The 313th Military Intelligence Battalion (CEWI) served as the airborne intelligence and electronic warfare unit of the 82nd Airborne Division. With a proud history spanning World War II, Vietnam, Grenada, Panama, and Desert Storm, the 313th gave the “All Americans” an intelligence edge on every battlefield. Though inactive today, its paratroopers carried the motto “Savoir C’est Pouvoir”—Knowledge Is Power. Airborne Apparel Company is proud to offer reproductions and unique designs that celebrate the legacy of the 313th Military Intelligence Battalion.
The 313th Military Intelligence Battalion traces its lineage to World War II when intelligence detachments supported the 82nd Airborne Division across North Africa, Sicily, Italy, and Europe. Over time, the Army consolidated and restructured its intelligence organizations, and in the Cold War era the battalion took form as the 313th MI Battalion (Combat Electronic Warfare and Intelligence – CEWI), providing dedicated airborne-capable intelligence to the division.
Vietnam & Postwar Evolution
Elements tied to the 82nd’s intelligence structure deployed to Vietnam, conducting counterintelligence and signals collection. As the Army modernized, the CEWI concept was born, and the 313th MI Battalion was reactivated as the divisional intelligence unit for the 82nd Airborne. It brought together signals intelligence, electronic warfare, counterintelligence, and reconnaissance capabilities under a single airborne headquarters.
Operations & Campaigns
The 313th supported nearly every major deployment of the 82nd in the late 20th century:
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Operation Urgent Fury (Grenada, 1983): Provided intelligence support for the combat parachute assault.
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Operation Just Cause (Panama, 1989): Paratroopers of the 313th jumped into Panama with the 82nd, delivering battlefield surveillance and electronic warfare during the seizure of key objectives.
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Operation Desert Shield / Desert Storm (1990–1991): Deployed to the Middle East with the division, providing intelligence collection and analysis that enabled rapid armored maneuver and battlefield dominance.
Inactivation
In the early 2000s, as Army intelligence units reorganized under a new modular structure, the 313th MI Battalion was inactivated. Its lineage and honors remain part of the airborne intelligence heritage, with its missions absorbed by other MI elements.
Identity & Legacy
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Motto: “Savoir C’est Pouvoir” — “Knowledge Is Power”
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Role: Provided signals intelligence, electronic warfare, counterintelligence, and surveillance in support of the 82nd’s global operations.
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Decorations: Campaign streamers from World War II, Vietnam, Grenada, Panama, and Southwest Asia.
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Distinctive Culture: Paratrooper-intelligence Soldiers who combined airborne spirit with the quiet professionalism of military intelligence.
Enduring Significance
The 313th Military Intelligence Battalion (CEWI) stood as the “knowledge wing” of the 82nd Airborne Division. Its Soldiers ensured commanders had the information edge from the jungles of Panama to the sands of Iraq. Though inactive today, its history underscores the vital role intelligence plays in airborne operations.
Airborne Apparel Company is proud to offer reproductions and unique designs that celebrate the legacy of the 313th Military Intelligence Battalion (CEWI).