF). Defense Technical Information Center. Retrieved May 10, 2025.
7. "21ST SIGNAL BRIGADE". US Army Institute of Heraldry. August 19, 1968. Retrieved May 10, 2025.