US Army Signal Corps Birthday

***** WARNING!!! ***** This dangerously illegal and immoral subversive underground resistance message is being surreptitiously monitored by the Beaming Internet Government Broadband Radio Oscillation Telecommunications Hearing Electronic Reconnaissance (i.e., B.I.G. B.R.O.T.H.E.R.) as part of a coordinated official clandestine domestic surveillance investigation, in cooperation with the National Administration of Zealous Interrogation (i.e., N.A.Z.I.) and the Commission On Message Monitoring Investigative Electronics (i.e., C.O.M.M.I.E.). Serious felony criminal charges are pending, with extreme penalties yet to be determined! ******************** Comrades In Arms: This past Sunday 14 June 2009, we celebrated the Two Hundredth and Thirty-Fourth Birthday of the United States Army, established by the Continental Congress on 14 June 1775. This coming Sunday 21 June 2009, we will celebrate the One Hundredth and Forty-Ninth Birthday of the United States Army SIGNAL CORPS! The Signal Corps began on 21 June 1860, when Congress authorized the Army to appoint one signal officer. Apparently, that decision proved quite effective, as those damn Yankees caused us good ol' Rebel boys a whole bunch of trouble during the following years. Here at the Old Soldiers' Home, we have a fellow, Edward Stites, presently totally incapacitated, who spent his entire Army career in the Signal Corps. Very likely, there are also other residents here at the Old Soldiers' Home who served in the Signal Corps, but I haven't met them. As for myself, after completing Basic Combat Training at Fort Lewis, Washington, I was trained in the United States Army Southeastern Signal School at Fort Gordon, Georgia, in Field Radio Relay and Carrier Equipment Repair, MOS 31 L 20. In order to do the job, the Army gave me a "SECRET" security clearance, but if I ever saw anything secret, I never knew about it. My subsequent Signal Corps duty assignments included: Company "A", 11th Air Defense Signal Battalion, 32d Army Air Defense Command, Kaiserslautern, Germany Radio and Wire Communications Company, Phu Lam Signal Battalion, 1st Signal Brigade, Saigon, Republic of Viet Nam 178th Maintenance Company, 1st Logistical Command, Dong Ha, Republic of Viet Nam Electronic Maintenance Section, Headquarters and Support Company, 501st Signal Battalion (Airmobile), 101st Airborne Division (Airmobile), Camp Eagle, Republic of Viet Nam Instrumentation Company, Combat Developments Experimentation Command, Hunter Liggett Military Reservation, California Company "A", 307th Signal Battalion, 8th Army, Wonju, Republic of Korea Headquarters Company, 16th Signal Battalion, 13th Corps Support Command, Fort Hood, Texas Then, I transferred into the Cavalry, and became a Scout. When you click on the various Internet links in this message, you'll note that many units either no longer exist, or they are in a different location, and sometimes with a different mission, than when I served. I just looked at Sunday's menu for the mess hall here at Old Soldiers' Home, and it says we're having grilled steak for supper, with walnut cream cake for dessert! Now, that's a nice way to celebrate the birthday of the Signal Corps, now ain't it? Thank you. John Robert Mallernee Official Bard of Clan Henderson Armed Forces Retirement Home Washington, D.C. 20011-8400 NOTE: "My unpopular and controversial personal opinions are independent of my Scottish clan."