US Army Signal Corps Intelligence Agency

Authors

Robert Bolin , depositor, University of Nebraska - LincolnFollow

Date of this Version

8-21-1949

Document Type

Article

Abstract

Historical Data Cards were used to record the organizational history of units within the Army. This card was provided to Robert Bolin by the US Army Institute of Heraldry in 1985.

The Signal Corps Intelligence Agency (SCIA) was a special-purpose military organization assigned to the Chief Signal Officer. The Chief Signal Office was the general in charge of the Army Signal Corps. The mission of the SCIA was described as “To perform the staff intelligence functions assigned by the Chief Signal Officer and to provide staff direction and coordination of the Signal Corps intelligence effort… The responsibility for the collection, evaluation, correlation, production, maintenance, and dissemination of US Army signal technical intelligence on foreign materiel, installations, systems, and activities for which Chief Signal Officer has an intelligence responsibility or requirement in the field of communications and electronics… The coordination of the acquisition and exploitation of foreign signal equipment… The maintenance of technical intelligence pertaining war potential and vulnerabilities, military forces and material, research and development, and related military and civil aspects affecting the capabilities of foreign countries and areas.” Several other restatements of the mission of the agency are included on the card as well.

Note that the SCIA was concerned with technical intelligence and not with communications or signals intelligence. Communications and signals intelligence were the concern of the National Security Agency and other organizations within the US armed forces.

The SCIA was discontinued in 1962 when most of the Army technical services were reorganized out of existence. Its functions, personnel, records and equipment were divided among the newly created US Army Foreign Science and Technology Center and US Army Area Analysis Intelligence Agency.

Note: The second paragraph on the second page refers to the Army Transportation Intelligence Agency. Obviously, that paragraph was erroneously recorded on the wrong card.