The 24th Military Intelligence Battalion was organized in 1959 in New York City, New York with a headquarters company, four line detachments and an aviation section. The unit first activated for the Berlin Crisis in 1961. From 1962 to 1974 the battalion was variously located at Miller Field, Fort Hamilton, and Fort Wadsworth in the vicinity of Staten Island, NY. In 1974 the battalion moved to Fort Monmouth, NJ where it was authorized by First Army to teach the Basic Imagery Interpretation Course.
In 1977, the battalion began participating in Operation MIHAWK, utilizing OV-1 Mohawk technology. Over the next three years, detachments deployed with Air National Guard (ANG) units supporting numerous brigades with imagery products during counter drug operations in the western and southern United States. In 1980, the battalion began training with the 1st MI Bn Aerial Reconnaissance Squadron, an active duty component unit at Fort Bragg, North Carolina; Shaw Air Force Base in Sumter, South Carolina; and Bergstrom Air Force Base in Austin, Texas.
By the mid 1980's, detachments of the 24th MI Bn became aligned exclusively with ANG Squadrons. Concurrently, personnel from the 24th MI Bn were the first reservists selected to attend the Active Air Force Advanced Imagery Interpretation Course in Shierstein, Federal Republic of Germany. Since 1987, detachments of the 24th MI Bn have participated in exercises including REFORGER in Zwehrucker, Germany; Operation SAFARI in Bardufass, Norway; MAPLE FLAG in Cold Water, Canada; and BRIM FROST in Anchorage, Alaska. On 20 January 1991, Detachment C was activated and deployed to the Kuwait Theater of Operations for Operation DESERT STORM. Battalion personnel worked at the Intelligence Center and Joint Imagery Production Complex in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, supporting US Army Central Command.
In October 1992, three detachments (E, F, and G) were added to the battalion. The following year, in October 1993, Detachments H and K, based in Mountain View, California, were added. In November 1993, the battalion provided live mission support to the 513th MI Bde, the XVIII Airborne Corps, US Transportation Command, and the Intelligence Threat Analysis Center. In 1994, the battalion added the Joint Analysis Center at RAF Molesworth, United Kingdom and assisted the civilian evacuation of Rwanda. From 1995 to 1998, the unit supported Operation GOLD SWORD for the 800th MP Bde. Also from 1996 to 1998, the battalion deployed personnel to Operation JOINT ENDEAVOR in Bosnia and Herzegovina. In 1997 Detachments H and K were dropped from the battalion and assigned to the 500th MI Bn in California.
On 15 July 2009 the 24th Military Intelligence Battalion was activated in Wiesbaden, Germany, with a mission to conduct intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance synchronization and all-source intelligence analysis, production, and dissemination in support of national, joint, and USAREUR requirements. Since activation, 24th MI Bn has supported multiple operations including Operations IRAQI FREEDOM, NEW DAWN, ENDURING FREEDOM, and UNIFIED PROTECTOR. The battalion has also participated in multiple engagements and intelligence security cooperation activities with foreign partners across the European and African continents.