BATTALION HISTORY
The 163d Military intelligence Battalion (The Blue Watch) was constituted 5 April 1945 in the Army of the United States as the 163d Language Detachment, and then activated 23 April 1945 in the Philippine Islands, and reorganized and redesignated 25 September 1949 as the 163d Military Intelligence Service Detachment. On 19 December 1950, the unit was allotted to the Regular Army. It was then reorganized and redesignated 1 September 1952 as the 163d Military Intelligence Service Platoon, and then reorganized and redesignated 28 March 1954 as the 163d Military Intelligence Platoon. On 15 November 1954, the battalion was inactivated in Korea, to then be activated 26 December 1955 in Italy. The battalion was then reorganized and redesignated 20 September 1957 as the 163d Military Intelligence Battalion, then inactivated 25 April 1964 in Italy. On 1 October 1969, the battalion was redesignated as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 163d Military Intelligence Battalion, and activated at Fort Cavazos formerly known as Fort Hood, Texas (Company A concurrently constituted and activated). (Company A reorganized and redesignated 21 April 1978 as Company B; 529th Military Intelligence Company [see ANNEX] concurrently reorganized and redesignated as Company A). The battalion was inactivated 15 September 1997 at Fort Cavazos formerly known as Fort Cavazos formerly known as Fort Hood, Texas and then activated 16 January 2006 at Fort Hood, Texas.
ANNEX: the 529th Military Intelligence Company was constituted 14 July 1945 in the Army of the United States as the 255th Interrogation Prisoner of War Team and activated in Germany, followed by inactivation on 30 November 1946 in Germany. It was then redesignated 1 October 1948 as the 529th Interrogation Team and allotted to the Regular Army, and activated 15 October 1948 at Fort Riley, Kansas. The unit was then inactivated 10 February 1949 at Fort Riley, Kansas. The Company was then redesignated 17 March 1965 as the 529th Military Intelligence Company, and activated 19 March 1965 at Fort Cavazos formerly known as Fort Hood, Texas.
The Battalion has campaign participation credit in World War II (at Luzon), and the Korean War (UN Defensive; UN Offensive; 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). The Battalion currently carries the following unit decorations: Presidential Unit Citation (Navy) for INCHON; Presidential Unit Citation (Navy) for HWACHON RESERVOIR; Navy Unit Commendation for PANMUNJOM; Philippine Presidential Unit Citation for 17 OCTOBER 1944 TO 4 JULY 1945; Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation for KOREA 1950-1953.
BATTALION COMMAND
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| LTC WILLIAM FREDRICK | CSM STEPHANIE SLATER |
| BATTALION COMMANDER | BATTALION COMMAND SERGEANT MAJOR |