The 533rd Military Intelligence Battalion was a U.S. Army military intelligence unit originally constituted shortly after World War II and later reorganized during the Cold War era. It served as a combat electronic warfare intelligence battalion (CEWI) with its distinctive insignia reflecting its mission of signals and electronic warfare, knowledge collection, and vigilance in support of maneuver forces. During its active years in Europe, particularly through the 1980s into the early 1990s, the battalion was stationed in Germany and provided intelligence support, including electronic warfare capabilities, to major formations such as the 3rd Armored Division in operations along the Fulda Gap and other Cold War theaters.
Over time, the 533rd underwent multiple activations and inactivations in response to changing Army needs; it was activated in Austria in the early 1950s, later reactivated in Germany in 1980, and eventually inactivated again in the early 1990s as part of broader post–Cold War force restructuring. The unit’s contributions spanned traditional military intelligence functions, including electronic and signals intelligence, helping commanders understand and counter adversary capabilities during major global geopolitical shifts.