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SunApr 21

National Yellow Bat Day – April 21, 2024

National Yellow Bat Day is being celebrated on April 21. This day honors the activation of the 265th Army Security Agency Company (AirBorne) with the support of the 101st Airborne Division in Kentucky.

History of National Yellow Bat Day

National Yellow Bat Day is commemorated every year on April 21. The Army Security Agency used to be an intelligence branch of the United States Army. It gathered intelligence, provided Army communication security, and carried out all the electronic countermeasure operations.

Later on, it merged with a part of the Army, which focused on military intelligence, to build the United States Army Intelligence and Security Command. The 265th Army Security Agency was one of the units of the ASA called Airborne. The 265th Army Security Agency was also part of the 101st Airborne Division. After being established, this Army was activated in Fort Campbell on April 21, 1967. During the Vietnam War, one of the advanced units of this division was deployed in Vietnam.

The symbol of the 265th ASA Company is a bat. When we searched for the reason behind them choosing a bat as a symbol, we found out that bats represent secrecy and mystery, therefore it is perfect for representing an agency that performs surveillance and provides intelligence support.

To be successful, the members of the unit should possess the qualities of a bat to follow their motto “Through the Night”. The contributions made by the 265th Radio Research Company (RRC) were not made public for decades since the services rendered by them were classified. Doug Bonnot, who was a member of the 265th RRC, declared National Yellow Bat Day in 2016.

National Yellow Bat Day timeline

1945–1967
The Army Security Agency

The Army Security Agency provides intelligence and communications operations for the Army.

March 2, 1967
Constitution

The 265th Army Security Agency is constituted.

April 21, 1967
Activation

The 265th Army Security Agency is activated at Fort Campbell, Kentucky.

1977
Amalgamation

The 265th Army joins another Army component to form the United States Army Intelligence and Security Command.

National Yellow Bat Day FAQs

Does the Army Security Agency still exist??

The last separate ASA field unit (the 523rd ASA, an Army Reserve unit based at Fort Snelling, MN) existed until mid to late 1987, when it was deactivated and reactivated as the 147th Military Intelligence Battalion (CEWI), another Army Reserve unit.

 

What does the National Security Agency do?

According to Britannica the “National Security Agency (NSA), [is a] U.S. intelligence agency within the Department of Defense that is responsible for cryptographic and communications intelligence and security.”

 

Where is Army intelligence stationed?

 

The Military Intelligence Corps (United States Army) is stationed in Fort Belvoir, Virginia

How to Celebrate National Yellow Bat Day

  1. Read a memoir written by Doug Bonnot

    On this important day, read the memoir written by the person who declared the National Yellow Bat Day — “The Sentinel and the Shooter”.

  2. Watch films about the Vietnam War

    Watch movies about the Vietnam War to understand the events of that time. You can also watch the documentary, “Vietnam: A Television History” or the “The Vietnam War”.

  3. Explore some pictures and other information

    If you would like to know more about the Yellow Bat unit, you can explore photos and information on their website.

5 Interesting Facts About The National Yellow Bat Day

  1. The Motto of the Army Security Agency

    The motto of the Army Security Agency in Latin was ‘Semper Vigilis,’ which means ‘always be vigilant.’

  2. It dates back to World War I

    The Army Security Agency dates back to World War I, and it was the successor to Army signal intelligence operations.

  3. The presence of ASA around the world

    The members of the ASA were placed at different locations around the world, wherever there was a presence of the United States military.

  4. ASA’s occupational specialties

    The ASA military working specialties included voice intercept operators.

  5. The ASA was a Cold War operation

    During the majority of its occupational years from 1945 to 1978, the ASA was a Cold War operation.

Why National Yellow Bat Day is Important

  1. It honors the amazing work of the American Security Agency

    The ASA observed and interpreted the military communications of the Soviet Union, China, and their allies around the world.

  2. The 256th Army Security Agency comprised professionally trained personnel

    This day reminds us that the American Security Agency was composed of soldiers who were trained in military intelligence and used high-quality techniques to monitor and interpret military communications.

  3. We are proud of the fact that the operations of the ASA helped in stopping the creation of nuclear weapons

    With the help of the ASA’s operations, the USA was able to discover the offensive nuclear weapons in Cuba, after which the USA demanded their removal.

National Yellow Bat Day dates

YearDateDay
2024April 21Sunday
2025April 21Monday
2026April 21Tuesday
2027April 21Wednesday
2028April 21Friday

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