The 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) ("Screaming Eagles")
is a
light infantry
Light infantry refers to certain types of lightly equipped infantry throughout history. They have a more mobile or fluid function than other types of infantry, such as heavy infantry or line infantry. Historically, light infantry often foug ...
division
Division or divider may refer to:
Mathematics
*Division (mathematics), the inverse of multiplication
*Division algorithm, a method for computing the result of mathematical division
Military
*Division (military), a formation typically consisting ...
of the
United States Army
The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, ...
that specializes in
air assault
Air assault is the movement of ground-based military forces by vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft—such as the helicopter—to seize and hold key terrain which has not been fully secured, and to directly engage enemy forces behind ...
operations.
It can plan, coordinate, and execute multiple
battalion
A battalion is a military unit, typically consisting of 300 to 1,200 soldiers commanded by a lieutenant colonel, and subdivided into a number of companies (usually each commanded by a major or a captain). In some countries, battalions ...
-size air assault operations to seize terrain. These operations can be conducted by mobile teams covering large distances, fighting behind enemy lines, and working in austere environments with limited or degraded infrastructure.
[After Almost 5 Years, Army's 101st Airborne Will Return to Full Air Assault Power](_blank)
Military.com, by Matthew Cox, dated 16 October 2019, last accessed 24 December 2020 Its unique battlefield mobility and high level of training have kept it in the vanguard of U.S. land combat forces in recent conflicts:
for example,
foreign internal defense
Foreign internal defense (FID) is a term used by the military in several countries, including the United States, France, and the United Kingdom, to describe an integrated, and possibly multi-country, approach to combating actual or threatened i ...
and
counterterrorism
Counterterrorism (also spelled counter-terrorism), also known as anti-terrorism, incorporates the practices, military tactics, techniques, and strategies that governments, law enforcement, business, and intelligence agencies use to combat or ...
operations in
Iraq
Iraq,; ku, عێراق, translit=Êraq officially the Republic of Iraq, '; ku, کۆماری عێراق, translit=Komarî Êraq is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered by Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq ...
, in
Afghanistan
Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is borde ...
in 2015–2016,
and in Syria, as part of
Operation Inherent Resolve
Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR) is the U.S. military's operational name for the International military intervention against IS, including both a campaign in Iraq and a campaign in Syria, with a closely-related campaign in Libya. Throu ...
in 2018–2021.
Established in 1918, the 101st Division was first constituted as an airborne unit in 1942. During
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...
, it gained renown for its role in
Operation Overlord
Operation Overlord was the codename for the Battle of Normandy, the Allied operation that launched the successful invasion of German-occupied Western Europe during World War II. The operation was launched on 6 June 1944 (D-Day) with the Norm ...
(the
D-Day landings and
airborne landings on 6 June 1944, in
Normandy
Normandy (; french: link=no, Normandie ; nrf, Normaundie, Nouormandie ; from Old French , plural of ''Normant'', originally from the word for "northman" in several Scandinavian languages) is a geographical and cultural region in Northwestern ...
,
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
);
Operation Market Garden
Operation Market Garden was an Allied military operation during the Second World War fought in the Netherlands from 17 to 27 September 1944. Its objective was to create a salient into German territory with a bridgehead over the River Rhine, ...
; the liberation of the
Netherlands
)
, anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands
, established_title = Before independence
, established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
; and its action during the
Battle of the Bulge
The Battle of the Bulge, also known as the Ardennes Offensive, was the last major German offensive campaign on the Western Front during World War II. The battle lasted from 16 December 1944 to 28 January 1945, towards the end of the war in ...
around the city of
Bastogne
Bastogne (; nl, Bastenaken, ; german: Bastnach/Bastenach; lb, Baaschtnech) is a city and municipality of Wallonia located in the province of Luxembourg in the Ardennes, Belgium.
The municipality consists of the following districts: Bastog ...
,
Belgium
Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to ...
. During the
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...
, the 101st Airborne Division fought in several major campaigns and battles, including the
Battle of Hamburger Hill
The Battle of Hamburger Hill (13–20 May 1969) was a battle of the Vietnam War that was fought by US Army and Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) forces against People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) forces during Operation Apache Snow. Though th ...
in May 1969. In mid-1968, the division was reorganized and redesignated as an
airmobile
Air assault is the movement of ground-based military forces by vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft—such as the helicopter—to seize and hold key terrain which has not been fully secured, and to directly engage enemy forces behind ...
division; in 1974, as an air assault division. The titles reflect the division's shift from airplanes to helicopters as the primary method of delivering troops into combat.
At the height of the
War on Terror
The war on terror, officially the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT), is an ongoing international counterterrorism military campaign initiated by the United States following the September 11 attacks. The main targets of the campaign are militant ...
, the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) had over 200 aircraft.
This shrank to just over 100 aircraft with the inactivation of the
159th Combat Aviation Brigade
The 159th Combat Aviation Brigade (CAB) formerly supported the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), and was stationed at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. While active, 159th CAB made the 101st Airborne Division the only US Army Division with two organic ...
in 2015,
making it no different in configuration from the Army's other light infantry divisions. In 2019, media reports suggested the Army was working to restore the 101st's aviation capabilities so it can return to lifting an entire
brigade
A brigade is a major tactical military formation that typically comprises three to six battalions plus supporting elements. It is roughly equivalent to an enlarged or reinforced regiment. Two or more brigades may constitute a division.
...
in one air assault operation.
Division headquarters is at
Fort Campbell
Fort Campbell is a United States Army installation located astride the Kentucky–Tennessee border between Hopkinsville, Kentucky and Clarksville, Tennessee (post address is located in Kentucky). Fort Campbell is home to the 101st Airborne Divi ...
,
Kentucky
Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virginia ...
. Many current members of the 101st are graduates of the
U.S. Army Air Assault School, which is co-located with the division. The school is known as one of the Army's most difficult courses; only about half of those who begin it graduate.
The Screaming Eagles was referred to as "the tip of the spear" by former
U.S. Secretary of Defense,
Robert Gates
Robert Michael Gates (born September 25, 1943) is an American intelligence analyst and university president who served as the 22nd United States secretary of defense from 2006 to 2011. He was originally appointed by president George W. Bush a ...
, and the most potent and tactically
mobile
Mobile may refer to:
Places
* Mobile, Alabama, a U.S. port city
* Mobile County, Alabama
* Mobile, Arizona, a small town near Phoenix, U.S.
* Mobile, Newfoundland and Labrador
Arts, entertainment, and media Music Groups and labels
* Mobile ( ...
of the U.S. Army's divisions by General
Edward C. Meyer
Edward Charles "Shy" Meyer (December 11, 1928 – October 13, 2020) was a United States Army general who served as the 29th Chief of Staff of the United States Army.
Early life
Meyer was born in St. Marys, Pennsylvania, on December 11, 1928. Upo ...
, then
Chief of Staff of the Army.
History
World War I and the interwar period
The 101st Division headquarters was organized 2 November 1918 at
Camp Shelby
Camp Shelby is a military post whose North Gate is located at the southern boundary of Hattiesburg, Mississippi, on United States Highway 49. It is the largest state-owned training site in the nation. During wartime, the camp's mission is to s ...
,
Mississippi
Mississippi () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States, bordered to the north by Tennessee; to the east by Alabama; to the south by the Gulf of Mexico; to the southwest by Louisiana; and to the northwest by Arkansas. Miss ...
, having been constituted on 23 July in the
National Army.
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...
ended 9 days later, and the division was demobilized on 11 December 1918.
In 1921, the division headquarters was reconstituted in the
Organized Reserves
The United States Army Reserve (USAR) is a reserve force of the United States Army. Together, the Army Reserve and the Army National Guard constitute the Army element of the reserve components of the United States Armed Forces.
Since July 202 ...
, and organized on 10 September 1921, at
Milwaukee
Milwaukee ( ), officially the City of Milwaukee, is both the most populous and most densely populated city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Milwaukee County. With a population of 577,222 at the 2020 census, Milwaukee i ...
,
Wisconsin
Wisconsin () is a state in the upper Midwestern United States. Wisconsin is the 25th-largest state by total area and the 20th-most populous. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake M ...
.
It was at this time that the
"Screaming Eagle" mascot became associated with the division, as a successor to the traditions of the Wisconsin volunteer regiments of the
American Civil War
The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and t ...
.
World War II to the present day
![Eisenhower d-day](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Eisenhower_d-day.jpg)
On 30 July 1942, the
Army Ground Forces
The Army Ground Forces were one of the three autonomous components of the Army of the United States during World War II, the others being the Army Air Forces and Army Service Forces. Throughout their existence, Army Ground Forces were the large ...
ordered the activation of two airborne divisions by 15 August 1942. The 82nd Division, an Organized Reserve division ordered into active military service in March 1942, was ordered to provide cadre to the 101st Division, the other division selected for the project, for all elements except parachute infantry. As part of the reorganization of the 101st Division as an airborne division, the unit was disbanded in the Organized Reserve on 15 August 1942 and reconstituted and reactivated in the
Army of the United States
The Army of the United States is one of the four major service components of the United States Army (the others being the Regular Army, the United States Army Reserve and the Army National Guard of the United States), but it has been inactive ...
.
On 19 August 1942, its first commander, Major General
William C. Lee
Major General William Carey Lee (March 12, 1895 –June 25, 1948) was a senior United States Army officer who fought in World War I and World War II, during which he commanded the 101st Airborne Division, nicknamed the "Screaming Eagles". Lee is ...
, read out General Order Number 5:
The 101st Airborne Division, which was activated on 16 August 1942, at Camp Claiborne
Camp Claiborne was a U.S. Army military camp in the 1930s continuing through World War II located in Rapides Parish in central Louisiana. The camp was under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Eighth Service Command, and included 23,000 acres (93 k ...
, Louisiana
Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-smallest by area and the 25th most populous of the 50 U.S. states. Louisiana is bord ...
, has no history, but it has a rendezvous with destiny.
Due to the nature of our armament, and the tactics in which we shall perfect ourselves, we shall be called upon to carry out operations of far-reaching military importance and we shall habitually go into action when the need is immediate and extreme. Let me call your attention to the fact that our badge is the great American eagle. This is a fitting emblem for a division that will crush its enemies by falling upon them like a thunderbolt from the skies.
The history we shall make, the record of high achievement we hope to write in the annals of the American Army and the American people, depends wholly and completely on the men of this division. Each individual, each officer and each enlisted man, must therefore regard himself as a necessary part of a complex and powerful instrument for the overcoming of the enemies of the nation. Each, in his own job, must realize that he is not only a means, but an indispensable means for obtaining the goal of victory. It is, therefore, not too much to say that the future itself, in whose molding we expect to have our share, is in the hands of the soldiers of the 101st Airborne Division.
D-Day
![Paratrooper applies war paint 111-SC-193551cropped](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5f/Paratrooper_applies_war_paint_111-SC-193551cropped.jpg)
The
pathfinders of the 101st Airborne Division led the way on
D-Day
The Normandy landings were the landing operations and associated airborne operations on Tuesday, 6 June 1944 of the Allied invasion of Normandy in Operation Overlord during World War II. Codenamed Operation Neptune and often referred to as ...
in the night drop before the invasion. They left from
RAF North Witham
Royal Air Force North Witham or more simply RAF North Witham is a former Royal Air Force station located in Twyford Wood, off the A1 between Stamford and Grantham, Lincolnshire, England about north-northwest of London.
The site opened in 1943 ...
, having trained there with the
82nd Airborne Division
The 82nd Airborne Division is an airborne infantry division of the United States Army specializing in parachute assault operations into denied areasSof, Eric"82nd Airborne Division" ''Spec Ops Magazine'', 25 November 2012. Archived from tho ...
. These night drops caused a lot of trouble for the gliders. Many crashed and equipment and personnel were lost.
The 101st Airborne Division's objectives were to secure the four causeway exits behind
Utah Beach
Utah, commonly known as Utah Beach, was the code name for one of the five sectors of the Allied invasion of German-occupied France in the Normandy landings on June 6, 1944 (D-Day), during World War II. The westernmost of the five code-named la ...
between
Saint-Martin-de-Varreville
Saint-Martin-de-Varreville () is a commune in the Manche department in Normandy in north-western France.
See also
*Communes of the Manche department
The following is a list of the 446 communes of the Manche department of France.
The commun ...
and
Pouppeville to ensure the exit route for the 4th Infantry Division from the beach later that morning.
The other objectives included destroying a German coastal artillery battery at Saint-Martin-de-Varreville, capturing buildings nearby at
Mézières believed used as barracks and a command post for the artillery battery, capturing the
Douve River lock at
La Barquette
LA most frequently refers to Los Angeles, the second largest city in the United States.
La, LA, or L.A. may also refer to:
Arts and entertainment Music
* La (musical note), or A, the sixth note
* "L.A.", a song by Elliott Smith on ''Figure ...
(opposite
Carentan
Carentan () is a small rural town near the north-eastern base of the French Cotentin Peninsula in Normandy in north-western France, with a population of about 6,000. It is a former commune in the Manche department. On 1 January 2016, it was m ...
), capturing two footbridges spanning the Douve at La Porte opposite
Brévands, destroying the highway bridges over the Douve at
Saint-Côme-du-Mont
Saint-Côme-du-Mont () is a former commune in the Manche department in Normandy in north-western France. On 1 January 2016, it was merged into the new commune of Carentan-les-Marais.VII Corps 7th Corps, Seventh Corps, or VII Corps may refer to:
* VII Corps (Grande Armée), a corps of the Imperial French army during the Napoleonic Wars
* VII Corps (German Empire), a unit of the Imperial German Army prior to and during World War I
* VII R ...
. They destroyed two bridges along the Carentan highway and a railroad bridge just west of it. They gained control of La Barquette locks, and established a bridgehead over
Douve River which was located north-east of Carentan.
In the process, units also disrupted German communications, established roadblocks to hamper the movement of German reinforcements, established a defensive line between the beachhead and
Valognes
Valognes () is a commune in the Manche department in Normandy in north-western France.
Geography
Valognes is situated in the Cotentin Peninsula, southeast of Cherbourg. Valognes station has rail connections to Caen, Paris and Cherbourg.
Histo ...
, cleared the area of the drop zones to the unit boundary at Les Forges, and linked up with the 82nd Airborne Division.
Drop Zone Able
The paratroopers of the 101st Airborne Division jumped between 0048 and 0140
British Double Summer Time
During British Summer Time (BST), civil time in the United Kingdom is advanced one hour forward of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), in effect changing the time zone from UTC±00:00 to UTC+01:00, so that mornings have one hour less daylight, and ev ...
of 6 June. The first wave, inbound to Drop Zone A (the northernmost), was not surprised by the cloud bank and maintained formation, but navigating errors and a lack of
Eureka signal caused the first error. Although the 2nd Battalion,
502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment
The 502nd Infantry Regiment (502nd IR), previously titled the 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment (502nd PIR), is an infantry regiment of the United States Army. The regiment was established shortly after U.S. entry into World War II, and was ass ...
was dropped as a compact unit, it jumped on the wrong drop zone, while its commander, Lt. Col. Steve A. Chappuis, came down virtually alone on the correct drop zone. Chappuis and his
stick
Stick or the stick may refer to:
Thin elongated objects
* Twig
* The weapon used in stick fighting
* Walking stick, a device to facilitate balancing while walking
* Shepherd's crook
* Swagger stick
* Digging stick
* Swizzle stick, used to sti ...
captured the coastal battery soon after assembling, and found that it had already been dismantled after an air raid.
Most of the remainder of the 502nd (70 of 80 sticks) dropped in a disorganized pattern around the impromptu drop zone set up by the pathfinders near the beach. The battalion commanders of the 1st and 3rd Battalions, Lt. Col. Patrick J. Cassidy (1/502) and Lt. Col.
Robert G. Cole
Lieutenant Colonel Robert George Cole (March 19, 1915 – September 18, 1944) was an American soldier who received the Medal of Honor for his actions in the days following the D-Day Normandy invasion of World War II.
Early U.S. Army career ...
(3/502), took charge of small groups and accomplished all of their D-Day missions. Cassidy's group took Saint Martin-de-Varreville by 0630, sent a patrol under S/Sgt.
Harrison C. Summers
Harrison C. Summers (July 12, 1918 – August 3, 1983) was a United States Army soldier and a decorated war veteran. He served with the 1st Battalion, 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division in World War II.
Early life ...
to seize the "XYZ" objective, a barracks at Mésières, and set up a thin line of defense from
Foucarville
Foucarville () is a former commune in the Manche department in north-western France. On 1 January 2016, it was merged into the commune of Sainte-Mère-Église.
Following World War II, for 21 months, tens of thousands of Nazi POWs were detained at ...
to
Beuzeville
Beuzeville () is a commune in the north-western part of the department of Eure in the Normandy region in northern France.
Located on the Lieuvin plateau, it is adjacent to the communes of Pont-l'Évêque, Honfleur and Deauville. Beuzeville i ...
. Cole's group moved during the night from near
Sainte-Mère-Église
Sainte-Mère-Église () is a commune in the northwestern French department of Manche, in Normandy. On 1 January 2016, the former communes of Beuzeville-au-Plain, Chef-du-Pont, Écoquenéauville and Foucarville were merged into Sainte-Mère-Ég ...
to the Varreville battery, then continued on and captured Exit 3 at 0730. They held the position during the morning until relieved by troops moving inland from Utah Beach. Both commanders found Exit 4 covered by German artillery fire and Cassidy recommended to the
4th Infantry Division that it not use the exit.
The division's parachute artillery did not fare nearly as well. Its drop was one of the worst of the operation, losing all but one howitzer and dropping all but two of 54 loads four to to the north, where most ultimately became casualties.
Drop Zone Charlie
The second wave, assigned to drop the
506th Parachute Infantry Regiment (PIR) on Drop Zone C west of
Sainte Marie-du-Mont, was badly dispersed by the clouds, then subjected to intense antiaircraft fire for . Three of the 81 C-47s were lost before or during the jump. One, piloted by 1st Lt. Marvin F. Muir of the
439th Troop Carrier Group, caught fire. Lt. Muir held the aircraft steady while the stick jumped, then died when the plane crashed immediately afterward, for which he was awarded the
Distinguished Service Cross The Distinguished Service Cross (D.S.C.) is a military decoration for courage. Different versions exist for different countries.
*Distinguished Service Cross (Australia)
*Distinguished Service Cross (United Kingdom)
*Distinguished Service Cross (U ...
. Despite the opposition, the 506th's 1st Battalion
[Lt. Col. William L. Turner, Colorado. Col. Turner was killed in action the next day] (the original division reserve) was dropped accurately on DZ C, landing two-thirds of its sticks and regimental commander Col.
Robert F. Sink
Robert Frederick Sink (April 3, 1905 – December 13, 1965) was a senior United States Army officer who fought during World War II and the Korean War, though he was most famous for his command of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, part of th ...
on or within a mile of the drop zone.
Most of the 2nd Battalion had jumped too far west, near
Sainte-Mère-Église
Sainte-Mère-Église () is a commune in the northwestern French department of Manche, in Normandy. On 1 January 2016, the former communes of Beuzeville-au-Plain, Chef-du-Pont, Écoquenéauville and Foucarville were merged into Sainte-Mère-Ég ...
. They eventually assembled near
Foucarville
Foucarville () is a former commune in the Manche department in north-western France. On 1 January 2016, it was merged into the commune of Sainte-Mère-Église.
Following World War II, for 21 months, tens of thousands of Nazi POWs were detained at ...
at the northern edge of the 101st Airborne's objective area. It fought its way to the hamlet of le Chemin near the Houdienville causeway by mid-afternoon, but found that the
4th Division had already seized the exit hours before. The 3rd Battalion of the
501st PIR, led by Lt. Col.
Julian J. Ewell (3/501), also assigned to jump onto DZ C, was more scattered, but took over the mission of securing the exits. An ad hoc
company
A company, abbreviated as co., is a legal entity representing an association of people, whether natural, legal or a mixture of both, with a specific objective. Company members share a common purpose and unite to achieve specific, declared ...
-sized team that included division commander Maj. Gen.
Maxwell D. Taylor
Maxwell Davenport Taylor (August 26, 1901 – April 19, 1987) was a senior United States Army officer and diplomat of the mid-20th century. He served with distinction in World War II, most notably as commander of the 101st Airborne Division, n ...
reached the Pouppeville exit at 0600.
After a six-hour house-clearing battle with elements of the German 1058th Grenadier Regiment, the group secured the exit shortly before 4th Division troops arrived to link up.
Drop Zone Dog
The third wave also encountered severe
flak
Anti-aircraft warfare, counter-air or air defence forces is the battlespace response to aerial warfare, defined by NATO as "all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action".AAP-6 It includes surface based ...
, losing six aircraft. The troop carriers still made an accurate drop, placing 94 of 132 sticks on or close to the drop zone, but part of the DZ was covered by pre-registered German machine gun and mortar fire that inflicted heavy casualties before many troops could get out of their chutes. Among the killed were two of the three battalion commanders and the executive officer of the 3/506th.
[Lt. Col. Robert C. Carroll (1/501), Lt. Col. Robert L. Wolverton (3/506th), and Major George S. Grant (3/506)]
The surviving battalion commander, Lt. Col. Robert A. Ballard, gathered 250 troopers and advanced toward Saint Côme-du-Mont to complete his mission of destroying the highway bridges over the Douve. Less than half a mile from his objective at les Droueries he was stopped by elements of battalion III/1058 Grenadier-Rgt. Another group of 50 men, assembled by the regimental S-3, Major Richard J. Allen, attacked the same area from the east at Basse-Addeville but was also pinned down.
The commander of the 501st PIR, Col. Howard R. Johnson, collected 150 troops and captured the main objective, la Barquette lock, by 0400. After establishing defensive positions, Col. Johnson went back to the DZ and assembled another 100 men, including Allen's group, to reinforce the bridgehead. Despite naval gunfire support from the cruiser ''
Quincy'', Ballard's battalion was unable to take Saint Côme-du-Mont or join Col. Johnson.
[Col. Johnson was killed in action in the Netherlands on 8 October 1944.]
The S-3 officer of the 3rd Battalion 506th PIR, Capt. Charles G. Shettle, put together a
platoon
A platoon is a military unit typically composed of two or more squads, sections, or patrols. Platoon organization varies depending on the country and the branch, but a platoon can be composed of 50 people, although specific platoons may rang ...
and achieved another objective by seizing two foot bridges near la Porte at 0430 and crossed to the east bank. When their ammunition drew low after knocking out several machine gun emplacements, the small force withdrew to the west bank. It doubled in size overnight as stragglers came in and repulsed a German probe across the bridges.
Other actions
Two other noteworthy actions took place near Sainte Marie-du-Mont by units of the 506th PIR, both of which involved the seizure and destruction of
batteries
Battery most often refers to:
* Electric battery, a device that provides electrical power
* Battery (crime), a crime involving unlawful physical contact
Battery may also refer to:
Energy source
*Automotive battery, a device to provide power t ...
of
105mm guns of the
German III Battalion-191st Artillery Regiment. During the morning, a small patrol of troopers from Company E 506th PIR under (then) 1st Lt.
Richard D. Winters
Richard Davis Winters (January 21, 1918January 2, 2011) was an American businessman and decorated war veteran who served as a U.S. Army officer during World War II. He is best known for having commanded Easy Company of the 2nd Battalion, 506t ...
overwhelmed a force 3–4 times its size and destroyed four guns at a farm called
Brécourt Manor, for which Winters was later awarded the
Distinguished Service Cross The Distinguished Service Cross (D.S.C.) is a military decoration for courage. Different versions exist for different countries.
*Distinguished Service Cross (Australia)
*Distinguished Service Cross (United Kingdom)
*Distinguished Service Cross (U ...
and the assault troops given Silver and Bronze Stars. This was later documented in the book ''
Band of Brothers'' and the acclaimed
miniseries of the same name.
![101st Airborne Division - WW2 01](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/38/101st_Airborne_Division_-_WW2_01.jpg)
Around noon, while reconnoitering the area by jeep, Col. Sink received word that a second battery of four guns had been discovered at Holdy, a manor between his CP and Sainte Marie-du-Mont, and the defenders had a force of some 70 paratroopers pinned down. Capt. Lloyd E. Patch (Headquarters Company 1st/506th) and Capt. Knut H. Raudstein (Company C 506th PIR)
[Patch became acting commander of the 1st Battalion on 7 June, and later commanded the 3/506 as a lieutenant colonel. Both Patch and Raudstein were awarded the DSC.] led an additional 70 troops to Holdy and enveloped the position. The combined force then continued on to seize Sainte Marie-du-Mont. A platoon of the 502nd PIR, left to hold the battery, destroyed three of the four guns before Col. Sink could send four
jeep
Jeep is an American automobile marque, now owned by multi-national corporation Stellantis. Jeep has been part of Chrysler since 1987, when Chrysler acquired the Jeep brand, along with remaining assets, from its previous owner American Motors ...
s to save them for the 101st's use.
At the end of D-Day, Gen. Taylor and his assistant division commander (ADC) Brig. Gen.
Anthony C. McAuliffe
Anthony Clement "Nuts" McAuliffe (July 2, 1898 – August 10, 1975) was a senior United States Army officer who earned fame as the acting commander of the 101st Airborne Division defending Bastogne, Belgium, during the Battle of the Bulge in Wo ...
returned from their foray at Pouppeville. Taylor had control of approximately 2,500 of his 6,600 men, most of whom were in the vicinity of the 506th CP at Culoville, with the thin defense line west of Saint Germain-du-Varreville, or the division reserve at Blosville. Two
glider airlifts had brought in scant reinforcements and had resulted in the death of his other ADC, Brig. Gen.
Don F. Pratt
Brigadier General Don Forrester Pratt (July 12, 1892 – June 6, 1944) was a United States Army officer. He was the assistant division commander (ADC) of the 101st Airborne Division and was the highest-ranking Allied officer killed on D-Day.
B ...
, his neck broken on impact. The 327th Glider Infantry had come across Utah Beach but only its third battalion (1st Battalion 401st GIR) had reported in.
The 101st Airborne Division had accomplished its most important mission of securing the beach exits, but had a tenuous hold on positions near the Douve River, over which the Germans could still move armored units. The three groups clustered there had tenuous contact with each other but none with the rest of the division. A shortage of radio equipment caused by losses during the drops exacerbated his control problems. Taylor made destroying the Douve bridges the division's top priority and delegated the task to Col. Sink, who issued orders for the 1st Battalion 401st Glider Infantry to lead three battalions south the next morning.
As the regular troops moved in from the coast and strengthened the paratrooper positions, many were relieved and sent to the rear to organize for the next big paratroop operation.
Operation Market Garden
![101st Airborne inspecting broken glider in Holland army](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/39/101st_Airborne_inspecting_broken_glider_in_Holland_army.mil-2007-09-12-112355.jpg)
On 17 September 1944, the 101st Airborne Division became part of
XVIII Airborne Corps
The XVIII Airborne Corps is a corps of the United States Army that has been in existence since 1942 and saw extensive service during World War II. The corps is designed for rapid deployment anywhere in the world and is referred to as "America ...
, under
Major General
Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of ...
Matthew Ridgway
General Matthew Bunker Ridgway (March 3, 1895 – July 26, 1993) was a senior officer in the United States Army, who served as Supreme Allied Commander Europe (1952–1953) and the 19th Chief of Staff of the United States Army (1953–1955). Altho ...
, part of the
First Allied Airborne Army
The First Allied Airborne Army was an Allied formation formed on 2 August 1944 by the order of General Dwight D. Eisenhower, the Supreme Allied Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force. The formation was part of the Allied Expeditionary For ...
, commanded by
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on th ...
Lewis H. Brereton
Lewis Hyde Brereton (June 21, 1890 – July 20, 1967) was a military aviation pioneer and lieutenant general in the United States Air Force. A 1911 graduate of the United States Naval Academy, he began his military career as a United States Army o ...
. The division took part in
Operation Market Garden
Operation Market Garden was an Allied military operation during the Second World War fought in the Netherlands from 17 to 27 September 1944. Its objective was to create a salient into German territory with a bridgehead over the River Rhine, ...
(17–25 September 1944), an unsuccessful
Allied military operation under
Field Marshal
Field marshal (or field-marshal, abbreviated as FM) is the most senior military rank, ordinarily senior to the general officer ranks. Usually, it is the highest rank in an army and as such few persons are appointed to it. It is considered as ...
Bernard Montgomery
Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery, 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein, (; 17 November 1887 – 24 March 1976), nicknamed "Monty", was a senior British Army officer who served in the First World War, the Irish War of Independence an ...
, commander of the Anglo-Canadian
21st Army Group
The 21st Army Group was a British headquarters formation formed during the Second World War. It controlled two field armies and other supporting units, consisting primarily of the British Second Army and the First Canadian Army. Established in ...
, to capture Dutch bridges over the Rhine, it was fought in the Netherlands, and is the largest airborne operation of any war.
The plan, as outlined by Field Marshal Montgomery, required the seizure by airborne forces of several bridges on the
Highway 69 across the Maas (
Meuse River
The Meuse ( , , , ; wa, Moûze ) or Maas ( , ; li, Maos or ) is a major European river, rising in France and flowing through Belgium and the Netherlands before draining into the North Sea from the Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta. It has a ...
) and two arms of the
Rhine
), Surselva, Graubünden, Switzerland
, source1_coordinates=
, source1_elevation =
, source2 = Rein Posteriur/Hinterrhein
, source2_location = Paradies Glacier, Graubünden, Switzerland
, source2_coordinates=
, source ...
(the
Waal and the
Lower Rhine
The Lower Rhine (german: Niederrhein; kilometres 660 to 1,033 of the river Rhine) flows from Bonn, Germany, to the North Sea at Hook of Holland, Netherlands (including the Nederrijn or "Nether Rhine" within the Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta); ...
), as well as several smaller
canal
Canals or artificial waterways are waterways or engineered channels built for drainage management (e.g. flood control and irrigation) or for conveyancing water transport vehicles (e.g. water taxi). They carry free, calm surface f ...
s and
tributaries
A tributary, or affluent, is a stream or river that flows into a larger stream or main stem (or parent) river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean. Tributaries and the main stem river drain the surrounding drain ...
. Crossing these bridges would allow British armoured units to
outflank the
Siegfried Line
The Siegfried Line, known in German as the ''Westwall'', was a German defensive line built during the 1930s (started 1936) opposite the French Maginot Line. It stretched more than ; from Kleve on the border with the Netherlands, along the we ...
, advance into northern Germany, and encircle the
Ruhr
The Ruhr ( ; german: Ruhrgebiet , also ''Ruhrpott'' ), also referred to as the Ruhr area, sometimes Ruhr district, Ruhr region, or Ruhr valley, is a polycentric urban area in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. With a population density of 2,800/km ...
, Germany's industrial heartland, thus ending the war. This meant the large-scale use of Allied
airborne forces
Airborne forces, airborne troops, or airborne infantry are ground combat units carried by aircraft and airdropped into battle zones, typically by parachute drop or air assault. Parachute-qualified infantry and support personnel serving in a ...
, including both the
82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions, along with the
British 1st Airborne Division
The 1st Airborne Division was an airborne infantry division of the British Army during the Second World War. The division was formed in late 1941 during the Second World War, after the British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, demanded an air ...
.
The operation was initially successful. Several bridges between
Eindhoven
Eindhoven () is a city and municipality in the Netherlands, located in the southern province of North Brabant of which it is its largest. With a population of 238,326 on 1 January 2022,[Nijmegen
Nijmegen (;; Spanish and it, Nimega. Nijmeegs: ''Nimwèège'' ) is the largest city in the Dutch province of Gelderland and tenth largest of the Netherlands as a whole, located on the Waal river close to the German border. It is about 6 ...]
were captured by the 82nd and 101st. The 101st met little resistance and captured most of their initial objectives by the end of 17 September. However, the demolition of the division's primary objective, a bridge over the Wilhelmina Canal at
Son
A son is a male offspring; a boy or a man in relation to his parents. The female counterpart is a daughter. From a biological perspective, a son constitutes a first degree relative.
Social issues
In pre-industrial societies and some curren ...
, delayed the capture of the main road bridge over the Maas until 20 September. Faced with the loss of the bridge at Son, the 101st unsuccessfully attempted to capture a similar bridge a few kilometers away at
Best
Best or The Best may refer to:
People
* Best (surname), people with the surname Best
* Best (footballer, born 1968), retired Portuguese footballer
Companies and organizations
* Best & Co., an 1879–1971 clothing chain
* Best Lock Corporation ...
but found the approach blocked. Other units continued moving to the south and eventually reached the northern end of Eindhoven.
At 06:00 hours on 18 September, the
Irish Guards
("Who Shall Separate s")
, colors =
, identification_symbol_2 Saffron (pipes), identification_symbol_2_label = Tartan
, identification_symbol =
, identification_symbol_label = Tactical Recognition F ...
of the
British Guards Armoured Division resumed the advance while facing determined resistance from German infantry and tanks.
Around noon the 101st Airborne were met by the lead reconnaissance units from
British XXX Corps
XXX Corps (30 Corps) was a corps of the British Army during the Second World War. The Corps was formed in the Western Desert in September 1941. It provided extensive service in the North African Campaign and many of its units were in action at ...
. At 16:00 radio contact alerted the main force that the Son bridge had been destroyed and requested that a replacement
Bailey bridge
A Bailey bridge is a type of portable, pre-fabricated, truss bridge. It was developed in 1940–1941 by the British for military use during the Second World War and saw extensive use by British, Canadian and American military engineering units. A ...
be brought forward. By nightfall the Guards Armoured Division had established itself in the Eindhoven area
[Randall, p. 33] however transport columns were jammed in the packed streets of the town and were subjected to German aerial bombardment during the night. XXX Corps engineers, supported by German prisoners of war, constructed a class 40 Bailey bridge within 10 hours across the Wilhelmina Canal.
The longest sector of the highway secured by the 101st Airborne Division later became known as "Hell's Highway".
The 101st then came up to the Nijmegen salient and relieved the British
43rd Wessex Division to defend against the
German counter offensive in early October.
Battle of the Bulge
![Bastogne resupply1944 sm](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7a/Bastogne_resupply1944_sm.jpg)
The Ardennes Offensive (16 December 1944 – 25 January 1945) was a major German offensive launched towards the end of World War II through the forested
Ardennes Mountains region of Belgium. Germany's planned goal for these operations was to split the British and American
Allied line in half, capturing
Antwerp
Antwerp (; nl, Antwerpen ; french: Anvers ; es, Amberes) is the largest city in Belgium by area at and the capital of Antwerp Province in the Flemish Region. With a population of 520,504, , Belgium in the process, and then proceeding to
encircle and destroy the entire
British 21st Army Group
The 21st Army Group was a British headquarters formation formed during the Second World War. It controlled two field armies and other supporting units, consisting primarily of the British Second Army and the First Canadian Army. Established in ...
and all
12th U.S. Army Group units north of the German advance, forcing the
Western Allies
The Allies, formally referred to as the United Nations from 1942, were an international military coalition formed during the Second World War (1939–1945) to oppose the Axis powers, led by Nazi Germany, Imperial Japan, and Fascist Italy ...
to negotiate a
peace treaty
A peace treaty is an agreement between two or more hostile parties, usually countries or governments, which formally ends a state of war between the parties. It is different from an armistice
An armistice is a formal agreement of warring ...
in the
Axis Powers
The Axis powers, ; it, Potenze dell'Asse ; ja, 枢軸国 ''Sūjikukoku'', group=nb originally called the Rome–Berlin Axis, was a military coalition that initiated World War II and fought against the Allies. Its principal members were ...
' favor as a result. In order to reach Antwerp before the Allies could regroup and bring their superior air power to bear, German mechanized forces had to seize all the major highways through eastern Belgium. Because all seven of the main roads in the
Ardennes
The Ardennes (french: Ardenne ; nl, Ardennen ; german: Ardennen; wa, Årdene ; lb, Ardennen ), also known as the Ardennes Forest or Forest of Ardennes, is a region of extensive forests, rough terrain, rolling hills and ridges primarily in Be ...
converged on the small town of Bastogne, control of its crossroads was vital to the success or failure of the German attack.
Despite several notable signs in the weeks preceding the attack, the Ardennes Offensive achieved virtually complete surprise. By the end of the second day of battle, it became apparent that the
28th Infantry Division was near collapse. Maj. Gen.
Troy H. Middleton, commander of
VIII Corps 8th Corps, Eighth Corps, or VIII Corps may refer to:
* VIII Corps (Grande Armée), a unit of the Imperial French army during the Napoleonic Wars
* VIII Army Corps (German Confederation)
* VIII Corps (German Empire), a unit of the Imperial German Ar ...
, ordered part of his armored reserve, Combat Command B of the
10th Armored Division to Bastogne.
[CCB consisted of the 3rd Tank Battalion, 20th Armored Infantry Battalion, C Company 21st Tank Battalion, B Company 54th Armored Infantry Battalion, C Company 609th Tank Destroyer Battalion, 420th Armored Field Artillery Battalion, and three companies of support troops.] Meanwhile, Gen.
Eisenhower
Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower (born David Dwight Eisenhower; ; October 14, 1890 – March 28, 1969) was an American military officer and statesman who served as the 34th president of the United States from 1953 to 1961. During World War II, ...
ordered forward the
SHAEF
Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force (SHAEF; ) was the headquarters of the Commander of Allied forces in north west Europe, from late 1943 until the end of World War II. U.S. General Dwight D. Eisenhower was the commander in SHAEF th ...
reserve, composed of the
82nd and 101st Airborne, which were stationed at
Reims
Reims ( , , ; also spelled Rheims in English) is the most populous city in the French department of Marne, and the 12th most populous city in France. The city lies northeast of Paris on the Vesle river, a tributary of the Aisne.
Founded by ...
.
Both divisions were alerted on the evening of 17 December, and not having organic transport, began arranging trucks for movement forward, the weather conditions being unfit for a parachute drop. The 82nd, longer in reserve and thus better re-equipped, moved out first. The 101st left Camp Mourmelon on the afternoon of 18 December, with the order of march the division artillery, division trains,
501st Parachute Infantry Regiment
The 501st Infantry Regiment, previously the 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment and 501st Airborne Infantry Regiment, is an airborne forces regiment of the United States Army with a long history, having served in World War II and the Vietnam Wa ...
(PIR),
506th PIR,
502nd PIR, and
327th Glider Infantry. Much of the convoy was conducted at night in drizzle and sleet, using headlights despite threat of air attack to speed the movement, and at one point the combined column stretched from
Bouillon
Bouillon can refer to:
Food
* Bouillon (broth), a simple broth
** Court-bouillon, a quick broth
* Bouillon (soup), a Haitian soup
* Bouillon (restaurant), a traditional type of French restaurant
**Bouillon Chartier, a bouillon restaurant foun ...
, Belgium, back to Reims.
The 101st Airborne was routed to Bastogne, located away on a high
plateau
In geology and physical geography, a plateau (; ; ), also called a high plain or a tableland, is an area of a highland consisting of flat terrain that is raised sharply above the surrounding area on at least one side. Often one or more sides ha ...
, while the 82nd Airborne took up positions further north to block the critical advance of ''
Kampfgruppe Peiper
Joachim Peiper (30 January 1915 – 14 July 1976) was a German ''Schutzstaffel'' (SS) officer and a Nazi war criminal convicted for the Malmedy massacre of U.S. Army prisoners of war (POWs). During the Second World War in Europe, Peiper serve ...
'' toward Werbomont, Belgium. The
705th Tank Destroyer Battalion, in reserve sixty miles to the north, was ordered to Bastogne to provide anti-tank support to the armorless 101st Airborne on the 18th and arrived late the next evening. The first elements of the
501st PIR entered the division assembly area four miles west of Bastogne shortly after midnight of 19 December, and by 0900 the entire division had arrived.
By 21 December, the German forces had surrounded
Bastogne
Bastogne (; nl, Bastenaken, ; german: Bastnach/Bastenach; lb, Baaschtnech) is a city and municipality of Wallonia located in the province of Luxembourg in the Ardennes, Belgium.
The municipality consists of the following districts: Bastog ...
, which was defended by both the 101st Airborne and
Combat Command
A combat command was a combined-arms military organization of comparable size to a brigade or regiment employed by armored forces of the United States Army from 1942 until 1963. The structure of combat commands was task-organized and so the force ...
B of the 10th Armored Division. Conditions inside the perimeter were tough—most of the medical supplies and medical personnel had been captured on 19 December. CCB of the 10th Armored Division, severely weakened by losses in delaying the German advance, formed a mobile "fire brigade" of 40 light and medium tanks (including survivors of CCR of the
9th Armored Division, which had been destroyed while delaying the Germans, and eight replacement tanks found unassigned in Bastogne). Three artillery battalions, including the all-black
969th Field Artillery Battalion, were commandeered by the 101st and formed a temporary artillery group. Each had 12 155 mm howitzers, providing the division with heavy firepower in all directions restricted only by its limited ammunition supply (By 22 December artillery ammunition was restricted to 10 rounds per gun per day.) The weather cleared the next day, however, and supplies (primarily ammunition) were dropped over four of the next five days.
![McAuliffeBastogneChristmasLetter101Airborne](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e2/McAuliffeBastogneChristmasLetter101Airborne.jpg)
Despite several determined German attacks, the perimeter held. The German commander, Generalleutnant
Heinrich Freiherr von Lüttwitz
Diepold Georg Heinrich Freiherr von Lüttwitz (6 December 1896 – 9 October 1969) was a Prussian Junker, Olympic equestrian, and German officer who served in both World Wars, retiring as a ''General der Panzertruppe''. Lüttwitz's team competed at ...
, requested Bastogne's surrender. When
General
A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of highest military ranks, high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry.
In some usages the term "general officer" refers t ...
Anthony McAuliffe
Anthony Clement "Nuts" McAuliffe (July 2, 1898 – August 10, 1975) was a senior United States Army officer who earned fame as the acting commander of the 101st Airborne Division defending Bastogne, Belgium, during the Battle of the Bulge in Wor ...
, now acting commander of the 101st, was told, he commented : "Nuts!" After turning to other pressing issues, his staff reminded him that there should be a reply to the German demand. One officer (Harry W. O. Kinnard, then a lieutenant colonel) recommended that McAuliffe's reply should be "tough to beat". Thus, McAuliffe wrote on the paper delivered to the Germans: "NUTS!" That reply had to be explained, both to the Germans and to non-American Allies.
['' Nuts'' can mean several things in ]American English
American English, sometimes called United States English or U.S. English, is the set of variety (linguistics), varieties of the English language native to the United States. English is the Languages of the United States, most widely spoken lan ...
slang. In this case, however, it signified rejection, and was explained to the Germans as meaning "Go to Hell!"
Both of the two panzer divisions of the XLVII Panzer Corps moved forward from Bastogne after 21 December, leaving only one panzergrenadier regiment of the
Panzer-Lehr-Division
The Panzer-Lehr-Division (in the meaning of: Armoured training division) was an elite German armoured division during World War II. It was formed in 1943 onwards from training and demonstration troops (''Lehr'' = "teach") stationed in Germany, t ...
to assist the
26th Volksgrenadier Division in attempting to capture the crossroads. The 26th VG received additional armor and panzergrenadier reinforcements on Christmas Eve to prepare for its final assault, to take place on Christmas Day. Because it lacked sufficient armor and troops and the 26th VG Division was near exhaustion, the XLVII Panzer Corps concentrated the assault on several individual locations on the west side of perimeter in sequence rather than launching one simultaneous attack on all sides. The assault, despite initial success by German tanks in penetrating the American line, was defeated and virtually all of the German tanks involved were destroyed. The next day, 26 December, the spearhead of
General George S. Patton's U.S. Third Army
The United States Army Central, formerly the Third United States Army, commonly referred to as the Third Army and as ARCENT, is a military formation of the United States Army which saw service in World War I and World War II, in the 1991 Gulf Wa ...
relief force, the
4th Armored Division, broke through the German lines and opened a corridor to Bastogne, ending the siege. The division got the nickname "The Battered Bastards of the Bastion of Bastogne".
With the encirclement broken, the men of the 101st expected to be relieved, but were given orders to resume the offensive. The
506th attacked north and recaptured
Recogne
Recogne ( wa, R(i)cogne) is a village of Wallonia and a district of the municipality of Libramont-Chevigny, located in the Ardennes in the province of Luxembourg, Belgium.
Recogne is located a few miles north of Bastogne, in an area that saw heav ...
on 9 January 1945, the Bois des Corbeaux (''Corbeaux Wood''), to the right of Easy Company, on 10 January, and Foy on 13 January. The
327th attacked towards Bourcy, northeast of Bastogne, on 13 January and encountered stubborn resistance. The 101st Airborne Division faced the elite of the German military which included such units as
1st SS Panzer Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler
The 1st SS Panzer Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler or SS Division Leibstandarte, abbreviated as LSSAH, (german: 1. SS-Panzerdivision "Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler") began as Adolf Hitler's personal bodyguard unit, responsible for guardin ...
,
Führerbegleitbrigade
The ''Führerbegleitbrigade'' (FBB: Führer escort brigade) was a German armoured brigade and later an armoured division (''Panzer-Führerbegleitdivision''), in World War II. It grew out of the original ''Führer-Begleit-Battalion'' formed in 193 ...
,
12th SS Panzer Division Hitlerjugend, and the
9th SS Panzer Division Hohenstaufen
The 9th SS Panzer Division "Hohenstaufen" (german: 9. SS-Panzerdivision "Hohenstaufen") was a Waffen-SS armoured division of Nazi Germany during World War II. It participated in battles on both the Eastern and Western Fronts. The division was a ...
. The 506th retook Noville on 15 January and Rachamps the next day. The
502nd reinforced the 327th, and the two regiments captured Bourcy on 17 January, pushing the Germans back to their point of advance on the day the division had arrived in Bastogne. The next day the 101st Airborne Division was relieved.
Liberation of Kaufering
In April 1945, the 101st moved into the Rhineland and eventually reached the Bavarian Alps. As the 101st drove into Southern Germany they liberated Kaufering IV, one of the camps in the
Kaufering complex. Kaufering IV had been designated as the sick camp where prisoners who could no longer work were sent. During the typhus epidemic of 1945 in Germany, Kaufering prisoners with typhus were sent there to die. Kaufering IV was located near the town of Hurlach, which the
12th Armored Division occupied on 27 April, with the 101st arriving the next day. The soldiers found over 500 dead inmates and the Army ordered the local townspeople to bury the dead.
Composition
![SUPPLY BY AIR 2](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2f/SUPPLY_BY_AIR_2.jpg)
The division was composed of the following units:
*
327th Glider Infantry Regiment
* 401st Glider Infantry Regiment (disbanded 1 March 1945, 1st Battalion became the 3rd Battalion, 327th GIR, while the 2nd Battalion became the 3rd Battalion,
325th GIR,
82nd Airborne Division
The 82nd Airborne Division is an airborne infantry division of the United States Army specializing in parachute assault operations into denied areasSof, Eric"82nd Airborne Division" ''Spec Ops Magazine'', 25 November 2012. Archived from tho ...
)
*
502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment
The 502nd Infantry Regiment (502nd IR), previously titled the 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment (502nd PIR), is an infantry regiment of the United States Army. The regiment was established shortly after U.S. entry into World War II, and was ass ...
*
506th Parachute Infantry Regiment (attached 15 September 1943 to 1 March 1945, thereafter assigned)
* 81st Airborne Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion
* 326th Airborne Engineer Battalion
* 101st Parachute Maintenance Company (assigned 1 March 45)
*
326th Airborne Medical Company
* 101st Airborne Division Artillery
**
321st Glider Field Artillery Battalion (75 mm)
**
377th Parachute Field Artillery Battalion (75 mm)
** 463rd Parachute Field Artillery Battalion (75 mm) (assigned 1 March 1945)
** 907th Glider Field Artillery Battalion (75 mm)
* Special Troops (Headquarters activated 1 Mar 45)
** Headquarters Company, 101st Airborne Division
** 101st Airborne Signal Company
** 426th Airborne Quartermaster Company
** 801st Airborne Ordnance Company
** Reconnaissance Platoon (assigned 1 March 45)
** Military Police Platoon
** Band (assigned 1 March 45)
Attached paratrooper units:
*
501st Parachute Infantry Regiment
The 501st Infantry Regiment, previously the 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment and 501st Airborne Infantry Regiment, is an airborne forces regiment of the United States Army with a long history, having served in World War II and the Vietnam Wa ...
(attached January 1944 – past 9 May 1945)
Casualties
* Total battle casualties: 9,328
[Army Battle Casualties and Nonbattle Deaths, Final Report (Statistical and Accounting Branch, Office of the Adjutant General, 1 June 1953)]
* Killed in action: 1,766
* Wounded in action: 6,388
* Missing in action: 207
* Prisoner of war: 967
Awards
During World War II the division and its members were awarded the following awards:
*
Distinguished Unit Citation
The Presidential Unit Citation (PUC), originally called the Distinguished Unit Citation, is awarded to units of the uniformed services of the United States, and those of allied countries, for extraordinary heroism in action against an armed enem ...
s: 13
*
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor. ...
: 3
** Staff Sergeant
Isadore S. Jachman(KIA
Kia Corporation, commonly known as Kia (, ; formerly known as Kyungsung Precision Industry and Kia Motors Corporation), is a South Korean multinational automobile manufacturer headquartered in Seoul, South Korea. It is South Korea's second lar ...
)
** Lieutenant Colonel
Robert G. Cole
Lieutenant Colonel Robert George Cole (March 19, 1915 – September 18, 1944) was an American soldier who received the Medal of Honor for his actions in the days following the D-Day Normandy invasion of World War II.
Early U.S. Army career ...
(KIA
Kia Corporation, commonly known as Kia (, ; formerly known as Kyungsung Precision Industry and Kia Motors Corporation), is a South Korean multinational automobile manufacturer headquartered in Seoul, South Korea. It is South Korea's second lar ...
)
** Private First Class
Joe E. Mann(KIA
Kia Corporation, commonly known as Kia (, ; formerly known as Kyungsung Precision Industry and Kia Motors Corporation), is a South Korean multinational automobile manufacturer headquartered in Seoul, South Korea. It is South Korea's second lar ...
)
*
Distinguished Service Medal Distinguished Service Medal (DSM) is a high award of a nation.
Examples include:
*Distinguished Service Medal (Australia) (established 1991), awarded to personnel of the Australian Defence Force for distinguished leadership in action
* Distinguishe ...
: 2
*
Silver Star
The Silver Star Medal (SSM) is the United States Armed Forces' third-highest military decoration for valor in combat. The Silver Star Medal is awarded primarily to members of the United States Armed Forces for gallantry in action against an e ...
: 456
*
Legion of Merit
The Legion of Merit (LOM) is a military award of the United States Armed Forces that is given for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements. The decoration is issued to members of the eight ...
: 20
*
Soldier's Medal
The Soldier's Medal is an individual decoration of the United States Army. It was introduced as Section 11 of the Air Corps Act, passed by the Congress of the United States on July 2, 1926., Appendix 5, p. 126. The Army' Soldier's Medal is equiv ...
: 4
*
Bronze Star Medal
The Bronze Star Medal (BSM) is a United States Armed Forces decoration awarded to members of the United States Armed Forces for either heroic achievement, heroic service, meritorious achievement, or meritorious service in a combat zone.
Wh ...
: 9,488
*
Air Medal
The Air Medal (AM) is a military decoration of the United States Armed Forces. It was created in 1942 and is awarded for single acts of heroism or meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight.
Criteria
The Air Medal was establish ...
: 48
Post-war
On 1 August 1945, the 501st PIR was moved to France, while the rest of the division was based around
Zell am See
Zell am See is the administrative capital of the Zell am See District in the Austrian state of Salzburg (state), Salzburg. Located in the Kitzbühel Alps, the town is an important tourist destination due to its Ski resort, ski resorts and shorel ...
and
Kaprun
Kaprun () is a municipality in the Zell am See District in the state of Salzburg, Austria. The town is a tourist destination known as "Zell am See-Kaprun" with the neighbouring Zell am See and known for the glacier Kitzsteinhorn.
Geography
It is ...
in the Austrian Alps. Some units within the division began training for redeployment to the
Pacific Theatre of War, but the war ended before they were needed. The division was inactivated 30 November 1945. For their efforts during World War II, the 101st Airborne Division was awarded four campaign streamers and two Presidential Unit Citations.
Helmet insignia
The 101st was distinguished partly by its tactical helmet insignia.
Card suits
In playing cards, a suit is one of the categories into which the cards of a deck are divided. Most often, each card bears one of several Pip (counting), pips (symbols) showing to which suit it belongs; the suit may alternatively or additionally b ...
(diamonds, spades, hearts, and clubs) on each side of the helmet denoted the regiment to which a soldier belonged. The only exception was the 187th which was added to the division later. Divisional headquarters and support units were denoted by use of a square and divisional artillery by a circle. Tick marks at 3, 6, and 9 o'clock indicated to which battalion the individual belonged, while the tick mark at 12 o'clock indicated a headquarters or headquarters company assignment.
* These insignia were first seen in World War II, and can still be seen on 101st Division soldiers today.
**
327th: Clubs (♣) (Currently worn by the 1st Brigade Combat Team; depicted in 1949 film
Battleground)
**
501st: Diamonds (♦) (Currently 1st Battalion, 501st Infantry Regiment is part of the 2nd Brigade, 11th Airborne Division in Alaska.) (The diamond is currently used by both 1st Battalion, 501st Infantry Regiment and the 101st
Combat Aviation Brigade
A Combat aviation brigade (CAB) is a multi-functional brigade-sized unit in the United States Army that fields military helicopters, offering a combination of attack/reconnaissance helicopters (Boeing AH-64 Apache), medium-lift helicopters (Sikors ...
)
**
502nd: Hearts (♥) (Currently worn by the 2nd Brigade Combat Team)
**
506th: Spades (♠) (Formerly worn by 4th Brigade Combat Team before their deactivation in 2014; depicted in the mini-series ''
Band of Brothers''; currently worn by 1st and 2nd Battalion of the 506th Infantry Regiment)
**
187th:
Torii
A is a traditional Japanese gate most commonly found at the entrance of or within a Shinto shrine, where it symbolically marks the transition from the mundane to the sacred.
The presence of a ''torii'' at the entrance is usually the simplest ...
(
![Torii](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e7/Torii.svg)
) (Currently worn by the 3rd Brigade Combat Team; not during World War II, when the 187th Infantry Regiment was part of the
11th Airborne Division
The 11th Airborne Division ("Arctic Angels") is a United States Army airborne formation, first activated on 25 February 1943, during World War II. Consisting of one parachute and two glider infantry regiments, with supporting troops, the div ...
.)
Postwar training and pentomic reactivation
The 101st Airborne was allotted to the Regular Army in June 1948
and reactivated as a training unit at
Camp Breckenridge,
Kentucky
Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virginia ...
the following July, only to be deactivated the next year.
It was reactivated in 1950 following the outbreak of the Korean War, again to serve as a Training Center at Camp Breckenridge until inactivated in December 1953. During this time it included the
53rd Airborne Infantry Regiment.
It was reactivated again in May 1954 at
Fort Jackson,
South Carolina
)''Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no)
, anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind"
, Former = Province of South Carolina
, seat = Columbia
, LargestCity = Charleston
, LargestMetro = ...
and in March 1956, the 101st was transferred, less personnel and equipment, to
Fort Campbell
Fort Campbell is a United States Army installation located astride the Kentucky–Tennessee border between Hopkinsville, Kentucky, Hopkinsville, Kentucky and Clarksville, Tennessee, Clarksville, Tennessee (post address is located in Kentucky). F ...
, Kentucky, to be reorganized as a combat division. Using the personnel and equipment of the 187th ARCT and the 508th ARCT, the 101st was reactivated as the first "
pentomic
Pentomic (cf. ''Greek pent(e)-'' +''-tome'' "of five parts") was a structure for infantry and airborne divisions adopted by the US Army between 1957 and 1963, in response to the potential use of tactical nuclear weapons, on future battlefields. ...
" division with five
battle groups in place of its World War II structure that included regiments and battalions. The reorganization was in place by late April 1957 and the division's battle groups were:
* 2nd Airborne Battle Group, 187th Infantry
* 1st Airborne Battle Group, 327th Infantry
* 1st Airborne Battle Group, 501st Infantry
* 1st Airborne Battle Group, 502nd Infantry
* 1st Airborne Battle Group, 506th Infantry
Division artillery consisted of the following units:
* Battery D, 319th Artillery
* Battery E, 319th Artillery
* Battery A, 321st Artillery
* Battery B, 321st Artillery
* Battery C, 321st Artillery
* Battery A, 377th Artillery
Other supporting units were also assigned.
Civil rights
The "
Little Rock Nine
The Little Rock Nine were a group of nine African American students enrolled in Little Rock Central High School in 1957. Their enrollment was followed by the Little Rock Crisis, in which the students were initially prevented from entering ...
" were a group of African-American students who were enrolled in
Little Rock Central High School
Little Rock Central High School (LRCHS) is an accredited comprehensive education, comprehensive public high school in Little Rock, Arkansas, Little Rock, Arkansas, Secondary education in the United States, United States. The school was the Littl ...
in September 1957, as a result of the
U.S. Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) is the highest court in the federal judiciary of the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all U.S. federal court cases, and over state court cases that involve a point o ...
's ruling in the historic ''
Brown v. Board of Education
''Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka'', 347 U.S. 483 (1954), was a landmark decision by the U.S. Supreme Court, which ruled that U.S. state laws establishing racial segregation in public schools are unconstitutional, even if the segrega ...
'' case. Elements of the division's 1st Airborne Battle Group, 327th Infantry were ordered to Little Rock by President Eisenhower to escort the students into the formerly segregated school during the crisis. The division was under the command of Major General
Edwin Walker
Edwin Anderson Walker (November 10, 1909 – October 31, 1993) was the only U.S. Army general officer to resign his commission amid his tour of duty in the 20th century. After serving in World War II and the Korean War Walker became better know ...
, who was committed to protecting the black students. The troops were deployed from September until Thanksgiving 1957, when
Task Force 153rd Infantry, (federalized
Arkansas Army National Guard
The Arkansas Army National Guard (ARARNG) is a component of the Arkansas National Guard and the United States National Guard. National coordination of various state National Guard units are maintained through the National Guard Bureau.
Arkansas ...
) which had also been on duty at the school since 24 September, assumed the responsibility.
STRAC
In 1958 the US Army formed the
Strategic Army Corps
The Strategic Army Corps (STRAC) was a command of the United States Army, with a mission of high readiness, active in the 1960s. In 1961 it was merged into the United States Strike Command (STRICOM). The word "STRAC" was also used to describe a w ...
consisting of the 101st and 82nd Airborne Divisions and the 1st and 4th Infantry Divisions with a mission of rapid deployment on short notice.
Vietnam War
![101st Airborne Division - Vietnam 01](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/27/101st_Airborne_Division_-_Vietnam_01.jpg)
On 29 July 1965, the 1st Brigade deployed to
II Corps,
South Vietnam
South Vietnam, officially the Republic of Vietnam ( vi, Việt Nam Cộng hòa), was a state in Southeast Asia that existed from 1955 to 1975, the period when the southern portion of Vietnam was a member of the Western Bloc during part of th ...
with the following units:
* 1st Battalion, 327th Infantry
* 2nd Battalion, 327th Infantry
* 2nd Battalion, 502nd Infantry
*
2nd Battalion, 320th Artillery
*
Troop A, 2nd Squadron 17th Cavalry
* 101st Support Battalion (Provisional)
* Company A, 326th Engineer Battalion
* Company D,
326th Medical Battalion
* Company B, 501st Signal Battalion
* 20th Chemical Detachment
* 181st Military Intelligence Detachment
* 406th Army Security Agency Detachment
From 1965 to 1967, the 1st Brigade operated independently as sort of a fire brigade and earned the reputation as being called the "Nomads of Vietnam." They fought in every area of South Vietnam from the
Demilitarized Zone
A demilitarized zone (DMZ or DZ) is an area in which treaties or agreements between nations, military powers or contending groups forbid military installations, activities, or personnel. A DZ often lies along an established frontier or bounda ...
up north all the way down the
Central Highlands.
In May 1967 the 1st Brigade operated as part of
Task Force Oregon
Task Force Oregon, was a United States Army division-sized unit composed of 3 separate infantry brigades, active in Quảng Ngãi and Quảng Tín Provinces, South Vietnam from April to September 1967 when it was redesignated the 23rd Infantry ...
.
[
Within the United States, the 101st, along with the ]82nd Airborne Division
The 82nd Airborne Division is an airborne infantry division of the United States Army specializing in parachute assault operations into denied areasSof, Eric"82nd Airborne Division" ''Spec Ops Magazine'', 25 November 2012. Archived from tho ...
, was sent in to quell the 1967 Detroit riot
The 1967 Detroit Riot, also known as the 12th Street Riot or Detroit Rebellion, was the bloodiest of the urban riots in the United States during the "Long, hot summer of 1967". Composed mainly of confrontations between Black residents and the De ...
.
The rest of the 101st was deployed to Vietnam in November 1967 and the 1st Brigade rejoined its parent division.[ The 101st was deployed in the northern ]I Corps I Corps, 1st Corps, or First Corps may refer to:
France
* 1st Army Corps (France)
* I Cavalry Corps (Grande Armée), a cavalry unit of the Imperial French Army during the Napoleonic Wars
* I Corps (Grande Armée), a unit of the Imperial French A ...
region, operating against the People's Army of Vietnam
The People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN; vi, Quân đội nhân dân Việt Nam, QĐNDVN), also recognized as the Vietnam People's Army (VPA) or the Vietnamese Army (), is the military force of the Vietnam, Socialist Republic of Vietnam and the ...
(PAVN) infiltration routes through Laos
Laos (, ''Lāo'' )), officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic ( Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ, French: République démocratique populaire lao), is a socialist ...
and the A Shau Valley
A, or a, is the first letter and the first vowel of the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''a'' (pronounced ), plural ''aes' ...
for most of the war. Notable among these were the Battle of Hamburger Hill
The Battle of Hamburger Hill (13–20 May 1969) was a battle of the Vietnam War that was fought by US Army and Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) forces against People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) forces during Operation Apache Snow. Though th ...
in 1969 and Firebase Ripcord in 1970.
The 101st Airborne were called the "Chicken Men" by the North Vietnamese because of their insignia. Enemy commanders are said to have warned their men to avoid the Chicken Men at all costs because they were sure to lose any engagement with them.
Tiger Force
Tiger Force
Tiger Force was the name of a long-range reconnaissance patrol unit of the 1st Battalion (Airborne), 327th Infantry, 1st Brigade (Separate), 101st Airborne Division, which fought in the Vietnam War from November 1965 to November 1967. The unit ...
was the nickname of a long-range reconnaissance patrol
A long-range reconnaissance patrol, or LRRP (pronounced "lurp"), is a small, well-armed reconnaissance team that patrols deep in enemy-held territory.Ankony, Robert C., ''Lurps: A Ranger's Diary of Tet, Khe Sanh, A Shau, and Quang Tri,'' revised ...
unit of the 1st Battalion (Airborne), 327th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade (Separate), 101st Airborne Division, which fought in the Vietnam War
The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...
. The platoon-sized unit, approximately 45 paratroopers
A paratrooper is a military parachutist—someone trained to parachute into a military operation, and usually functioning as part of an airborne force. Military parachutists (troops) and parachutes were first used on a large scale during Worl ...
, was founded by Colonel David Hackworth in November 1965 to "outguerrilla the guerrillas". Tiger Force (Recon) 1/327th was a highly decorated small unit in Vietnam, and paid for its reputation with heavy casualties. In October 1968, Tiger Force's parent battalion was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation by President Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon Baines Johnson (; August 27, 1908January 22, 1973), often referred to by his initials LBJ, was an American politician who served as the 36th president of the United States from 1963 to 1969. He had previously served as the 37th vice ...
, which included a mention of Tiger Force's service at Đắk Tô in June 1966.
The unit was accused of committing multiple war crimes. Investigators concluded that many of the war crimes indeed took place. Despite this, the Army decided not to pursue any prosecutions. By the end of the war, Tiger Force had killed approximately 1,000 enemy soldiers.
Lam Son 719
In 1971, elements of the division supported Operation Lam Son 719
Operation Lam Son 719 or 9th Route – Southern Laos Campaign ( vi, Chiến dịch Lam Sơn 719 or Chiến dịch đường 9 – Nam Lào) was a limited-objective offensive campaign conducted in the southeastern portion of the Kingdom of Laos ...
, the South Vietnamese invasion of southern Laos, but only aviation units actually entered Laos.
The division began withdrawing from South Vietnam on 15 May 1971 with the departure of the 3rd Battalion, 506th Infantry. Most major units of the Division had redeployed by January 1972.[
In the seven years that all or part of the division served in Vietnam it suffered 4,011 killed and 18,259 wounded in action. The division, during this time, participated in 12 separate campaigns and 17 of the division's Medal of Honor recipients are from this period of time – all this giving the 101st Airborne Division a combat record unmatched by any other division.]
Post-Vietnam
In 1968, the 101st took on the structure and equipment of an airmobile division. Following its return from Vietnam, the division was rebuilt with one brigade (3d) and supporting elements on jump status, using the assets of what had been the 173rd Airborne Brigade. The remaining two brigades and supporting units were organized as airmobile. With the exception of certain specialized units, such as the pathfinders and parachute riggers, in early 1974 the Army terminated jump status for the division. Concurrently the 101st introduced the Airmobile Badge (renamed later that year as the Air Assault Badge
The Air Assault Badge, U.S. Army Institute of Heraldry, dated 18 January 1978, last accessed 16 October 2020 is awarded by the U.S. Army for successful completion of the Air Assault School. The course includes three phases of instruction involving ...
), the design of which was based on the Glider Badge of World War II. Initially the badge was only authorized for wear while assigned to the division, but in 1978 the Army authorized it for service-wide wear. Soldiers continued to wear the garrison cap with glider patch, bloused boots, and the cloth wing oval behind their wings, as had division paratroopers before them. A blue beret
A blue beret is a blue-colored beret used by various (usually special) military and other organizations, notably the United Nations peacekeepers who are sometimes referred to as the Blue Berets.
Military forces
* Australian Army Aviation, Roya ...
was authorized for the division in March or April 1974 and worn until revoked at the end of 1979.[All American Legacy Podcast Ep 25 - The French Hat](_blank)
82nd Airborne Division Official YouTube Channel, dated 26 June 2017, last accessed 24 March 2020[On episode 25 of the All American Legacy Podcast, we mention the blue beret of the 101st Airborne Division in the 1970s. Well, here is the proof.](_blank)
82nd Airborne Division official Facebook page, dated 28 June 2017, last accessed 23 March 2020
The division also was authorized to wear a full color (white eagle) shoulder patch insignia instead of the subdued green eagle shoulder patch that was worn as a combat patch by soldiers who fought with the 101st in Vietnam. While serving with the 101st, it was also acceptable to wear a non-subdued patch as a combat patch, a distinction shared with the 1st and 5th Infantry divisions.
In the late 1970s, the division maintained one battalion on a rotating basis as the division ready force (DRF). The force was in place to respond to alerts for action anywhere in the world. After alert notification, troopers of the "hot" platoon/company, would be airborne, "wheels-up" within 30 minutes as the first responding unit. All other companies of the battalion would follow within one hour. Within 24 hours there would be one brigade deployed to the affected area, with the remainder of the division deploying as needed.
In September 1980, 1st Battalion, 502nd Infantry, 2nd Brigade, took part in Operation Bright Star
Exercise Bright Star is a series of combined and joint training exercises led by United States and Egyptian forces in Egypt held every two years. These exercises began in 1980, rooted in the 1977 Camp David Accords. After its signing, the Eg ...
'80, an exercise deployment to Egypt. In 1984, the command group formed a full-time team, the "Screaming Eagles", Command Parachute Demonstration Team. However the team traces its history to the late 1950s, during the infancy of precision free fall.
On 12 December 1985, a civilian aircraft, Arrow Air Flight 1285
Arrow Air Flight 1285R was an international charter flight carrying U.S. troops from Cairo, Egypt, to their home base in Fort Campbell, Kentucky, via Cologne, West Germany, and Gander, Newfoundland.
On the morning of Thursday, 12 December 1985 ...
, chartered to transport some of the division from peacekeeping duty with the Multinational Force and Observers
The Multinational Force and Observers (MFO) is an international peacekeeping force overseeing the terms of the peace treaty between Egypt and Israel. The MFO generally operates in and around the Sinai peninsula, ensuring free navigation through ...
on the Sinai Peninsula
The Sinai Peninsula, or simply Sinai (now usually ) (, , cop, Ⲥⲓⲛⲁ), is a peninsula in Egypt, and the only part of the country located in Asia. It is between the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Red Sea to the south, and is a l ...
to Kentucky, crashed just a short distance from Gander International Airport
Gander International Airport is located in Gander, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, and is operated by the Gander International Airport Authority. Canadian Forces Base Gander shares the airfield but is a separate entity from the airport. The ...
, Gander, Newfoundland
Newfoundland and Labrador (; french: Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador; frequently abbreviated as NL) is the easternmost province of Canada, in the country's Atlantic region. The province comprises the island of Newfoundland and the continental region ...
. All eight air crew members and 248 US servicemen died, most were from the 3d Battalion, 502d Infantry. investigators were unable to determine the exact sequence of events which led to the accident, but determined that the probable cause of the crash was the aircraft's unexpectedly high drag and reduced lift condition, most likely due to ice contamination on the wings' leading edges and upper surfaces, as well as underestimated onboard weight. A minority report
Minority Report may refer to:
* Minority report (Poor Law), published by the UK Royal Commission on the Poor Laws and Relief of Distress 1905–09
* "Minority Report", a 1949 science fiction short story by Theodore Sturgeon
* "The Minority Report ...
stated that the accident could have been caused by an onboard explosion of unknown origin prior to impact. At the time it was 17th most disastrous aviation accident in terms of fatalities. President Ronald Reagan and his wife Nancy traveled to Fort Campbell to comfort grieving family members.
On 8 March 1988, two U.S. Army Blackhawk helicopters assigned to the 101st Aviation Brigade collided while on a night training mission at Fort Campbell. All 17 soldiers aboard were killed. The dead included four helicopter crewmen and 13 members of the 502d Infantry Regiment. The Army's accident investigation attributed the crash to pilot error, aircraft design, and the limited field of view afforded pilots using night vision goggles (NVGs). Numerous improvements have been made in NVG technology since the accident occurred.
Air assault operations
In 1974, the 101st Airborne was reorganized as an air assault
Air assault is the movement of ground-based military forces by vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft—such as the helicopter—to seize and hold key terrain which has not been fully secured, and to directly engage enemy forces behind ...
division. The foundation of modern-day air assault operations was laid by the World War Two era German Fallschirmjäger
The ''Fallschirmjäger'' () were the paratrooper branch of the German Luftwaffe before and during World War II. They were the first German paratroopers to be committed in large-scale airborne operations. Throughout World War II, the commander ...
, Brandenburgers
The Brandenburgers (german: Brandenburger) were members of the Brandenburg German special forces unit during World War II.
Originally, the unit was formed by and operated as an extension of the military's intelligence organ, the '' Abwehr''. ...
, and the 22nd Air Landing Division glider borne paras. In 1941 the U.S. Army quickly adopted this concept of offensive operations initially utilizing wooden gliders before the development of helicopters. Air Assault operations consist of highly mobile teams covering extensive distances and engaging enemy forces behind enemy lines and often by surprise, as they are usually masked by darkness.
The 101st Airborne had earned a place in the U.S. Army's AirLand Battle
AirLand Battle was the overall conceptual framework that formed the basis of the US Army's European warfighting doctrine from 1982 into the late 1990s. AirLand Battle emphasized close coordination between land forces acting as an aggressively ...
doctrine. This doctrine is based on belief that initiative, depth, agility, and synchronization successfully complete a mission. First all soldiers are encouraged to take the initiative to seize and exploit opportunities to gain advantages over the enemy. Second, commanders are urged to utilize the entire depth of the battlefield and strike at rear targets that support frontline enemy troops. Third, agility requires commanders to strike the enemy quickly where most vulnerable and to respond to the enemy's strengths. Fourth, synchronization calls for the commander to maximize available combined arms firepower for critical targets to achieve the greatest effect.
Organization 1989
At the end of the Cold War
The Cold War is a term commonly used to refer to a period of geopolitical tension between the United States and the Soviet Union and their respective allies, the Western Bloc and the Eastern Bloc. The term '' cold war'' is used because the ...
the division was organized as follows:
* 101st Airborne Division, Fort Campbell
Fort Campbell is a United States Army installation located astride the Kentucky–Tennessee border between Hopkinsville, Kentucky and Clarksville, Tennessee (post address is located in Kentucky). Fort Campbell is home to the 101st Airborne Divi ...
, Kentucky
** Headquarters & Headquarters Company
** 1st Brigade
*** Headquarters & Headquarters Company
*** 1st Battalion, 327th Infantry
*** 2nd Battalion, 327th Infantry
*** 3rd Battalion, 327th Infantry
** 2nd Brigade
*** Headquarters & Headquarters Company
*** 1st Battalion, 502nd Infantry
The 502nd Infantry Regiment (502nd IR), previously titled the 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment (502nd PIR), is an infantry regiment of the United States Army. The regiment was established shortly after U.S. entry into World War II, and was ass ...
*** 2nd Battalion, 502nd Infantry
*** 3rd Battalion, 502nd Infantry
** 3rd Brigade
*** Headquarters & Headquarters Company
*** 1st Battalion, 187th Infantry
*** 2nd Battalion, 187th Infantry
*** 3rd Battalion, 187th Infantry
** Aviation Brigade
*** Headquarters & Headquarters Company
*** 2d Squadron, 17th Cavalry
The 15th Lancers (Baloch) is an armoured regiment of the Pakistan Army. It was formed in 1922 by the amalgamation of the 17th Cavalry and the 37th Lancers (Baluch Horse).Ahmad, Lt Col RN. (2010). ''Battle Honours of the Baloch Regiment''. Abbottab ...
(Reconnaissance)
*** 1st Battalion, 101st Aviation (Attack)
*** 2d Battalion, 101st Aviation (Inactive between 16 November 1988 and 16 August 1991)
*** 3d Battalion, 101st Aviation (Attack)
*** 4th Battalion, 101st Aviation (Assault)
*** 5th Battalion, 101st Aviation (Assault)
*** 6th Battalion, 101st Aviation (General Support)
*** 7th Battalion, 101st Aviation (Medium Lift)
*** 9th Battalion, 101st Aviation (Assault - constituted 16 December 1989)
** Division Artillery
Artillery is a class of heavy military ranged weapons that launch munitions far beyond the range and power of infantry firearms. Early artillery development focused on the ability to breach defensive walls and fortifications during siege ...
*** Headquarters & Headquarters Battery
*** 1st Battalion, 320th Field Artillery (18 × M102 105mm towed howitzer)
*** 2d Battalion, 320th Field Artillery (18 × M102 105mm towed howitzer)
*** 3d Battalion, 320th Field Artillery (18 × M102 105mm towed howitzer)
*** Battery C, 5th Battalion, 8th Field Artillery (attached 18th Field Artillery Brigade M198
The M198 is a medium-sized, towed 155 mm artillery piece, developed for service with the United States Army and Marine Corps. It was commissioned to be a replacement for the World War II-era M114 155 mm howitzer. It was designed and prototyped a ...
155mm towed howitzer unit)
** Division Support Command
As part of the early 21st century transformation of the United States Army from a division-based structure to a brigade-based army; the division support commands, corps support groups, and area support groups were inactivated and transformed to s ...
*** Headquarters & Headquarters Company
*** 326th Medical Battalion
*** 426th Supply & Transportation Battalion
*** 801st Maintenance Battalion
*** 8th Battalion, 101st Aviation (Maintenance)
** 2nd Battalion, 44th Air Defense Artillery
** 326th Engineer Battalion
3 (three) is a number, numeral and digit. It is the natural number following 2 and preceding 4, and is the smallest odd prime number and the only prime preceding a square number. It has religious or cultural significance in many societie ...
** 501st Signal Battalion
** 311th Military Intelligence Battalion
** 101st Military Police Company
** 63rd Chemical Company
** 101st Airborne Division Band
Gulf War
On 17 January 1991, the 101st Aviation Regiment fired the first shots of the war when eight AH-64
The Boeing AH-64 Apache () is an American twin-turboshaft attack helicopter with a tailwheel-type landing gear arrangement and a tandem cockpit for a crew of two. It features a nose-mounted sensor suite for target acquisition and night visi ...
helicopters successfully destroyed two Iraqi early warning radar sites. In February 1991, the 101st once again had its "Rendezvous with Destiny" in Iraq
Iraq,; ku, عێراق, translit=Êraq officially the Republic of Iraq, '; ku, کۆماری عێراق, translit=Komarî Êraq is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered by Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq ...
during the combat air assault into enemy territory. The 101st Airborne Division struck behind enemy lines. It was the deepest air assault operation in history.
Approximately 400 helicopters transported 2,000 soldiers into Iraq, where they destroyed Iraqi columns trying to flee westward and prevented the escape of Iraqi forces.[Anderson P.8] The Screaming Eagles would travel an additional into Iraq. By nightfall, the 101st had cut off Highway 8, which was a vital supply line running between Basra and the Iraqi forces. The 101st lost 16 soldiers in action during the 100-hour war and captured thousands of the enemy.
Humanitarian aid
The division has supported humanitarian relief efforts in Rwanda
Rwanda (; rw, u Rwanda ), officially the Republic of Rwanda, is a landlocked country in the Great Rift Valley of Central Africa, where the African Great Lakes region and Southeast Africa converge. Located a few degrees south of the Equator ...
and Somalia
Somalia, , Osmanya script: 𐒈𐒝𐒑𐒛𐒐𐒘𐒕𐒖; ar, الصومال, aṣ-Ṣūmāl officially the Federal Republic of SomaliaThe ''Federal Republic of Somalia'' is the country's name per Article 1 of thProvisional Constituti ...
, then later supplied peacekeepers to Haiti
Haiti (; ht, Ayiti ; French: ), officially the Republic of Haiti (); ) and formerly known as Hayti, is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean Sea, east of Cuba and Jamaica, and ...
and Bosnia
Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often known informally as Bosnia, is a country at the crossroads of south and southeast Europe, located in the Balkans. Bosnia and He ...
.
Kosovo
From February through August 2000, 3rd Brigade 1/187 deployed to Kosovo for peacekeeping operations as part of Task Force Falcon in support of Operation Joint Guardian
Operation or Operations may refer to:
Arts, entertainment and media
* Operation (game), ''Operation'' (game), a battery-operated board game that challenges dexterity
* Operation (music), a term used in musical set theory
* Operations (magazine ...
.
In August 2000, the 2nd Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, as well as some elements from the 502nd Infantry Regiment, helped secure the peace in Kosovo and support the October elections for the formation of the new Kosovo government. They were replaced in February 2001 with 2nd Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment along with 2nd Brigade HQ and elements of 3rd Battalion.
Montana forest fires
In September and October 2000, the 3rd Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, helped fight fires on the Bitterroot National Forest
Bitterroot National Forest comprises 1.587 million acres (6,423 km²) in west-central Montana and eastern Idaho, of the United States. It is located primarily in Ravalli County, Montana (70.26% of the forest), but also has acreage in Idaho ...
in Montana. Designated Task Force Battle Force and commanded by Lt. Col. Jon S. Lehr, the battalion fought fires throughout the surrounding areas of their Valley Complex near Darby, Montana.
Operation Enduring Freedom
The 101st Airborne (Air Assault) Division brigade performed counterinsurgency operations within Afghanistan, consisting mostly of raids, ambushes and patrolling. The 101st also performed combat air assaults throughout the operation.
The 2nd Brigade, "Strike", built around the 502d Infantry, was largely deployed to Kosovo on peacekeeping operations, with some elements of 3rd Battalion, 502nd, deploying after 9/11 as a security element in the U.S. CENTCOM
The United States Central Command (USCENTCOM or CENTCOM) is one of the eleven unified combatant commands of the U.S. Department of Defense. It was established in 1983, taking over the previous responsibilities of the Rapid Deployment Joint Tas ...
AOR with the Fort Campbell-based 5th Special Forces Group. They had been positioned in Jordan providing security for 5th SF Group's exercise prior to 9/11.
The division quickly deployed its 3rd Brigade, the 187th Infantry's ''Rakkasans'', as the first conventional unit to fight as part of Operation Enduring Freedom
Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) was the official name used synonymously by the U.S. government for both the War in Afghanistan (2001–2014) and the larger-scale Global War on Terrorism. On 7 October 2001, in response to the September 11 at ...
.
After an intense period of combat in rugged Shoh-I-Khot Mountains of eastern Afghanistan
Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is borde ...
during Operation Anaconda
Operation Anaconda was a military operation that took place in early March 2002 as part of the War in Afghanistan. CIA paramilitary officers, working with their allies, attempted to destroy al-Qaeda and Taliban forces. The operation took place ...
with elements of the 10th Mountain Division
The 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) is a light infantry division in the United States Army based at Fort Drum, New York. Formerly designated as a mountain warfare unit, the division was the only one of its size in the US military to re ...
, the ''Rakkasans'' redeployed to Fort Campbell only to find the 101st awaiting another deployment order. In 2008, the 101st 4th BCT Red and White "Currahee" including the 1st and the 2nd Battalions, 506th Infantry were deployed to Afghanistan. Elements of 1st Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment participated in joint operations with U.S. Army Special Forces
The United States Army Special Forces (SF), colloquially known as the "Green Berets" due to their distinctive service headgear, are a special operations force of the United States Army.
The Green Berets are geared towards nine doctrinal m ...
particularly in the Northern province of Kapisa in the outpost Forward Operating Base (FOB) Kutchsbach. Charlie Company, 2nd Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment performed joint operations with 5th Special Forces Group and 20th Special Forces Group in 2011. The 101st Combat Aviation Brigade deployed to Afghanistan as Task Force Destiny in early 2008 to Bagram Air Base. 159th Combat Aviation Brigade
The 159th Combat Aviation Brigade (CAB) formerly supported the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), and was stationed at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. While active, 159th CAB made the 101st Airborne Division the only US Army Division with two organic ...
deployed as Task Force Thunder for 12 months in early 2009, and again in early 2011.
In March 2010, the 101st Combat Aviation Brigade deployed again to Afghanistan as Task Force Destiny to Kandahar Airfield to be the aviation asset in southern Afghanistan.
Operation Iraqi Freedom
In 2003, Major General David H. Petraeus
David (; , "beloved one") (traditional spelling), , ''Dāwūd''; grc-koi, Δαυΐδ, Dauíd; la, Davidus, David; gez , ዳዊት, ''Dawit''; xcl, Դաւիթ, ''Dawitʿ''; cu, Давíдъ, ''Davidŭ''; possibly meaning "beloved one". w ...
("Eagle 6") led the Screaming Eagles to war during the 2003 invasion of Iraq
The 2003 invasion of Iraq was a United States-led invasion of the Republic of Iraq and the first stage of the Iraq War. The invasion phase began on 19 March 2003 (air) and 20 March 2003 (ground) and lasted just over one month, including 26 ...
(Operation Iraqi Freedom
{{Infobox military conflict
, conflict = Iraq War {{Nobold, {{lang, ar, حرب العراق (Arabic) {{Nobold, {{lang, ku, شەڕی عێراق (Kurdish languages, Kurdish)
, partof = the Iraq conflict (2003–present), I ...
). General Petraeus led the division into Iraq saying, "Guidons, Guidons. This is Eagle 6. The 101st Airborne Division's next Rendezvous with Destiny is North to Baghdad. Op-Ord Desert Eagle 2 is now in effect. Godspeed. Air Assault. Out."
The division was in V Corps 5th Corps, Fifth Corps, or V Corps may refer to:
France
* 5th Army Corps (France)
* V Cavalry Corps (Grande Armée), a cavalry unit of the Imperial French Army during the Napoleonic Wars
* V Corps (Grande Armée), a unit of the Imperial French Ar ...
, providing support to the 3rd Infantry Division by clearing Iraqi strongpoints which that division had bypassed. 3rd Battalion, 187th Infantry (3rd Brigade) was attached to 3rd Infantry Division and was the main effort in clearing Saddam International Airport. The division then served as part of the occupation forces of Iraq, using the city of Mosul
Mosul ( ar, الموصل, al-Mawṣil, ku, مووسڵ, translit=Mûsil, Turkish: ''Musul'', syr, ܡܘܨܠ, Māwṣil) is a major city in northern Iraq, serving as the capital of Nineveh Governorate. The city is considered the second large ...
as their primary base of operations. 1st and 2d Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment (1st Brigade) oversaw the remote airfield Qayarrah West south of Mosul. The 502d Infantry Regiment (2d Brigade) and 3d Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment were responsible for Mosul itself while the 187th Infantry Regiment (3d Brigade) controlled Tal Afar
Tal Afar ( ar, تَلْعَفَر, Talʿafar, ) is a city in the Nineveh Governorate of northwestern Iraq, located 63 km (39 mi) west of Mosul, 52 km (32 mi) east of Sinjar[Battle of Karbala
The Battle of Karbala ( ar, مَعْرَكَة كَرْبَلَاء) was fought on 10 October 680 (10 Muharram in the year 61 AH of the Islamic calendar) between the army of the second Umayyad Caliph Yazid I and a small army led by Husayn ...]
. The city had been bypassed during the advance on Baghdad, leaving American units to clear it in two days of street fighting against Iraqi irregular forces. The 101st Airborne was supported by the 2nd Battalion, 70th Armor Regiment
The 70th Armor Regiment is an armored (tank) unit of the United States Army. It was constituted as the 70th Tank Battalion in July 1940, an independent tank battalion intended to provide close support to infantry units. In this role, it saw acti ...
with Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 41st Infantry Regiment, 1st Armored Division. The 3d Battalion, 502d Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division was awarded a Valorous Unit Award
The Valorous Unit Award (VUA) is the second highest United States Army unit decoration which may be bestowed upon an Army unit after the Presidential Unit Citation (PUC). The VUA is awarded by the United States Army to units of the United State ...
for their combat performance.
On the afternoon of 22 July 2003, troops of the 101st Airborne 3/327th Infantry HQ and C-Company, aided by U.S. Special Forces killed Qusay Hussein, his 14-year-old son Mustapha, and his older brother Uday, during a raid on a home in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul
Mosul ( ar, الموصل, al-Mawṣil, ku, مووسڵ, translit=Mûsil, Turkish: ''Musul'', syr, ܡܘܨܠ, Māwṣil) is a major city in northern Iraq, serving as the capital of Nineveh Governorate. The city is considered the second large ...
. After Task Force 121 members were wounded, the 3/327th Infantry surrounded and fired on the house with a TOW missile
The BGM-71 TOW ("Tube-launched, Optically tracked, Wire-guided") is an American anti-tank missile. TOW replaced much smaller missiles like the SS.10 and ENTAC, offering roughly twice the effective range, a more powerful warhead, and a greatly ...
, Mark 19 Automatic Grenade Launcher
The Mk 19 grenade launcher (pronounced Mark 19) is an American 40 mm belt-fed automatic grenade launcher that was first developed during the Vietnam War.
Overview
The Mk 19 is a belt-fed, blowback-operated, air-cooled, crew-serve ...
, M2 50 Caliber Machine guns and small arms. After about four hours of battle (the whole operation lasted 6 hours), the soldiers entered the house and found four dead, including the two brothers and their bodyguard. There were reports that Qusay's 14-year-old son Mustapha was the fourth body found. Brig. Gen. Frank Helmick
Frank Helmick is a retired United States Army lieutenant general. He is the former commanding general of the XVIII Airborne Corps. From February to December 2011, he additionally served as the deputy commanding general for operations, United State ...
, the assistant commander of 101st Airborne, commented that all occupants of the house died during the fierce gun battle before U.S. troops entered.
Once replaced by the first operational Stryker
The Stryker is a family of eight-wheeled armored fighting vehicles derived from the Canadian LAV III. Stryker vehicles are produced by General Dynamics Land Systems-Canada (GDLS-C) for the United States Army in a plant in London, Ontario. It ...
Brigade, the 101st was withdrawn in early 2004 for rest and refit. As part of the Army's modular transformation, the existing infantry brigades, artillery brigade, and aviation brigades were transformed. The Army also activated the 4th Brigade Combat Team
The brigade combat team (BCT) is the basic deployable unit of maneuver in the U.S. Army. A brigade combat team consists of one combat arms branch maneuver brigade, and its assigned support and fire units. A brigade is normally commanded by a ...
, which includes the 1st and 2nd Battalions, 506th Infantry Regiment and subordinate units. Both battalions were part of the 101st in Vietnam but saw their colors inactivated during an Army-wide reflagging of combat battalions in the 1980s.
As of December 2007, 143 members of the division have died while on service in Iraq.
Second deployment to Iraq
The division's second deployment to Iraq began in the late summer of 2005. The division headquarters replaced the 42d Infantry Division, which had been directing security operations as the headquarters for Task Force Liberty. Renamed Task Force Band of Brothers, the 101st assumed responsibility on 1 November 2005 for four provinces in north central Iraq: Salah ad Din, As Sulymaniyah.
During the second deployment, 2d and 4th Brigades of the 101st Airborne Division were assigned to conduct security operations under the command of Task Force Baghdad, led initially by 3d Infantry Division, which was replaced by 4th Infantry Division. The 1st Battalion of the 506th Infantry (4th Brigade) was separated from the division and served with the Marines in Ramadi, in the Al Anbar province. 3d Brigade was assigned to Salah ad Din and Bayji
Baiji ( ar, بَيْجِي, Bayjī; also spelled Bayji) is a city of about 173,677 inhabitants in northern Iraq. It is located some 130 miles (209 km) north of Baghdad, on the main road to Mosul. It is a major industrial centre best known for its ...
sectors and 1st Brigade was assigned to the overall Kirkuk
Kirkuk ( ar, كركوك, ku, کەرکووک, translit=Kerkûk, , tr, Kerkük) is a city in Iraq, serving as the capital of the Kirkuk Governorate, located north of Baghdad. The city is home to a diverse population of Turkmens, Arabs, Kurds, ...
province which included Hawijah.
Task Force Band of Brothers' primary mission during its second deployment to Iraq was the training of Iraqi security forces. When the 101st returned to Iraq, there were no Iraqi units capable of assuming the lead for operations against Iraqi and foreign terrorists. As the division concluded its tour, 33 battalions were in the lead for security in assigned areas, and two of four Iraq divisions in northern Iraq were commanding and controlling subordinate units.
Simultaneously with training Iraqi soldiers and their leaders, 101st soldiers conducted numerous security operations against terrorist cells operating in the division's assigned, six-province area of operations. Operation Swarmer
Operation Swarmer was a joint U.S-Iraqi air assault offensive targeting insurgents in Salahuddin province, near the central city of Samarra, Iraq.
According to the US military, it was the largest air assault in Iraq since the U.S. invasion in ...
was the largest air assault operation conducted in Iraq since 22 April 2003. 1st Brigade conducted Operation Scorpion with Iraqi units near Kirkuk.
Developing other aspects of Iraqi society also figured in 101st operations in Iraq. Division commander Major General
Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...
Thomas Turner hosted the first governors' conference for the six provinces in the division's area of operations, as well as the neighboring province of Erbil.
Return to Afghanistan
While the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Brigade Combat Teams were deployed to Iraq 2007–2008, the division headquarters, 4th Brigade Combat Team, the 101st Sustainment Brigade, and the 101st Combat Aviation Brigade
The Combat Aviation Brigade, 101st Airborne Division is a Combat Aviation Brigade (CAB) of the United States Army. It was first organized in July 1968 as an aviation group and stands as the most decorated aviation unit in the United States Army. ...
followed by the 159th Combat Aviation Brigade
The 159th Combat Aviation Brigade (CAB) formerly supported the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), and was stationed at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. While active, 159th CAB made the 101st Airborne Division the only US Army Division with two organic ...
were deployed to Afghanistan for one-year tours falling within the 2007–09 window.
2010 Afghanistan
The Division Headquarters, 101st Combat Aviation Brigade
The Combat Aviation Brigade, 101st Airborne Division is a Combat Aviation Brigade (CAB) of the United States Army. It was first organized in July 1968 as an aviation group and stands as the most decorated aviation unit in the United States Army. ...
, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 2d Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, and 4th Brigade Combat Team, and the 101st Sustainment Brigade deployed to Afghanistan in 2010. This is the first time since returning from Iraq in 2006 where all four infantry brigades (plus one CAB, SUSBDE) have served in the same combat theater.
On 15 September 2010, the 101st Airborne began a major operation known as Operation Dragon Strike
Operation Dragon Strike was a NATO counter-insurgency, counter-insurgent mission in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, against Taliban forces, which started on September 15, 2010.
Planning
The aim of the operation was to reclaim the strategic sout ...
. The aim of the operation was to reclaim the strategic southern province of Kandahar, which was the birthplace of the Taliban movement. The area where the operation took place has been dubbed "The Heart of Darkness" by Coalition troops.
By the end of December 2010, the operation's main objectives had been accomplished. The majority of Taliban forces in Kandahar had withdrawn from the province, and much of their leadership was said to have been fractured.
As of 5 June 2011, 131 soldiers had been killed during this deployment, the highest death toll to the 101st Airborne in any single deployment since the Vietnam War.
2011 Afghanistan
The 2nd Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division conducted a major combat operation in Barawala Kalay Valley, Kunar Province, Afghanistan in late March–April 2011. It is known as the Battle of Barawala Kalay Valley. It was an operation to close down the Taliban supply route through the Barawala Kalay Valley and to remove the forces of Taliban warlord Qari Ziaur Rahman
Qari Ziaur Rahman is a citizen of Afghanistan who is reported to be a leader of the Taliban's and al-Qaeda's leadership.
He was believed to have been killed in March 2011 during an attack on militants by the Pakistani military, however Ziaur Ra ...
from the Barwala Kalay Valley. The 2nd Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division would suffer 6 killed and 7 wounded during combat operations. It would inflict over 100 casualties on the Taliban and successfully close down the Taliban supply route. ABC News correspondent Mike Boettcher
Mike Boettcher (born 1954) is an American journalist and war correspondent. He is often embedded in Iraq and Afghanistan. He is also a visiting professor at the University of Oklahoma. Reporting from Key West, Florida on June 1, 1980 about the M ...
was on scene and he called it the fiercest fighting he has ever seen in his 30 years of being in war zones.
Since the beginning of Operation Enduring Freedom 166 101st Airborne soldiers have died while serving in Iraq.
Operation United Assistance
In 2014, the 101st Airborne Division Headquarters deployed to west Africa to help contain the spread of Ebola, as part of Operation United Assistance
Operation United Assistance was a 2014 United States military mission to help combat the Ebola virus epidemic in West Africa, including the part of the epidemic occurring in Liberia. The 101st Airborne Division headquarters was responsible for le ...
.
Earlier in April 2014, 4th Brigade Combat Team had been inactivated as part of the Army's 2020 BCT restructuring program.
5th Special Forces Group
In 2015, 5th Special Forces Group held five training sessions with the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division. The classes covered communications and the operation of all-terrain vehicles. There was also a training session on the operation of TOW missiles. Prior to these sessions training between U.S. Special Forces and U.S. conventional forces had been uncommon.
2016 Iraq
The U.S. Army sent 500 soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) to Iraq and Kuwait in early 2016 to advise and assist Iraqi Security Forces.
In the recent conflicts the 101st Airborne has been increasingly involved conducting special operations
Special operations (S.O.) are military activities conducted, according to NATO, by "specially designated, organized, selected, trained, and equipped forces using unconventional techniques and modes of employment". Special operations may include ...
especially the training and development of other states' military and security forces and counter-terrorism operations. This is known in the special operations community as foreign internal defense
Foreign internal defense (FID) is a term used by the military in several countries, including the United States, France, and the United Kingdom, to describe an integrated, and possibly multi-country, approach to combating actual or threatened i ...
and counter-terrorism
Counterterrorism (also spelled counter-terrorism), also known as anti-terrorism, incorporates the practices, military tactics, techniques, and strategies that governments, law enforcement, business, and intelligence agencies use to combat or el ...
. It was announced 14 January 2016 that soldiers of the 101st Airborne would be assigned rotations in Iraq, to train members of the Iraqi ground forces in preparation for action against the Islamic State. Defense Secretary
The United States secretary of defense (SecDef) is the head of the United States Department of Defense, the executive department of the U.S. Armed Forces, and is a high ranking member of the federal cabinet. DoDD 5100.1: Enclosure 2: a The s ...
Ash Carter
Ashton Baldwin Carter (September 24, 1954 – October 24, 2022) was an American government official and academic who served as the 25th United States Secretary of Defense from February 2015 to January 2017. He later served as director of the Be ...
told the 101st Airborne that "The Iraqi and Peshmerga forces you will train, advise and assist have proven their determination, their resiliency, and increasingly, their capability. But they need you to continue building on that success, preparing them for the fight today and the long hard fight for their future. They need your skill. They need your experience."
In Spring 2016, 200 soldiers from 1st Battalion, 320th Field Artillery Regiment replaced a unit of the 26th MEU at Firebase Bell
Kara Soar Base was an American fire support base in northern Iraq.
History
In early 2016 in support of a planned Iraqi offensive against ISIS-held Mosul, US forces established a firebase called Bell, approximately 15 miles from ISIS lines. 200 U ...
; they used M777 155mm howitzers to provide support to Iraqi forces attacking IS-occupied villages between Makhmour and Mosul. 500 soldiers from the division's headquarters, including its commander Major General Gary J. Volesky, and about 1,300 soldiers from 2nd Brigade Combat Team also deployed to Iraq in the Spring.
On 26 June 2016, it was announced that Iraq had successfully taken back full control of Fallujah from the Islamic State of Iraq
The Islamic State of Iraq (ISI; ar, دولة العراق الإسلامية '), commonly referred to as al-Qaeda in Iraq ( ar, القاعدة في العراق '), is a militant Salafist jihadist group that aimed to establish an Islamic sta ...
(ISIS). Iraqi ground troops have been under the direction of the 101st Airborne since early 2016. In summer 2016, Stars and Stripes reported that about 400 soldiers from 2nd Brigade Combat Team will deploy to Iraq as part of 11 July 2016 announcement by Defense Secretary Ash Carter of the presidential approved deployment of an additional 560 U.S. troops to Iraq to help establish and run a logistics hub at Qayyarah Airfield West
Qayyarah Airfield West ( ar, قاعدة القيارة الجوية) is an Iraqi Air Force base in the Qayyarah subdistrict of Mosul District in northern Iraq. It was captured by U.S. Army during Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003. It was also known ...
, about 40 miles south Mosul, to support Iraqi and coalition troops in the Battle of Mosul.
On 26 August 2016, an article from the website War is Boring shows a photo of a 101st Airborne Division M777 howitzer
The M777 howitzer is a British towed 155 mm artillery piece in the howitzer class. It is used by the ground forces of Australia, Canada, Colombia, India, Saudi Arabia, Ukraine, and the United States. It was first used in combat during the US w ...
crew conducting fire missions during an operation to support Iraqi forces at Kara Soar Base in Iraq on 7 August 2016. The article also confirms that American artillery has been supporting Iraqi forces during its campaign against ISIS.
On 31 August 2016, Clarksville Online reported U.S. soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, Task Force Strike, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), took charge of a Ranger training program for qualified volunteers from Iraqi security forces at Camp Taji
Camp Taji , also known as Camp Cooke, is a military installation used by Iraqi and Multinational force in Iraq, Coalition forces near Taji, Iraq, Taji, Baghdad Governorate, Iraq. The camp is located in a rural region approximately north of the c ...
, Iraq. The Ranger training program, led by Company A, 1–502nd, is designed to lay the foundation for an elite Iraqi unit.
On 21 September 2016, an article from The Leaf Chronicle reported that Battery C, 1st Battalion, 320th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division
had been successfully conducting artillery raids against the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant. Battery C is said to have executed hundreds of missions and fired thousands of rounds in support of ISF operations since arriving in theatre in late May.
On 17 October 2016, an article from The Leaf Chronicle stated that the 101st Airborne was leading a coalition of 19 nations to support the liberation of Mosul from ISIL. Under the direction of the 101st Iraqi forces have taken back a significant amount of geography from the control of ISIS. This included the liberation of Hit
Hit means to strike someone or something.
Hit or HIT may also refer to:
Arts, entertainment and media Fictional entities
* Hit, a fictional character from '' Dragon Ball Super''
* Homicide International Trust, or HIT, a fictional organization ...
, Fallujah
Fallujah ( ar, ٱلْفَلُّوجَة, al-Fallūjah, Iraqi pronunciation: ) is a city in the Iraqi province of Al Anbar, located roughly west of Baghdad on the Euphrates. Fallujah dates from Babylonian times and was host to important Jew ...
, and Qayyarah.
On 3 November 2016, it was reported that U.S. Army combat engineers were seen just west of the Great Zab River about halfway between the Kurdish city of Irbil and Mosul. They were searching for improvised bombs. They were wearing 101st Airborne Division patches. The soldiers said they were not allowed to talk to the media.
On 17 November 2016, sources reported that the 101st Airborne Division was headed home after a nine-month deployment to Iraq. Over the course of nine months, soldiers from the 101st Airborne helped train the Iraqi government's security forces. They taught marksmanship, basic battlefield medical care and ways to detect and disarm improvised explosive devices. The division helped authorize 6,900 strikes, meant to destroy ISIS hideouts and staging areas. The 101st Airborne played a significant role in the liberation of several Iraqi cities during this deployment.
Operation Freedom's Sentinel
On 6 September 2016, the U.S. Army announced it will deploy about 1,400 soldiers from 3rd Brigade Combat Team to Afghanistan in fall 2016, in support of "Operation Freedom's Sentinel" – the U.S. counter-terrorism operation against the remnants of al-Qaeda, ISIS–K and other terror groups, as part of the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)
The War in Afghanistan was an armed conflict that began when an Participants in Operation Enduring Freedom, international military coalition led by the United States launched United States invasion of Afghanistan, an invasion of Afghanistan, ...
. Senior leadership referred to the 3rd Brigade Combat Team as being exceptional. Brig. Gen. Scott Brower stated that the Rakkasans are trained, well-led, and prepared to accomplish any mission given to them. During this deployment three Soldiers from 1/187, 3rd Brigade Combat Team died as a result of an insider attack by an Afghan Soldier.
Operation Inherent Resolve
In May 2016, the brigade, deployed to advise and assist, train and equip Iraqi security forces to fight the Islamic State of Iraq. The 2nd Brigade also conducted precision surface-to-surface fires and supported a multitude of intelligence and logistical operations for coalition and Iraqi forces. They also provided base security throughout more than 12 areas of operations. The Brigade also aided in the clearance of ISIS from Fallujah, the near elimination of suicide attacks in Baghdad, and the introduction of improved tactics that liberated more than 100 towns and villages. The 2nd Brigade also played a significant role in the liberation of Mosul.
Somali Civil War (2009–present)
In mid-April 2017, it was reported that 40 soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division were deployed to Somalia on 2 April 2017 to improve the capabilities of the Somali Army
The Somali National Army ( Somali: ''Xooga Dalka Soomaaliyeed,'' lit. ''"Somali Ground Forces"'') is the ground forces component of the Somali Armed Forces, and is the largest out of the three service branches that make up the majority of the A ...
in combating Islamist militants. AFRICOM
The United States Africa Command (USAFRICOM, U.S. AFRICOM, and AFRICOM), is one of the eleven unified combatant commands of the United States Department of Defense, headquartered at Kelley Barracks, Stuttgart, Germany. It is responsible for U ...
stated that the troops will focus on bolstering the Somali army's logistics capabilities; an AFRICOM spokesman said that "This mission is not associated with teaching counterextremism tactics" and that the Somali government requested the training.
Operation Atlantic Resolve
In June 2022, Headquarters, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) and the 2nd Brigade Combat Team rotated in to the U.S. Army V Corps' mission to reinforce NATO’s eastern flank and engage in multinational exercises with partners across the European continent in order to reassure allies and deter further Russian aggression during its invasion of Ukraine
The territory of present-day Ukraine has been Invasion, invaded or Military occupation, occupied a number of times throughout History of Ukraine, its history.
List
See also
*List of invasions
*List of wars involving Ukraine
References
...
. The 101st soldiers deploying to Mihail Kogălniceanu
Mihail Kogălniceanu (; also known as Mihail Cogâlniceanu, Michel de Kogalnitchan; September 6, 1817 – July 1, 1891) was a Romanian liberal statesman, lawyer, historian and publicist; he became Prime Minister of Romania on October 11, 1863, ...
in June did not represent additional U.S. forces in Europe, but are taking the place of soldiers assigned to 82nd Airborne Division Headquarters and the 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team of the 82nd Airborne Division. In all, approximately 4700 soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division are scheduled to deploy to locations across Europe.
On 30 July 2022, the Headquarters, 101st Airborne Division and 2nd Brigade Combat Team uncased their colors and conducted an air assault demonstration at the 57th Air Base "Mihail Kogălniceanu" together with the 9th Mechanized Brigade of the Romanian Armed Forces
The Land Forces, Air Force and Naval Forces of Romania are collectively known as the Romanian Armed Forces ( ro, Forțele Armate Române or ''Armata Română''). The current Commander-in-chief is Lieutenant General Daniel Petrescu who is managed ...
. The event was attended by Maj. Gen. Joseph P. McGee and the Prime Minister of Romania
The prime minister of Romania ( ro, Prim-ministrul României), officially the prime minister of the Government of Romania ( ro, Prim-ministrul Guvernului României, link=no), is the head of the Government of Romania. Initially, the office was s ...
, Nicolae Ciucă
Nicolae Ionel Ciucă (; born 7 February 1967) is a Romanian politician and retired General officer, general of the Romanian Land Forces. Ideologically a Conservatism, conservative, he has been serving as Prime Minister of Romania since 25 Novemb ...
.
Honors
Campaign participation credit
*
World War I (2nd and 3rd Brigades only):
# Hundred Days Offensive
The Hundred Days Offensive (8 August to 11 November 1918) was a series of massive Allies of World War I, Allied offensives that ended the First World War. Beginning with the Battle of Amiens (1918), Battle of Amiens (8–12 August) on the Wester ...
(also known as the Battle of Saint-Quentin or the Second Battle of the Somme);
# Meuse-Argonne Offensive;
# Picardy 1918
*
World War II (except 159th Aviation Brigade):
# Normandy
Normandy (; french: link=no, Normandie ; nrf, Normaundie, Nouormandie ; from Old French , plural of ''Normant'', originally from the word for "northman" in several Scandinavian languages) is a geographical and cultural region in Northwestern ...
(with arrowhead);
# Rhineland (with arrowhead);
# Ardennes
The Ardennes (french: Ardenne ; nl, Ardennen ; german: Ardennen; wa, Årdene ; lb, Ardennen ), also known as the Ardennes Forest or Forest of Ardennes, is a region of extensive forests, rough terrain, rolling hills and ridges primarily in Be ...
-Alsace
Alsace (, ; ; Low Alemannic German/ gsw-FR, Elsàss ; german: Elsass ; la, Alsatia) is a cultural region and a territorial collectivity in eastern France, on the west bank of the upper Rhine next to Germany and Switzerland. In 2020, it had ...
;
# Central Europe
*
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...
(Except 159th Aviation Brigade):
# Defense (1st Brigade only);
# Counteroffensive (1st Brigade only);
# Counteroffensive, Phase II (1st Brigade only)
# Counteroffensive, Phase III;
# Tet Counteroffensive;
# Counteroffensive, Phase IV;
# Counteroffensive, Phase V;
# Counteroffensive, Phase VI;
# Tet 1969/Counteroffensive;
# Summer-Fall 1969;
# Winter-Spring 1970;
# Sanctuary Counteroffensive;
# Counteroffensive, Phase VII;
# Consolidation I;
# Consolidation II
*
Southwest Asia (Except 159th Aviation Brigade):
# Defense of Saudi Arabia;
# Liberation and Defense of Kuwait
*
Haiti
*
Afghanistan
*
Iraq
Decorations
*
Presidential Unit Citation (Army) for NORMANDY (Division and 1st Brigade only)
*
Presidential Unit Citation (Army) for BASTOGNE (Division and 1st Brigade only)
*
Presidential Unit Citation (Army) for DAK TO, VIETNAM 1966 (1st Brigade only)
*
Presidential Unit Citation (Army) for DONG AP BIA MOUNTAIN (3rd Brigade only)
*
Presidential Unit Citation (Army) for AFGHANISTAN 2010–2011 (2nd Brigade only)
* ![Joint_Meritorious_Unit_Award_ribbon](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/98/Joint_Meritorious_Unit_Award_ribbon.svg)
Joint Meritorious Unit Commendation
The Joint Meritorious Unit Award (JMUA) is a US military award that was established on June 4, 1981, by Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger and was implemented by Department of Defense Directive 1348.27 dated July 22, 1982. The Joint Meritori ...
for Afghanistan 2008–2009 (5–101 AVN only)
*
Joint Meritorious Unit Award for Haiti Operation Uphold Democracy (101st MP CO only)
* ![Valorous Unit Award ribbon](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5a/Valorous_Unit_Award_ribbon.svg)
Valorous Unit Award
The Valorous Unit Award (VUA) is the second highest United States Army unit decoration which may be bestowed upon an Army unit after the Presidential Unit Citation (PUC). The VUA is awarded by the United States Army to units of the United State ...
for THUA THIEN PROVINCE (3rd Brigade and DIVARTY only)
*
Valorous Unit Award for TUY HOA (1st Brigade only)
*
Valorous Unit Award for AN NAJAF (1st Brigade only)
*
Valorous Unit Award for AFGHANISTAN 2010 (3rd Brigade only)
*
Valorous Unit Award for AFGHANISTAN 2010–2011 (2nd Brigade only)
*
Navy/Marine Unit Commendation (Army) for Iraq 2005–2006 (4th Brigade only)
* ![Meritorious Unit Commendation ribbon](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d3/Meritorious_Unit_Commendation_ribbon.svg)
Meritorious Unit Commendation
The Meritorious Unit Commendation (MUC; pronounced ''muck'') is a mid-level unit award of the United States Armed Forces. The U.S. Army awards units the Army MUC for exceptionally meritorious conduct in performance of outstanding achievement or s ...
(Army) for VIETNAM 1965–1966 (1st Brigade only)
*
Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army) for VIETNAM 1968 (3rd Brigade only)
*
Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army) for SOUTHWEST ASIA (Except 159th Aviation Brigade)
*
Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army) for Iraq 2003–2004 (Division)
*
Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army) for IRAQ 2003–2004 (1st Brigade only)
*
Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army) for IRAQ 2005–2006 (4th Brigade only)
*
French Croix de guerre with Palm, World War II for NORMANDY (Division and 1st Brigade only)
*
Belgian Croix de guerre 1940 with Palm for BASTOGNE (Division and 1st Brigade only);
* Cited in the Order of the Day of the Belgian Army for action at BASTOGNE (Division and 1st Brigade only)
* Belgian Fourragère
The ''fourragère'' () is a military award, distinguishing military units as a whole, in the form of a braided cord. The award was first adopted by France, followed by other nations such as the Netherlands, Belgium, Portugal, and Luxembourg. Fou ...
1944 (Division and 1st Brigade Only)
* Cited in the Order of the Day of the Belgian Army for action in FRANCE AND BELGIUM (Division and 1st Brigade only)
*
Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm for VIETNAM 1966–1967 (1st Brigade only)
*
Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm for VIETNAM 1968 (2d Brigade only)
*
Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm for VIETNAM 1968–1969 (Except 159th Aviation Brigade)
*
Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm for VIETNAM 1971 (Except 159th Aviation Brigade)
*
Republic of Vietnam Civil Action Honor Medal, First Class for VIETNAM 1968–1970 (Except 159th Aviation Brigade)
*
Republic of Vietnam Civil Action Honor Medal, First Class for VIETNAM 1970 (DIVARTY only)
Notable members
* Naser Jason Abdo
Naser Jason Abdo (born April 1, 1990) is an American former United States Army private first class who was arrested in 2011 for attempting to commit a terrorist attack against a restaurant frequented by soldiers from Fort Hood, Texas. He was co ...
– Convicted on charges related to an attempted attack on Ft. Hood soldiers while AWOL
* Ed Austin
T. Edward "Ed" Austin Jr. (July 15, 1926 – April 23, 2011) was an American politician and attorney. He served as mayor of Jacksonville, Florida from 1991 to 1995. He also served as the first Public Defender for Florida's Fourth Judicial Circ ...
– Florida politician and lawyer
* Frank K. Berry
Frank Kimball Berry (June 15, 1945 – June 6, 2016) was an American chess administrator with the rank of International Arbiter and Organizer. He was also a magician, historian, and banker from Stillwater, Oklahoma. He was best known for spons ...
– Chess administrator and FIDE arbiter
* Joseph Beyrle
Joseph R. Beyrle (russian: Джозеф Вильямович Байерли; romanized: ''Dzhozef Vilyamovich Bayyerli''; August 25, 1923 – December 12, 2004) is the only known American soldier to have served in combat with both the United Stat ...
– The only American soldier to have served with both the United States Army and the Soviet Army in World War II
* John R. Block – Secretary of Agriculture
The United States secretary of agriculture is the head of the United States Department of Agriculture. The position carries similar responsibilities to those of agriculture ministers in other governments.
The department includes several organi ...
under Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan ( ; February 6, 1911June 5, 2004) was an American politician, actor, and union leader who served as the 40th president of the United States from 1981 to 1989. He also served as the 33rd governor of California from 1967 ...
* Allen M. Burdett Jr.
Allen Mitchell Burdett Jr. (25 August 1921 – 8 July 1980) was a United States Army Lieutenant general (United States), lieutenant general.
Early life
Burdett was born in Washington, D.C. on August 25, 1921 to Allen Sr. and Margaret Burdett. ...
served as the Assistant Division Commander from 1968 to 1969.
* Donald Burgett
Donald R. Burgett (April 5, 1925 – March 23, 2017) was a writer and a former World War II paratrooper. He was among the Airborne troopers who landed in Normandy early on the morning of D-Day. He was a member of the 101st Airborne Division, (" ...
– Author of four books on his experiences as a paratrooper during World War II
* Richard Chaves
__NOTOC__
Richard John Chaves is an American character actor.
Biography
Career
Chaves helped write the critically acclaimed stage drama ''Tracers''. In the early 1980s, he began work as an actor taking on various soap opera roles until he gai ...
– American actor born in 1951
* Blake Clark
Blake Clark (born February 2, 1946) is an American actor and stand-up comedian. He is best known as Chet Hunter on ''Boy Meets World'' and Harry "The Hardware Store Guy" on ''Home Improvement''. Clark has voiced Slinky Dog in the ''Toy Story'' f ...
– American actor
* Bryan Isaack Clyde – Attempted mass shooter
* Robert G. Cole
Lieutenant Colonel Robert George Cole (March 19, 1915 – September 18, 1944) was an American soldier who received the Medal of Honor for his actions in the days following the D-Day Normandy invasion of World War II.
Early U.S. Army career ...
– World War II Medal of Honor recipient
* Tom Cotton
Thomas Bryant Cotton (born May 13, 1977) is an American politician, attorney, and former military officer serving as the junior United States senator for Arkansas since 2015. A member of the Republican Party, he served in the U.S. House of R ...
– Arkansas politician, current junior U.S. Senator from Arkansas
* Randy Couture
Randall Duane Couture (; born June 22, 1963) is an American actor, former United States Army, U.S. Army sergeant, former mixed martial arts, mixed martial artist and former Collegiate wrestling, collegiate and Greco-Roman wrestling, Greco-Roman ...
– MMA fighter and coach
* Fred Dailey
Fred L. Dailey (born 1946) is a former director of the Ohio Department of Agriculture, and was the Republican nominee for U.S. Congress in Ohio's 18th congressional district. He lost the November 2008 general election by a 40.21%-59.79% margito D ...
– Ohio politician
* Mark Esper
Mark Thomas Esper (born April 26, 1964) is an American politician and manufacturing executive who served as the 27th United States secretary of defense from 2019 to 2020. A member of the Republican Party, he had previously served as the 23rd ...
, 27th United States Secretary of Defense
The United States secretary of defense (SecDef) is the head of the United States Department of Defense, the executive department of the U.S. Armed Forces, and is a high ranking member of the federal cabinet. DoDD 5100.1: Enclosure 2: a The s ...
* Sam Gibbons
Sam Melville Gibbons (January 20, 1920 – October 10, 2012) was an American politician from the U.S. state, state of Florida, who served in the Florida State House of Representatives, Florida State Senate, and the U.S. House of Representatives. ...
– Florida politician
* Eugene Goodman – Capitol Police officer and acting Deputy Senate Sergeant at Arms
* Bob Gunton
Robert Patrick Gunton Jr. (born November 15, 1945) is an American character actor of stage and screen. He is known for playing strict authoritarian characters, including Warden Samuel Norton in the 1994 prison drama ''The Shawshank Redemption'', ...
– Actor
* David Hackworth – Writer
* Jimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix (born Johnny Allen Hendrix; November 27, 1942September 18, 1970) was an American guitarist, singer and songwriter. Although his mainstream career spanned only four years, he is widely regarded as one of the most ...
– Musician
* Bob Kalsu
James Robert Kalsu (April 13, 1945 – July 21, 1970) was an American American football, football player who was an All-American tackle at the 1967 Oklahoma Sooners football team, University of Oklahoma and an 1968 NFL/AFL draft#Round eight, eig ...
-University of Oklahoma and Buffalo Bills guard. Killed in action FSB Ripchord South Vietnam, Bronze Star
* Mike Lebowitz
Michael J. Lebowitz (born August 21, 1977) is a Washington, D.C., attorney and expert in the field of military law and Military Expression. Along with being an advocate for veterans' issues, he has published a number of legal articles on First ...
– Attorney, pioneer in field of military expression
Military expression is an area of military law pertaining to the United States military that relates to the free speech rights of its service members. While "military free speech" was the term used during the Vietnam War era, "military expression ...
, military law
Military justice (also military law) is the legal system (bodies of law and procedure) that governs the conduct of the active-duty personnel of the armed forces of a country. In some nation-states, civil law and military law are distinct bodie ...
, served in Iraq with Pathfinder Company of 101st Airborne Division.
* William C. Lee
Major General William Carey Lee (March 12, 1895 –June 25, 1948) was a senior United States Army officer who fought in World War I and World War II, during which he commanded the 101st Airborne Division, nicknamed the "Screaming Eagles". Lee is ...
– General, World War II veteran, considered one of the most important influences behind the establishment of U.S. airborne troops
* Joe E. Mann – World War II Medal of Honor recipient
* Salve H. Matheson – U.S. Army general (including command of 1st Brigade and later the Division)
* James C. McConville – General, 40th Chief of Staff of the Army, Commanding General of the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) from 2011 to 2014 and Combined Joint Task Force-101, Operation Enduring Freedom
* Tommy Mercer
Anthony Gregory Mayweather (born February 21, 1985) is an American professional wrestler and promoter, currently signed to the NWA where he competes under his real name. In 2010, he signed with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) as Crimson, whe ...
– Professional wrestler, currently signed to TNA Wrestling under the name Crimson
* Hugh Nibley
Hugh Winder Nibley (March 27, 1910 – February 24, 2005) was an American scholar and an apologist of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) who was a professor at Brigham Young University (BYU) for nearly 50 years. He was a ...
- Scholar and an apologist
Apologetics (from Greek , "speaking in defense") is the religious discipline of defending religious doctrines through systematic argumentation and discourse. Early Christian writers (c. 120–220) who defended their beliefs against critics and ...
of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, informally known as the LDS Church or Mormon Church, is a Nontrinitarianism, nontrinitarian Christianity, Christian church that considers itself to be the Restorationism, restoration of the ...
* Jorge Otero-Barreto – received 3 Silver Stars and 5 Purple Hearts in Vietnam
* David H. Petraeus
David (; , "beloved one") (traditional spelling), , ''Dāwūd''; grc-koi, Δαυΐδ, Dauíd; la, Davidus, David; gez , ዳዊት, ''Dawit''; xcl, Դաւիթ, ''Dawitʿ''; cu, Давíдъ, ''Davidŭ''; possibly meaning "beloved one". w ...
– General, commanded 101st Airborne Division in 2003 during V Corp's drive to Baghdad; commanded 3rd Battalion 187th Infantry Regiment "Iron Rakkasans" of the 101st Airborne Division from 1991 to 1993
* Colin L. Powell
Colin Luther Powell ( ; April 5, 1937 – October 18, 2021) was an American politician, statesman, diplomat, and United States Army officer who served as the 65th United States Secretary of State from 2001 to 2005. He was the first African ...
– General, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff 1989–1993, commanded 2nd Brigade of the 101st Airborne Division in 1976
* Leslie H. Sabo Jr. – Vietnam War
The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...
Medal of Honor recipient
* Joseph F. Sackett – radiologist and professor of neuroradiology, Company Commander, 326 Med Battalion
* Charlie Sayles – Chicago blues
Chicago blues is a form of blues music developed in Chicago, Illinois. It is based on earlier blues idioms, such as Delta blues, but performed in an urban style. It developed alongside the Great Migration of the first half of the twentieth cent ...
harmonicist, singer and songwriter
* Louis Simpson
Louis Aston Marantz Simpson (March 27, 1923 – September 14, 2012) was an American poet born in Jamaica. He won the 1964 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry for his work ''At the End of the Open Road''.
Life and career
Simpson was born in Jamaica
...
– Poet who won the 1964 Pulitzer Prize for poetry with his collected works ''At the End of the Open Road''
* Robert Sink
Robert Frederick Sink (April 3, 1905 – December 13, 1965) was a senior United States Army officer who fought during World War II and the Korean War, though he was most famous for his command of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, part of the ...
– commanded the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division. Played by Dale Dye
Dale Adam Dye Jr. (born October 8, 1944) is an American actor, technical advisor, radio personality and writer. A decorated Marine veteran of the Vietnam War, Dye is the founder and head of Warriors, Inc., a technical advisory company specializ ...
in the mini-series '' Band of Brothers''.
* Jack Warden
Jack Warden (born John Warden Lebzelter Jr.; September 18, 1920July 19, 2006) was an American character actor of film and television. He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for ''Shampoo'' (1975) and '' Heaven Can Wait ...
– actor who served with the 501st Infantry; in ''That Kind of Woman
''That Kind of Woman'' is a 1959 American drama film directed by Sidney Lumet, who was nominated for the Golden Bear at the 9th Berlin International Film Festival. It stars Sophia Loren and Tab Hunter. The screenplay by Walter Bernstein, based on ...
'' Warden played a paratrooper from the 82nd Airborne Division
The 82nd Airborne Division is an airborne infantry division of the United States Army specializing in parachute assault operations into denied areasSof, Eric"82nd Airborne Division" ''Spec Ops Magazine'', 25 November 2012. Archived from tho ...
.
* Ernie Wheelwright
Ernest Lamont Wheelwright, IV (born July 10, 1984) is a former American gridiron football wide receiver . He most recently played for the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He was signed by the Baltimore Ravens of th ...
– American football player, actor and singer
* Dan White
Daniel James White (September 2, 1946 – October 21, 1985) was an American politician who assassinated San Francisco Mayor George Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk, on Monday, November 27, 1978, at City Hall. White was convicted of manslaugh ...
– San Francisco supervisor who assassinated San Francisco Mayor George Moscone
George Richard Moscone (; November 24, 1929 – November 27, 1978) was an American attorney and Democratic politician. He was the 37th mayor of San Francisco, California from January 1976 until his assassination in November 1978. He was known ...
and Supervisor Harvey Milk
Harvey Bernard Milk (May 22, 1930 – November 27, 1978) was an American politician and the first openly gay man to be elected to public office in California, as a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. Milk was born and raised in N ...
, on Monday, 27 November 1978
* Jesse White – Illinois politician
* Barry Winchell
On July 6, 1999, Barry Winchell, a 21-year old infantry soldier in the United States Army, was murdered while he slept, outside of his barracks by fellow soldier Calvin Glover for dating a transgender woman, Calpernia Addams, after a physical alt ...
– Kansas City soldier who was brutally murdered by two of his fellow soldiers. Whose story at Fort Campbell
Fort Campbell is a United States Army installation located astride the Kentucky–Tennessee border between Hopkinsville, Kentucky, Hopkinsville, Kentucky and Clarksville, Tennessee, Clarksville, Tennessee (post address is located in Kentucky). F ...
became a point of reference in the debate about the "Don't ask, don't tell
"Don't ask, don't tell" (DADT) was the official United States policy on military service of non-heterosexual people, instituted during the Clinton administration. The policy was issued under Department of Defense Directive 1304.26 on December ...
" policy.
* Richard Winters
Richard Davis Winters (January 21, 1918January 2, 2011) was an American businessman and decorated war veteran who served as a U.S. Army officer during World War II. He is best known for having commanded Easy Company of the 2nd Battalion, 506th ...
– Major, World War II veteran, portrayed by Damian Lewis
Damian Watcyn Lewis (born 11 February 1971) is an English actor, presenter and producer. He is best known for portraying U.S. Army Major Richard Winters in the HBO miniseries '' Band of Brothers'', which earned him a Golden Globe nomination ...
in the TV series '' Band of Brothers''
Current structure
101st Airborne Division consists of a division headquarters and headquarters battalion, three infantry brigade combat teams, a division artillery, a combat aviation brigade, a sustainment brigade, as well as several attached units. The division's artillery headquarters no longer has direct control over the 101st field artillery battalions, which are now included in the three infantry brigade combat teams but does have supervision over one air defense artillery battalion aligned to the division.
* ![US Army 101st ABN Div Trimming](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/42/US_Army_101st_ABN_Div_Trimming.svg)
Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion ("Gladiators")
** Headquarters and Support Company
** Signal, Intelligence, and Sustainment Company ("Never Quit")
** 40th Public Affairs Detachment ("The Professionals")
** 101st Airborne Division Band
1st Brigade Combat Team
The brigade combat team (BCT) is the basic deployable unit of maneuver in the U.S. Army. A brigade combat team consists of one combat arms branch maneuver brigade, and its assigned support and fire units. A brigade is normally commanded by a ...
(BCT) ("Bastogne")(♣)
* ![US Army 1st INF BCT-101st ABN Div Trimming](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/ca/US_Army_1st_INF_BCT-101st_ABN_Div_Trimming.svg)
Headquarters and Headquarters Company
In United States Army units, a Headquarters and Headquarters Company (HHC) is a company-sized military unit, found at the battalion level and higher. Considered one unit, a Headquarters and Headquarters Company is essentially two elements with ...
(HHC)
* ![US Army 1st BN-327th Inf Reg Trimming](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b9/US_Army_1st_BN-327th_Inf_Reg_Trimming.svg)
1st Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment ("Bulldogs")
* ![US Army 2nd BN-327th Inf Reg Trimming](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/16/US_Army_2nd_BN-327th_Inf_Reg_Trimming.svg)
2nd Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment ("No Slack")
* ![US Army 1st BN-506th INF Reg Oval](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bb/US_Army_1st_BN-506th_INF_Reg_Oval.png)
1st Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment ("Red Currahee")
* ![US Army 1st Sq-32nd Cav Reg](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/10/US_Army_1st_Sq-32nd_Cav_Reg.png)
1st Squadron, 32d Cavalry Regiment ("Bandits")
* ![US Army 2nd Bn-32nd Arty Reg Trimming](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/91/US_Army_2nd_Bn-32nd_Arty_Reg_Trimming.svg)
2nd Battalion, 32nd Field Artillery Regiment (FAR) ("Proud Americans")
* ![US Army 326th Bde Eng Bn Trimming](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6f/US_Army_326th_Bde_Eng_Bn_Trimming.svg)
326th Brigade Engineer Battalion (BEB) ("Sapper Eagles")
* ![US Army 426th Bde Support BN Trimming](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/99/US_Army_426th_Bde_Support_BN_Trimming.png)
426th Brigade Support Battalion (BSB) ("Taskmasters")
2nd BCT ("Strike")(♥)
* ![US Army 2nd INF BCT-101st ABN Div Trimming](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/17/US_Army_2nd_INF_BCT-101st_ABN_Div_Trimming.svg)
HHC
* ![US Army 1st BN-502nd Inf Reg Trimming](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/14/US_Army_1st_BN-502nd_Inf_Reg_Trimming.svg)
1st Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment ("First Strike")
* ![US Army 2nd BN-502nd Inf Reg Trimming](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7b/US_Army_2nd_BN-502nd_Inf_Reg_Trimming.svg)
2nd Battalion, 502d Infantry Regiment ("Strike Force")
* ![Background Trimming 1st Battalion 26th Infantry Regiment](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4f/Background_Trimming_1st_Battalion_26th_Infantry_Regiment.jpg)
1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment
The 26th Infantry Regiment is an infantry regiment of the United States Army. Its nickname is "Blue Spaders", taken from the spade-like device on the regiment's distinctive unit insignia. The 26th Infantry Regiment is part of the U.S. Army Re ...
("Blue Spaders")
* ![US Army 1st Sq-75th Cav Reg Oval](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a0/US_Army_1st_Sq-75th_Cav_Reg_Oval.png)
1st Squadron, 75th Cavalry Regiment
The 1st Squadron, 75th Cavalry Regiment (1-75 CAV) is a United States Army cavalry squadron established in 2004. It is the Reconnaissance, Surveillance and Target Acquisition Squadron (RSTA) squadron of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team "Strike" ...
("Widowmakers")
* ![US Army 1st BN-320th Field Arty Reg Trimming](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a4/US_Army_1st_BN-320th_Field_Arty_Reg_Trimming.svg)
1st Battalion, 320th FAR ("Top Guns")
* ![US Army 39th Bde Engineer BN Trimming](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e5/US_Army_39th_Bde_Engineer_BN_Trimming.png)
39th BEB ("Raptor")
* ![US Army 526th Bde Support BN Trimming](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6b/US_Army_526th_Bde_Support_BN_Trimming.png)
526th BSB ("Best by Performance")
3rd BCT ("Rakkasan")(
)
* ![US Army 3rd INF BCT-101st ABN Div Trimming](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/69/US_Army_3rd_INF_BCT-101st_ABN_Div_Trimming.svg)
HHC
* ![US Army 1st BN-187th Inf Reg Trimming](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/de/US_Army_1st_BN-187th_Inf_Reg_Trimming.svg)
1st Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment ("Leader Rakkasans")
* ![US Army 3rd BN-187th Inf Reg Trimming](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3d/US_Army_3rd_BN-187th_Inf_Reg_Trimming.svg)
3rd Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment ("Iron Rakkasans")
* ![US Army 2nd BN-506th INF Reg Oval](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/93/US_Army_2nd_BN-506th_INF_Reg_Oval.png)
2nd Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment ("White Currahee")
* ![US Army 1st Sq-33rd Cav Reg Oval](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/82/US_Army_1st_Sq-33rd_Cav_Reg_Oval.png)
1st Squadron, 33rd Cavalry Regiment ("War Rakkasans")
* ![US Army 3rd BN-320th Field Arty Reg Trimming](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8e/US_Army_3rd_BN-320th_Field_Arty_Reg_Trimming.svg)
3rd Battalion, 320th FAR ("Red Knights")
* ![US Army 21th Engineer BN Oval](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/51/US_Army_21th_Engineer_BN_Oval.png)
21st BEB ("Rak Solid")
* ![US Army 626th Bde Support BN Oval](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9c/US_Army_626th_Bde_Support_BN_Oval.png)
626th BSB ("Assurgam")
101st Airborne Division Artillery
The 101st Airborne Division Artillery (DIVARTY) is the force fires headquarters for the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. The DIVARTY has served with the division in World War II, Vietnam, Operations Desert Shie ...
("Guns of Glory")(•)
* ![US Army 101st Airborne Division Artillery background trimming](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/eb/US_Army_101st_Airborne_Division_Artillery_background_trimming.svg)
Headquarters and Headquarters Battery ("Headhunters")
:Note: ''The 2nd Battalion 32rd FAR; 1st Battalion, 320th FAR; and 3rd Battalion, 320th FAR now fall under their respective brigade combat teams and are no longer controlled by DIVARTY.''
:Note: ''The 2nd Battalion, 44th Air Defense Artillery Regiment currently falls under the DIVARTY's supervision.''
Combat Aviation Brigade, 101st Airborne Division
The Combat Aviation Brigade, 101st Airborne Division is a Combat Aviation Brigade (CAB) of the United States Army. It was first organized in July 1968 as an aviation group and stands as the most decorated aviation unit in the United States Army. ...
(CAB) ("Wings of Destiny")(♦)
* ![US Army 101st Aviation Bde Trimming](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1b/US_Army_101st_Aviation_Bde_Trimming.svg)
HHC ("Hell Cats")
* ![US Army 17th Cavalry Regiment Trimming](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3d/US_Army_17th_Cavalry_Regiment_Trimming.svg)
2nd Squadron, 17th Cavalry Regiment ("Out Front")
* ![US Army 101st Aviation Bde Trimming](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1b/US_Army_101st_Aviation_Bde_Trimming.svg)
1st Battalion, 101st Aviation Regiment
The 101st Aviation Regiment is an aviation regiment of the U.S. Army.
Lineage
Constituted 7 December 1950 in the Regular Army as the 4th Light Aviation Section
Activated 19 December 1950 in Korea
Inactivated 5 November 1954 in Korea
Redesig ...
("Expect No Mercy")
* ![US Army 101st Aviation Bde Trimming](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1b/US_Army_101st_Aviation_Bde_Trimming.svg)
5th Battalion, 101st Aviation Regiment ("Eagle Assault")
* ![US Army 101st Aviation Bde Trimming](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1b/US_Army_101st_Aviation_Bde_Trimming.svg)
6th Battalion, 101st Aviation Regiment (General Support) ("Shadow of the Eagle")
* ![US Army 101st Aviation Bde Trimming](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1b/US_Army_101st_Aviation_Bde_Trimming.svg)
96th Aviation Support Battalion ("Troubleshooters")
:Note: ''Concurrent with the inactivation of the 159th CAB in 2015, the 101st CAB was redesignated as the Combat Aviation Brigade, 101st Airborne Division, bringing it in line with other divisional CAB designations. Also, the inactivation of the 159th CAB also led to the 101st Airborne Division taking on the same configuration as other light infantry divisions of the U.S. Army.''
101st Airborne Division Sustainment Brigade ("Life Liners")101st Sustainment Brigade "Lifeliners"
, campbell.army.mil, last accessed 18 December 2016
* ![US Army 101st Sustainment Brigade Background Trimming](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/69/US_Army_101st_Sustainment_Brigade_Background_Trimming.svg)
Special Troops Battalion A special troops battalion (STB) is an organic unit of a modular brigade, division (or equivalent), corps or higher echelon United States Army organization. It may comprise companies from different branches of the army, but typically has a Headquar ...
("Sustainers")
* ![US Army 101st Sustainment Brigade Background Trimming](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/69/US_Army_101st_Sustainment_Brigade_Background_Trimming.svg)
129th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion ("Drive the Wedge")
* Attached units:
**
716th Military Police Battalion ("Peacekeepers"), 16th Military Police Brigade
**
2nd Battalion, 44th Air Defense Artillery Regiment
The 44th Air Defense Artillery Regiment is an Air Defense Artillery regiment of the United States Army, first constituted in 1918 in the Regular Army during World War I. During World War II the unit served as the 54th Coast Artillery Regiment
L ...
, 108th Air Defense Artillery Brigade
** 1176th Transportation Company, TN ARNG Businesses and organizations
* Air Tahiti Nui (IATA airline designation "TN" since 1998), a French Polynesian airline
* Texas and Northern Railway, an American railway (reporting mark "TN")
* Todo Noticias, an Argentine cable news network
* Tr ...
associated unit
** 2123rd Transportation Company, KY ARNG associated unit
See also
* List of commanders of 101st Airborne Division
This is a list of commanders of the US 101st Airborne Division of the United States Army
* MG William C. Lee August-42 – February-44
* BG Don F. Pratt 6-February-44 – 14-March-44Acting division commanders.
* MG Maxwell D. Taylor March ...
* List of formations of the United States Army
* Gander memorial
* '' Battleground'', a 1949 movie that followed the 327th Glider Infantry.
*'' A Bridge Too Far'', a 1977 movie featuring the 101st Airborne.
* ''Saving Private Ryan
''Saving Private Ryan'' is a 1998 American epic war film directed by Steven Spielberg and written by Robert Rodat. Set during the Battle of Normandy in World War II, the film is known for its graphic portrayal of war, especially its depictio ...
'', a 1998 movie whose title character is a soldier in the 101st Airborne division.
* '' Band of Brothers'', a 2001 TV series dramatizing the exploits of Easy Company, 2nd Battalion 506th PIR, 101st Airborne Division, in the Second World War in Europe from Operation Overlord through V-E Day
Victory in Europe Day is the day celebrating the formal acceptance by the Allies of World War II of Germany's unconditional surrender of its armed forces on Tuesday, 8 May 1945, marking the official end of World War II in Europe in the Easte ...
; based on the book '' Band of Brothers'' by Stephen E. Ambrose.
* '' I Am an American Soldier'', a 2007 documentary movie that followed C co, 3 BCT during its tour of duty in Iraq in 2006.
Notes
References
Further reading
* Screaming Eagles 101st Airborne Division by Russ & Susan Bryant
* Burns, Richard R. ''Pathfinder: First In, Last Out''. New York: Ballantine Books, 2002.
* 101st Airborne in Vietnam The 'Screaming Eagles' by Michael Sharpe & Simon Dunstan
* Blackmon, Jimmy. ''Pale Horse: Hunting Terrorists and Commanding Heroes with the 101st Airborne Division''. New York: 2016.
* Screaming Eagles The 101st Airborne Division from D-Day to Desert Storm by Christopher J. Anderson
*
External links
*
Website of Fort Campbell and the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault)
– United States Army
The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, ...
website
Army.mil/101stAirborne
101st Airborne Division Association
STRIKE on The Military Channel's Warrior POV – Screaming Eagles in Afghanistan
(YouTube
YouTube is a global online video platform, online video sharing and social media, social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by ...
)
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Airborne Division, U.S. 101
Airborne divisions of the United States Army
Military units and formations established in 1942
1942 establishments in the United States
United States Army divisions of World War I