Signal Company Airborne

55th Signal Company (Combat Camera) Fort Meade, Md.

MISSION: Photographically documents all historical and
operational events for the task force for permanent visual
record of the peace implementation process.

55th Signal Company holds the proud distinction of being
the only active duty Combat Camera unit in the Unites
States Army. The mission is to install, operate, and maintain
tactical visual information systems in order to provide theater
level commanders situational awareness and decision making
visual documentation of ground, sea, and air operations of
United States, allied, and hostile armed forces during combat,
combat support operations, and related peacetime training
activities. The 55th Signal Company provides visual imagery
acquisition and exploitation support to satisfy the operational
requirement of the theater Army headquarters and other major
and subordinate headquarters of Army field units at theater
echelons above corps, and joint headquarters when required.
The unit provides tailored visual information products,
including graphics and video reports, in support of operational
requirements. We provide historical documentation in support
of the Army Visual Information Documentation Program. Our
mission is also to provide visual information, visual
information processing, maintenance, and repair support to
field Army units beyond the capability of those units.

The primary mission of the 55th Signal Company
(Combat Camera Unit) is to install, operate and
maintain tactical Visual Information Systems
to provide documentation of ground, sea, and
air operations in support of the Office of the
Secretary of Defense, Joint Chiefs of Staff,
Headquarters/Department of the Army, Army National
Guard, and major Army commanders.

Capabilities:

Worldwide deployable on short notice, with three platoons
divided into 18 documentation teams. The unit has its own
organic transportation assets.

Each team is trained and equipped to provide the
following products:

Digital and conventional still photography
Digital and conventional video photography
Conventional film processing
Digital Image Transmission
Video editing
Limited Airborne and Air Assault capability
Night Vision Imagery Acquisition capability
Unit Name: 55th Signal Company
UIC: WDBCAA

Location: Ft. Meade, Maryland 20755



Constituted 26 November 1943 in the Army of the
United States as the 55th Signal Repair Company

Activated 20 December 1943 at Camp Cooke, California

Inactivated 19 April 1946 in Hawaii

Allotted 18 October 1950 to the Regular Army and
activated in Korea

Inactivated 6 November 1951 in Japan

Redesignated 14 January 1957 as the 55th Signal Company

Activated 8 August 1957 in Korea

Inactivated 25 April 1960 in Korea

Activated 1 July 1965 in Thailand

Inactivated 1 July 1969 in Thailand

Activated 21 February 1975 at Fort Hood, Texas

Inactivated 15 September 1987 at Fort Hood, Texas

Activated 16 November 1993 at Fort George G. Meade

Campaigns:

World War II (Asiatic-Pacific Theater):
Silver Band without campaign inscription

Korean War:
UN Offensive;
CCF Intervention;
First UN Counteroffensive

Decorations

Army Superior Unit Award for
1995-1996

Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation
for KOREA 1950-1951