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 fought ...

division of the United States Army 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 e ...

operations Operation or Operations may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media * ''Operation'' (game), a battery-operated board game that challenges dexterity * Operation (music), a term used in musical set theory * ''Operations'' (magazine), Multi-Man ...

. It can plan, coordinate, and execute multiple battalion-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
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 and

counterterrorism Counterterrorism (also spelled counter-terrorism), also known as anti-terrorism, incorporates the practices, military tactics, techniques, and strategies that Government, governments, law enforcement, business, and Intelligence agency, intellig ...

operations in Iraq, in Afghanistan 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, it gained renown for its role in

Operation Overlord Operation Overlord was the codename for the Battle of Normandy, the Allies of World War II, Allied operation that launched the successful invasion of German-occupied Western Front (World War II), Western Europe during World War II. The operat ...

(the D-Day landings and airborne landings on 6 June 1944, in Normandy, France);

Operation Market Garden Operation Market Garden was an Allies of World War II, Allied military operation during the World War II, Second World War fought in the Netherlands from 17 to 27 September 1944. Its objective was to create a Salient (military), salient into G ...

; the liberation of the Netherlands; and its action during the Battle of the Bulge around the city of Bastogne, Belgium. During the Vietnam War, 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 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 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 in one air assault operation. Division headquarters is at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. 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 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 se ...

, Robert Gates, 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. Up ...

, 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, Mississippi, having been constituted on 23 July in the National Army. World War I ended 9 days later, and the division was demobilized on 11 December 1918. In 1921, the division headquarters was reconstituted in the Organized Reserves, and organized on 10 September 1921, at Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 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.

World War II to the present day

On 30 July 1942, the Army Ground Forces 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. On 19 August 1942, its first commander, Major General William C. Lee, read out General Order Number 5:

The 101st Airborne Division, which was activated on 16 August 1942, at Camp Claiborne, Louisiana, 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

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 D ...

in the night drop before the invasion. They left from RAF North Witham, having trained there with the

82nd Airborne Division The 82nd Airborne Division is an Airborne forces, airborne infantry division (military), division of the United States Army specializing in Paratrooper, parachute assault operations into denied areasSof, Eric"82nd Airborne Division" ''Spec Ops ...

. 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 between Saint-Martin-de-Varreville 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 Mézières may refer to: People * Alfred Jean François Mézières (1826–1915), French journalist, politician and historian of literature * Jean-Claude Mézières (1938-2022), French comic book artist * Rob De Mezieres, South African writer a ...

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), capturing two footbridges spanning the Douve at La Porte opposite

Brévands Brévands () is a former commune in the Manche department in Normandy in northwestern France. On 1 January 2017, it was merged into the commune Carentan-les-Marais.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. 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, 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 stir d ...

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 (United States), Lieutenant Colonel Robert George Cole (March 19, 1915 – September 18, 1944) was an American United States Army, soldier who received the Medal of Honor for his actions in the days following the Normandy lan ...

(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 to Beuzeville. Cole's group moved during the night from near Sainte-Mère-Église 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. Despite the opposition, the 506th's 1st BattalionLt. 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 on or within a mile of the drop zone. Most of the 2nd Battalion had jumped too far west, near Sainte-Mère-Église. They eventually assembled near Foucarville 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 personality, legal entity representing an association of people, whether Natural person, natural, Legal person, legal or a mixture of both, with a specific objective. Company members share a common p ...

-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, ni ...

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, 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 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 overwhelmed a force 3–4 times its size and destroyed four guns at a farm called

Brécourt Manor Brécourt was a Nazi Germany bunker in Équeurdreville-Hainneville near Cherbourg, in Manche of Normandy, northern France. History Code name, Codenamed ''Ölkeller Cherbourg'' ("Cherbourg oil cellar"), Brécourt's structure is located at the f ...

, for which Winters was later awarded the Distinguished Service Cross 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

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 Moto ...

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 Wor ...

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. Bi ...

, 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

On 17 September 1944, the 101st Airborne Division became part of XVIII Airborne Corps, under Major General Matthew Ridgway, part of the First Allied Airborne Army, commanded by Lieutenant General

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

(17–25 September 1944), an unsuccessful

Allied An alliance is a relationship among people, groups, or states that have joined together for mutual benefit or to achieve some common purpose, whether or not explicit agreement has been worked out among them. Members of an alliance are called ...

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 and t ...

, 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 Route 69, or Highway 69, may refer to: International * European route E69 Australia * Appin Road Canada * Alberta Highway 69 * Ontario Highway 69 China * G69 Expressway Finland * Finnish national road 69 India * National Highway 69 (In ...

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 t ...

) and two arms of the Rhine (the Waal and the Lower Rhine), as well as several smaller canals and tributaries. Crossing these bridges would allow British armoured units to

outflank In military tactics, a flanking maneuver is a movement of an armed force around an enemy force's side, or flank, to achieve an advantageous position over it. Flanking is useful because a force's fighting strength is typically concentrated in ...

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 west ...

, 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 ai ...

, 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 airb ...

. 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, 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 of the

British Guards Armoured Division The Guards Armoured Division was an armoured division of the British Army during the Second World War. The division was created in the United Kingdom on 17 June 1941 during the Second World War from elements of the Guards units, the Grenadier ...

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. At 16:00 radio contact alerted the main force that the Son bridge had been destroyed and requested that a replacement Bailey bridge be brought forward. By nightfall the Guards Armoured Division had established itself in the Eindhoven areaRandall, 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

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

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 and all 12th U.S. Army Group units north of the German advance, forcing the Western Allies 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, which is an agreement to stop hostilities; a surr ...

in the Axis Powers' 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 Lieutenant General Troy Houston Middleton (12 October 1889 – 9 October 1976) was a distinguished educator and senior officer of the United States Army who served as a corps commander in the European Theatre during World War II and later as pre ...

, commander of VIII Corps, 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 ordered forward the SHAEF 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 The 506th Infantry Regiment, originally designated the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment (506th PIR) during World War II, is an airborne light infantry regiment of the United States Army. Currently a parent regiment under the U.S. Army Regimen ...

, 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, Belgium, back to Reims. The 101st Airborne was routed to Bastogne, located away on a high plateau, while the 82nd Airborne took up positions further north to block the critical advance of '' Kampfgruppe Peiper'' toward Werbomont, Belgium. The

705th Tank Destroyer Battalion The 705th Tank Destroyer Battalion was a tank destroyer battalion of the United States Army active during the Second World War. It was originally formed from artillery elements of the 5th Armored Division, and its lineage is today perpetuated by ...

, 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, which was defended by both the 101st Airborne and Combat Command 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

McAuliffeBastogneChristmasLetter101Airborne

Despite several determined German attacks, the perimeter held. The German commander, Generalleutnant Heinrich Freiherr von Lüttwitz, requested Bastogne's surrender. When General Anthony McAuliffe, 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 Nut often refers to: * Nut (fruit), fruit composed of a hard shell and a seed, or a collective noun for dry and edible fruits or seeds * Nut (hardware), fastener used with a bolt Nut or Nuts may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Com ...

'' 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 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 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,

12th SS Panzer Division Hitlerjugend The SS Division Hitlerjugend or 12th SS Panzer Division "Hitlerjugend" (german: 12. SS-Panzerdivision "Hitlerjugend") was a German armoured division of the Waffen-SS during World War II. The majority of its junior enlisted men were drawn from me ...

, and the 9th SS Panzer Division Hohenstaufen. 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. PZ IV Ardenne3

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 The 12th Armored Division was an armored division of the United States Army in World War II. It fought in the European Theater of Operations in France, Germany and Austria, between November 1944 and May 1945. The German Army called the 12th A ...

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

The division was composed of the following units: *

327th Glider Infantry Regiment The 327th Infantry Regiment (Bastogne Bulldogs) is an infantry regiment of the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) of the United States Army. During World War II, the 327th was a glider-borne regiment of the 101st Airborne Division. It fough ...

* 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,

) *

506th Parachute Infantry Regiment The 506th Infantry Regiment, originally designated the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment (506th PIR) during World War II, is an airborne light infantry regiment of the United States Army. Currently a parent regiment under the U.S. Army 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: *

(attached January 1944 – past 9 May 1945)

Casualties

* Total battle casualties: 9,328Army 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: 3 ** Staff Sergeant

Isadore S. Jachman Isadore Siegfried Jachman (December 14, 1922 – January 4, 1945) was a United States Army staff sergeant who was killed in World War II after defending the town of Flamierge in Belgium from a German attack on January 4, 1945, for wh ...

^{( KIA)} ** Lieutenant Colonel

^{( KIA)} ** Private First Class

Joe E. Mann Joe Eugene Mann (July 8, 1922 – September 19, 1944) was a United States Army soldier and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration – the Medal of Honor – for his actions in World War II. Biography Mann join ...

^{( KIA)} * Distinguished Service Medal: 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: 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: 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 and Kaprun 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 A battlefield, battleground, or field of battle is the location of a present or historic battle involving ground warfare. It is commonly understood to be limited to the point of contact between opposing forces, though battles may involve troops ...

) ** 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) ** 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( Torii

) (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 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 and in March 1956, the 101st was transferred, less personnel and equipment, to Fort Campbell, 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" 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" were a group of African-American students who were enrolled in Little Rock Central High School in September 1957, as a result of the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in the historic '' Brown v. Board of Education'' 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, 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) 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 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

On 29 July 1965, the 1st Brigade deployed to

II Corps 2nd Corps, Second Corps, or II Corps may refer to: France * 2nd Army Corps (France) * II Cavalry Corps (Grande Armée), a cavalry unit of the Imperial French Army during the Napoleonic Wars * II Corps (Grande Armée), a unit of the Imperial French ...

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 up north all the way down the Central Highlands. In May 1967 the 1st Brigade operated as part of Task Force Oregon. Within the United States, the 101st, along with the

, 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 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 for most of the war. Notable among these were the

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 was the nickname of a long-range reconnaissance patrol unit of the 1st Battalion (Airborne),

327th Infantry Regiment The 327th Infantry Regiment (Bastogne Bulldogs) is an infantry regiment of the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) of the United States Army. During World War II, the 327th was a glider-borne regiment of the 101st Airborne Division. It fough ...

, 1st Brigade (Separate), 101st Airborne Division, which fought in the Vietnam War. The platoon-sized unit, approximately 45 paratroopers, was founded by Colonel

David Hackworth David Haskell Hackworth (November 11, 1930 – May 4, 2005), also known as Hack, was a prominent journalist, military journalist and a famous former United States Army colonel who was decorated in both the Korean War and Vietnam War. 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, 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, 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

US Army 326th Brigade Engineering Battalion carimony-circa 1970s

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 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 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
82nd Airborne Division Official YouTube Channel, dated 26 June 2017, last accessed 24 March 2020On 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.
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. M60 101st Airborne Division Exercise 1972

M60 101st Airborne Division Exercise 1972

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 '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, chartered to transport some of the division from peacekeeping duty with the Multinational Force and Observers on the Sinai Peninsula to Kentucky, crashed just a short distance from Gander International Airport, 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. Canadian Transportation Accident Investigation and Safety Board 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

division. The foundation of modern-day air assault operations was laid by the World War Two era German Fallschirmjäger, Brandenburgers, and the

22nd Air Landing Division The 22nd Infantry Division was a specialized German infantry division in World War II. Its primary method of transportation was gliders. The division played a significant role in the development of modern day air assault operations. History Cre ...

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 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, Kentucky ** Headquarters & Headquarters Company ** 1st Brigade *** Headquarters & Headquarters Company *** 1st Battalion,

327th Infantry The 327th Infantry Regiment (Bastogne Bulldogs) is an infantry regiment of the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) of the United States Army. During World War II, the 327th was a glider-borne regiment of the 101st Airborne Division. It fough ...

*** 2nd Battalion, 327th Infantry *** 3rd Battalion, 327th Infantry ** 2nd Brigade *** Headquarters & Headquarters Company *** 1st Battalion, 502nd Infantry *** 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 *** 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 155mm towed howitzer unit) ** Division Support Command *** 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 ** 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 helicopters successfully destroyed two Iraqi early warning radar sites. In February 1991, the 101st once again had its "Rendezvous with Destiny" in 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, 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. In August 2000, the 2nd Battalion,

, as well as some elements from the

502nd 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 ...

, 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 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 The 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne) (5th SFG (A)) is one of the most decorated active duty United States Army Special Forces groups in the U.S. armed forces. The 5th SFG (A) saw extensive action in the Vietnam War and played a pivotal role i ...

. 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 during Operation Anaconda 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 particularly in the Northern province of Kapisa in the outpost Forward Operating Base (FOB) Kutchsbach. Charlie Company, 2nd Battalion,

506th Infantry Regiment The 506th Infantry Regiment, originally designated the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment (506th PIR) during World War II, is an airborne light infantry regiment of the United States Army. Currently a parent regiment under the U.S. Army Regiment ...

performed joint operations with 5th Special Forces Group and

20th Special Forces Group The 20th Special Forces Group (Airborne) (20th SFG) (A) is one of two Army National Guard groups for the United States Army Special Forces. 20th Group—as it is sometimes called—is designed to deploy and execute nine doctrinal missions: uncon ...

in 2011. The 101st Combat Aviation Brigade deployed to Afghanistan as Task Force Destiny in early 2008 to Bagram Air Base.

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

Airborne and Special Forces Uday-Qusay raid, 2003

In 2003, Major General David H. Petraeus ("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, 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 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 just west of Mosul. The 101st Airborne also participated in the Battle of Karbala. 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 with Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 41st Infantry Regiment, 1st Armored Division. The 3d Battalion,

502d 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 ...

, 101st Airborne Division was awarded a Valorous Unit Award 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 Mustafa ( ar, مصطفى , Muṣṭafā) is one of the names of Prophet Muhammad, and the name means "chosen, selected, appointed, preferred", used as an Arabic given name and surname. Mustafa is a common name in the Muslim world. Given name ...

, and his older brother Uday, during a raid on a home in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul. After Task Force 121 members were wounded, the 3/327th Infantry surrounded and fired on the house with a TOW missile,

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, 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 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 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 A clandestine cell system is a method for organizing a group of people (such as resistance fighters, sleeper agents, mobsters, or terrorists) such that such people can more effectively resist penetration by an opposing organization (such as l ...

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 Operation Scorpion was a joint United States–Iraqi air assault offensive targeting insurgents near the city of Kirkuk in northern Iraq Iraq,; ku, عێراق, translit=Êraq officially the Republic of Iraq, '; ku, کۆماری � ...

with Iraqi units near Kirkuk. Developing other aspects of Iraqi society also figured in 101st operations in Iraq. Division commander Major General 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

were deployed to Afghanistan for one-year tours falling within the 2007–09 window.

2010 Afghanistan

The Division Headquarters,

, 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. 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,

, 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 The Battle of Barawala Kalay Valley was a battle that took place 29 March 2011 – 8 April 2011 in Barawala Kalay Valley, Kunar Province, Afghanistan. The battle was part of the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021). The goal was to close down the Talib ...

. 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 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 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. 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,

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 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 and counter-terrorism. 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 Ash Carter 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 The 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (26th MEU) is one of seven such units currently in existence in the United States Marine Corps. It is an air-ground task force with a strength of about 2,400 personnel when at full strength during a deployment. ...

at Firebase Bell; 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 (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, 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 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. 101st-Airborne-Soldiers-build-elite-Iraqi-force-with-Ranger-Training-7-480x319

101st-Airborne-Soldiers-build-elite-Iraqi-force-with-Ranger-Training-7-480x319

On 31 August 2016, Clarksville Online reported U.S. soldiers from the 1st Battalion,

, 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, 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,

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 Qayyarah or Qayara ( ar, القيارة) is an Iraqi town located in southern Nineveh Governorate on the west bank of the Tigris river, and about 60 km (35 miles) south of Mosul. It is located in the Mosul District, and it is the seat of Qayya ...

. 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 in combating Islamist militants. AFRICOM 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 101st soldiers deploying to Mihail Kogălniceanu 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 event was attended by Maj. Gen. Joseph P. McGee and the Prime Minister of Romania, Nicolae Ciucă.

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 * European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign ribbon

European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign ribbon

World War II (except 159th Aviation Brigade): # Normandy (with arrowhead); # Rhineland (with arrowhead); #

- Alsace; # Central Europe * Vietnam Service Medal ribbon

Vietnam War (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 Tet or TET may refer to: Vietnam *Tết or Tết Nguyên Đán, the Vietnamese new year, Lunar new year *Tet Offensive, a military campaign during the Vietnam War that began in 1968 **Tet 1969 Geography *Têt (river) in Roussillon, France *Tét, ...

1969/Counteroffensive; # Summer-Fall 1969; # Winter-Spring 1970; # Sanctuary Counteroffensive; # Counteroffensive, Phase VII; # Consolidation I; # Consolidation II * Southwest Asia Service Medal ribbon (1991-2016)

Southwest Asia Service Medal ribbon (1991-2016)

Southwest Asia (Except 159th Aviation Brigade): # Defense of Saudi Arabia; # Liberation and Defense of Kuwait * Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal ribbon

Haiti *

Afghanistan * Iraq Campaign Medal ribbon

Iraq

Decorations

Presidential Unit Citation (Army) for NORMANDY (Division and 1st Brigade only) * United States Army and U

Presidential Unit Citation (Army) for BASTOGNE (Division and 1st Brigade only) * United States Army and U

Presidential Unit Citation (Army) for DAK TO, VIETNAM 1966 (1st Brigade only) * United States Army and U

Presidential Unit Citation (Army) for DONG AP BIA MOUNTAIN (3rd Brigade only) * United States Army and U

Presidential Unit Citation (Army) for AFGHANISTAN 2010–2011 (2nd Brigade only) * Joint_Meritorious_Unit_Award_ribbon

Joint Meritorious Unit Commendation for Afghanistan 2008–2009 (5–101 AVN only) * Joint_Meritorious_Unit_Award_ribbon

Joint Meritorious Unit Award for Haiti Operation Uphold Democracy (101st MP CO only) * Valorous Unit Award ribbon

Valorous Unit Award for THUA THIEN PROVINCE (3rd Brigade and DIVARTY only) * Valorous Unit Award ribbon

Valorous Unit Award for TUY HOA (1st Brigade only) * Valorous Unit Award ribbon

Valorous Unit Award for AN NAJAF (1st Brigade only) * Valorous Unit Award ribbon

Valorous Unit Award for AFGHANISTAN 2010 (3rd Brigade only) * Valorous Unit Award ribbon

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 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) * Croix_de_guerre_1939-1945_with_palm_(France)_-_ribbon_bar

French Croix de guerre with Palm, World War II for NORMANDY (Division and 1st Brigade only) * BEL_Croix_de_Guerre_1944_ribbon

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 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) * Gallantry_Cross_Unit_Citation

Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm for VIETNAM 1966–1967 (1st Brigade only) * Gallantry_Cross_Unit_Citation

Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm for VIETNAM 1968 (2d Brigade only) * Gallantry_Cross_Unit_Citation

Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm for VIETNAM 1968–1969 (Except 159th Aviation Brigade) * Gallantry_Cross_Unit_Citation

Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm for VIETNAM 1971 (Except 159th Aviation Brigade) * Civil_Action_Unit_Citation

Republic of Vietnam Civil Action Honor Medal, First Class for VIETNAM 1968–1970 (Except 159th Aviation Brigade) * Civil_Action_Unit_Citation

Republic of Vietnam Civil Action Honor Medal, First Class for VIETNAM 1970 (DIVARTY only)

Notable members

* Naser Jason Abdo – Convicted on charges related to an attempted attack on Ft. Hood soldiers while AWOL * Ed Austin – Florida politician and lawyer * Frank K. Berry – Chess administrator and FIDE arbiter * Joseph Beyrle – 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. 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, ("Th ...

– Author of four books on his experiences as a paratrooper during World War II * Richard Chaves – 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 *

– World War II Medal of Honor recipient * Tom Cotton – Arkansas politician, current junior U.S. Senator from Arkansas * Randy Couture – MMA fighter and coach * Fred Dailey – Ohio politician * Mark Esper, 27th United States Secretary of Defense * Sam Gibbons – Florida politician * Eugene Goodman – Capitol Police officer and acting Deputy Senate Sergeant at Arms * Bob Gunton – Actor *

– 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-University of Oklahoma and Buffalo Bills guard. Killed in action FSB Ripchord South Vietnam, Bronze Star * Mike Lebowitz – Attorney, pioneer in field of military expression, military law, served in Iraq with Pathfinder Company of 101st Airborne Division. * William C. Lee – General, World War II veteran, considered one of the most important influences behind the establishment of U.S. airborne troops *

– World War II Medal of Honor recipient *

Salve H. Matheson Salve H. Matheson (11 August 1920 – 8 January 2005) was a general officer in the United States Army who served in World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. Early life and education Salve H. Matheson was born on 11 August 1920 to S. E ...

– U.S. Army general (including command of 1st Brigade and later the Division) *

James C. McConville James Charles McConville (born March 16, 1959) is a United States Army general who serves as the 40th and current chief of staff of the Army. He previously served as the 36th vice chief of staff of the Army from June 16, 2017 to July 26, 2019. P ...

– 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 – Professional wrestler, currently signed to TNA Wrestling under the name Crimson * Hugh Nibley - Scholar and an apologist of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints * Jorge Otero-Barreto – received 3 Silver Stars and 5 Purple Hearts in Vietnam * David H. Petraeus – 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 – General, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff 1989–1993, commanded 2nd Brigade of the 101st Airborne Division in 1976 *

Leslie H. Sabo Jr. Leslie Halasz Sabo Jr. ( hu, ifj. Halász Szabó László; 22 February 1948 – 10 May 1970) was a soldier in the United States Army during the Vietnam War. He received the highest military decoration, the Medal of Honor, for his actions d ...

– Vietnam War Medal of Honor recipient *

Joseph F. Sackett Joseph Frederick Sackett is an American clinical neuroradiologist and professor of radiology. During his academic career he published 74 papers in refereed journals, served as a visiting professor for 32 semesters and wrote 11 chapters in radiolog ...

– radiologist and professor of neuroradiology, Company Commander, 326 Med Battalion *

Charlie Sayles Charles Warner Sayles (born January 4, 1948) is an American Chicago blues harmonicist, singer and songwriter. At various times, Sayles has played alongside Pete Seeger, Bobby Parker, Deborah Coleman, and Bill Monroe. He has had three albums iss ...

– Chicago blues harmonicist, singer and songwriter * Louis Simpson – Poet who won the 1964 Pulitzer Prize for poetry with his collected works ''At the End of the Open Road'' * Robert Sink – 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 specializi ...

in the mini-series '' Band of Brothers''. * Jack Warden – actor who served with the 501st Infantry; in '' That Kind of Woman'' Warden played a paratrooper from the

. * Ernie Wheelwright – American football player, actor and singer * Dan White – San Francisco supervisor who assassinated San Francisco Mayor George Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk, on Monday, 27 November 1978 * Jesse White – Illinois politician * Barry Winchell – Kansas City soldier who was brutally murdered by two of his fellow soldiers. Whose story at Fort Campbell became a point of reference in the debate about the " Don't ask, don't tell" policy. * Richard Winters – Major, World War II veteran, portrayed by Damian Lewis in the TV series '' Band of Brothers''

Current structure

101st US Airborne Division - Organization 2021

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

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

(BCT) ("Bastogne")(♣) * US Army 1st INF BCT-101st ABN Div Trimming

Headquarters and Headquarters Company (HHC) * US Army 1st BN-327th Inf Reg Trimming

1st Battalion,

("Bulldogs") * US Army 2nd BN-327th Inf Reg Trimming

2nd Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment ("No Slack") * US Army 1st BN-506th INF Reg Oval

1st Battalion,

("Red Currahee") * US Army 1st Sq-32nd Cav Reg

1st Squadron, 32d Cavalry Regiment ("Bandits") * US Army 2nd Bn-32nd Arty Reg Trimming

2nd Battalion,

32nd Field Artillery Regiment The 32nd Field Artillery Regiment is a distinguished and highly-decorated field artillery regiment of the United States Army, first Constituted in 1918. Lineage Constituted in the Regular Army as the 32nd Field Artillery and assigned to the ...

(FAR) ("Proud Americans") * US Army 326th Bde Eng Bn Trimming

326th Brigade Engineer Battalion (BEB) ("Sapper Eagles") * US Army 426th Bde Support BN Trimming

426th Brigade Support Battalion (BSB) ("Taskmasters") 2nd BCT ("Strike")(♥) * US Army 2nd INF BCT-101st ABN Div Trimming

HHC *

1st Battalion,

("First Strike") * US Army 2nd BN-502nd Inf Reg Trimming

2nd Battalion, 502d Infantry Regiment ("Strike Force") * Background Trimming 1st Battalion 26th Infantry Regiment

1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment ("Blue Spaders") * US Army 1st Sq-75th Cav Reg Oval

1st Squadron, 75th Cavalry Regiment ("Widowmakers") * US Army 1st BN-320th Field Arty Reg Trimming

1st Battalion, 320th FAR ("Top Guns") * US Army 39th Bde Engineer BN Trimming

39th BEB ("Raptor") * US Army 526th Bde Support BN Trimming

526th BSB ("Best by Performance") 3rd BCT ("Rakkasan")( Torii

) *

US Army 3rd INF BCT-101st ABN Div Trimming

HHC *

1st Battalion,

187th Infantry Regiment The 187th Airborne Infantry Regiment (Rakkasans) is a regiment of the 101st Airborne Division. , the 1st and 3rd battalions are the only active elements of the regiment; they are assigned to the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Divisio ...

("Leader Rakkasans") * US Army 3rd BN-187th Inf Reg Trimming

3rd Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment ("Iron Rakkasans") * US Army 2nd BN-506th INF Reg Oval

2nd Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment ("White Currahee") * US Army 1st Sq-33rd Cav Reg Oval

1st Squadron,

33rd Cavalry Regiment The 33rd Armor Regiment was an armored regiment in the United States Army first formed in 1941. In 2005, the 33rd Armor was redesignated 33rd Cavalry Regiment. The 1st Squadron, 33rd Cavalry Regiment, a part of the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st ...

("War Rakkasans") * US Army 3rd BN-320th Field Arty Reg Trimming

3rd Battalion, 320th FAR ("Red Knights") * US Army 21th Engineer BN Oval

21st BEB ("Rak Solid") * US Army 626th Bde Support BN Oval

Distinctive_unit_insignia_of_the_626th_Support_Battalion

626th BSB ("Assurgam") 101st Airborne Division Artillery ("Guns of Glory")(•) * US Army 101st Airborne Division Artillery background trimming

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 (CAB) ("Wings of Destiny")(♦) * US Army 101st Aviation Bde Trimming

HHC ("Hell Cats") * US Army 17th Cavalry Regiment Trimming

2nd Squadron,

17th Cavalry Regiment The 17th Cavalry Regiment is a historical organization within the United States Army that began as a regiment of cavalry after the Pancho Villa Expedition. The unit was constituted on 1 July 1916 in the Regular Army as the 17th Cavalry at Fort ...

("Out Front") * US Army 101st Aviation Bde Trimming

1st Battalion, 101st Aviation Regiment ("Expect No Mercy") * US Army 101st Aviation Bde Trimming

5th Battalion, 101st Aviation Regiment ("Eagle Assault") * US Army 101st Aviation Bde Trimming

6th Battalion, 101st Aviation Regiment (General Support) ("Shadow of the Eagle") * US Army 101st Aviation Bde Trimming

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

Special Troops Battalion ("Sustainers") * US Army 101st Sustainment Brigade Background Trimming

129th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion ("Drive the Wedge") * Attached units: ** 716MPBnDUI

716th Military Police Battalion The 716th Military Police Battalion is a military police battalion of the United States Army based at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. It is a subordinate unit of the 16th Military Police Brigade. Organization The battalion is subordinate to the 16th M ...

("Peacekeepers"),

16th Military Police Brigade The 16th Military Police Brigade is a military police brigade of the United States Army headquartered at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. This brigade has the only airborne-qualified military police units in the U.S. Army, outside of the 82nd MP Compa ...

2nd Battalion, 44th Air Defense Artillery Regiment,

108th Air Defense Artillery Brigade 1 (one, unit, unity) is a number representing a single or the only entity. 1 is also a numerical digit and represents a single unit of counting or measurement. For example, a line segment of ''unit length'' is a line segment of length 1. I ...

** 1176th Transportation Company, TN ARNG associated unit ** 2123rd Transportation Company, KY ARNG associated unit

Notes

References

External links

*
Website of Fort Campbell and the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault)
– United States Army website
Army.mil/101stAirborne

101st Airborne Division Association

STRIKE on The Military Channel's Warrior POV – Screaming Eagles in Afghanistan
( YouTube) {{Authority control 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

History

World War I and the interwar period

World War II to the present day

D-Day

Drop Zone Able

Drop Zone Charlie

Drop Zone Dog

Other actions

Operation Market Garden

Battle of the Bulge

Liberation of Kaufering

Composition

Casualties

Awards

Post-war

Helmet insignia

Postwar training and pentomic reactivation

Civil rights

STRAC

Vietnam War

Tiger Force

Lam Son 719

Post-Vietnam

Air assault operations

Organization 1989

Gulf War

Humanitarian aid

Kosovo

Montana forest fires

Operation Enduring Freedom

Operation Iraqi Freedom

Second deployment to Iraq

Return to Afghanistan

2010 Afghanistan

2011 Afghanistan

Operation United Assistance

5th Special Forces Group

2016 Iraq

Operation Freedom's Sentinel

Operation Inherent Resolve

Somali Civil War (2009–present)

Operation Atlantic Resolve

Honors

Campaign participation credit

Decorations

Notable members

Current structure

See also

Notes

References

Further reading

External links