Armed Forces Day events at Fort Monmouth, NJ drew thousands of attendees every year – arguably, some of the most important attendees throughout the 1960s and 1970s were veterans of the 10th Field Signal Battalion who fought in World War I. The 10th Field Signal Battalion was organized at what was then called Camp Alfred Vail on July 10, 1917. The Battalion was assigned to the 7th Division, United States Army (Regular) on December 6, 1917. It departed from the installation on August 17, 1918, and saw front-line action in France from October 8 to November 11, 1918. Its colors were decorated by General John J. Pershing on May 9, 1919, who stated, “Your record makes us all feel very proud.” The Battalion returned to the United States on June 27, 1919, its officers and men proud indeed of having served their country with honor and distinction during World War I.
Today that group continues to be remembered and recognized at the C5ISR Campus at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland. The E. Frederic Wright memorial, originally located behind the Commanding General’s residence at Fort Monmouth, was recreated at the C5ISR Campus, and is located on the outside walls of the Myer Auditorium. The original memorial was dedicated on May 21, 1977, at Fort Monmouth, as a tribute from the 10th Field Signal Battalion Association and the 7th Division Association of World War I veterans which Mr. Wright founded.
The organization held its first reunion in 1964, and in 1965, donated the Army dress blues World War I uniform of Capt. Issac Post, who commanded Company C of the Tenth Field Signal Battalion, to the Signal Corps Museum at Fort Monmouth. The donation was made by Miss Helen Rosenbaum of Daytona Beach, FL, sister-in-law to the late Army officer. Miss Rosembaum was among the 65 members of vets and wives of this battalion who were at Fort Monmouth on Armed Forces Day for the group's second reunion. She lived across from the Little Silver railroad station back in 1917, when Captain Post's unit was one of the first to arrive at Fort Monmouth.
The organizations continued to hold reunions throughout the 1970s, arranging their visits to coincide with Armed Forces Day events at Fort Monmouth. The reunion in 1978 was documented in a letter and photo and included a welcome by Maj. Gen. John K. Stoner, Commanding General of Fort Monmouth. Other highlights included a visit to the Army Communications-Electronics museum in Myer Hall, a concert presented by the Fort Monmouth 389th Army Band, a drill team exhibition, security dog demonstration and sky diving exhibition with participants leaping from a helicopter. The veterans also provided original 1917 photographs of their time with Company C, 10th Field Signal Battalion which remain part of the CECOM archives today, ensuring the first soldiers supported by what is now the C5ISR Community remain a lasting part of CECOM history.
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