11th Airborne Division
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The 11th Airborne Division ("Arctic Angels") is a
United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land warfare, land military branch, service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight Uniformed services of the United States, U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army o ...
airborne formation, first activated on 25 February 1943, during
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
. Consisting of one parachute and two
glider infantry Glider infantry (also referred to as airlanding infantry esp. in British usage) was a type of airborne infantry in which soldiers and their equipment were inserted into enemy-controlled territory via military glider. Initially developed in the l ...
regiments, with supporting troops, the division underwent rigorous training throughout 1943. It played a vital role in the successful Knollwood Maneuver, which was organized to determine the viability of large-scale American airborne formations after their utility had been called into question following a disappointing performance during the
Allied invasion of Sicily The Allied invasion of Sicily, also known as Operation Husky, was a major campaign of World War II in which the Allied forces invaded the island of Sicily in July 1943 and took it from the Axis powers ( Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany). It b ...
. Held in reserve in the United States for the first half of 1944, in June the division was transferred to the Pacific Theater of Operations. Upon arrival it entered a period of intense training and acclimatization, and by November was judged combat-ready. The 11th Airborne saw its first action on the island of
Leyte Leyte ( ) is an island in the Visayas group of islands in the Philippines. It is eighth-largest and sixth-most populous island in the Philippines, with a total population of 2,626,970 as of 2020 census. Since the accessibility of land has be ...
in the
Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...
, but in a traditional infantry role. In January 1945 the division took part in the invasion of
Luzon Luzon (; ) is the largest and most populous island in the Philippines. Located in the northern portion of the Philippines archipelago, it is the economic and political center of the nation, being home to the country's capital city, Manila, as ...
. The two glider infantry regiments again operated as conventional infantry, securing a beachhead before fighting their way inland. The parachute infantry regiment was held in reserve for several days before conducting the division's first airborne operation, a combat drop on the
Tagaytay Ridge Mount Sungay, also known as Mount Gonzales, is a mountain in the Provinces of the Philippines, province of Cavite in the Philippines. Located in eastern Tagaytay, the inactive stratovolcano is the highest point in the province of Cavite, at .
. Reunited, the division participated in the
Liberation of Manila The Battle of Manila ( fil, Labanan sa Maynila; ja, マニラの戦い; es, Batalla de Manila; ) was a major battle of the Philippine campaign of 1944–45, during the Second World War. It was fought by forces from both the United States and ...
, and two companies of divisional paratroopers conducted an audacious raid on the Los Baños internment camp, liberating two thousand civilians. The 11th Airborne's last combat operation of World War II was in the north of Luzon around
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, in aid of combined American and Philippine forces who were battling to subdue the remaining Japanese resistance on the island. On 30 August 1945 the division was sent to southern Japan as part of the occupation force. Four years later it was recalled to the United States, where it became a training formation. One parachute infantry regiment was detached for service in the
Korean War , date = {{Ubl, 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953 (''de facto'')({{Age in years, months, weeks and days, month1=6, day1=25, year1=1950, month2=7, day2=27, year2=1953), 25 June 1950 – present (''de jure'')({{Age in years, months, weeks a ...
, but on 30 June 1958 the division was inactivated. It was briefly reactivated on 1 February 1963 as the 11th Air Assault Division (Test) to explore the theory and practicality of helicopter assault tactics, and was inactivated on 29 June 1965. The division's personnel and equipment were transferred to the newly raised
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. In a May 5, 2022
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hearing, Secretary of the Army
Christine Wormuth Christine Elizabeth Wormuth (born April 19, 1969) is an American defense official and career civil servant who serves as the United States Secretary of the Army since 2021. Wormuth previously served as the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy f ...
announced that in the summer of 2022, the U.S. Army Alaska headquarters would be redesignated as the 11th Airborne Division, and the two Brigade Combat Teams in Alaska, the 1st Brigade Combat Team and 4th Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, would be redesignated as the 1st and 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team of the 11th Airborne Division. On June 6, 2022, the 11th Airborne Division's 1st Brigade was re-activated at
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and the division's 2nd Brigade at Fort Richardson in separate ceremonies.


World War II


Formation

Inspired by the pioneering German use of large-scale airborne formations during the Battle of France in 1940 and later the
invasion of Crete The Battle of Crete (german: Luftlandeschlacht um Kreta, el, Μάχη της Κρήτης), codenamed Operation Mercury (german: Unternehmen Merkur), was a major Axis airborne and amphibious operation during World War II to capture the island o ...
in 1941, the various Allied powers decided to raise airborne units of their own. One of the resultant five American and two British airborne divisions, the 11th Airborne Division, was officially activated on 25 February 1943 at
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in
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, under the command of
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Joseph Swing. As formed, the division consisted of the 511th Parachute Infantry Regiment, the 187th Glider Infantry Regiment and the 188th Glider Infantry Regiment, and with a complement of 8,321 men was around half the strength of a regular U.S. infantry division of
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
. The division initially remained in the United States for training, which in common with all airborne units was extremely arduous to befit their elite status.Flanagan, p. 15. Training included lengthy forced marches, simulated parachute landings from towers, and practice jumps from transport aircraft; hesitancy in the doorway of an aircraft resulted in an automatic failure for the candidate. The washout rate was high, but there was never a shortage of candidates, especially because in American airborne units the rate of pay was much higher than that of an ordinary infantryman. Before training was complete a debate developed in the U.S. Army over whether the best use of airborne forces was ''en masse'' or as small, compact units. On 9 July 1943, the first large-scale Allied airborne operation was carried out by elements of the
U.S. 82nd Airborne Division The 82nd Airborne Division is an airborne infantry division of the United States Army specializing in parachute assault operations into denied areasSof, Eric"82nd Airborne Division" ''Spec Ops Magazine'', 25 November 2012. Archived from thori ...
and the British 1st Airborne Division in support of the
Allied invasion of Sicily The Allied invasion of Sicily, also known as Operation Husky, was a major campaign of World War II in which the Allied forces invaded the island of Sicily in July 1943 and took it from the Axis powers ( Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany). It b ...
, code-named
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. The 11th Airborne Division commanding general, Swing, was temporarily transferred to act as airborne advisor to
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Dwight D. Eisenhower Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower (born David Dwight Eisenhower; ; October 14, 1890 – March 28, 1969) was an American military officer and statesman who served as the 34th president of the United States from 1953 to 1961. During World War II, ...
for the operation and observed the airborne assault which went badly. The 82nd Airborne Division had been inserted by parachute and
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and had suffered high casualties, leading to a perception that it had failed to achieve many of its objectives.Devlin, p. 246.


Swing Board

Eisenhower reviewed the airborne role in Operation Husky and concluded that large-scale formations were too difficult to control in combat to be practical.
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Lesley J. McNair Lesley James McNair (May 25, 1883 – July 25, 1944) was a senior United States Army officer who served during World War I and World War II. He attained the rank of lieutenant general during his life; he was killed in action during World War I ...
, the overall commander of
Army Ground Forces The Army Ground Forces were one of the three autonomous components of the Army of the United States during World War II, the others being the Army Air Forces and Army Service Forces. Throughout their existence, Army Ground Forces were the large ...
, had similar misgivings: once an airborne supporter, he had been greatly disappointed by the performance of airborne units in North Africa and more recently Sicily. However, other high-ranking officers, including the Army Chief of Staff
George Marshall George Catlett Marshall Jr. (December 31, 1880 – October 16, 1959) was an American army officer and statesman. He rose through the United States Army to become Chief of Staff of the United States Army, Chief of Staff of the US Army under Pre ...
, believed otherwise. Marshall persuaded Eisenhower to set up a review board and to withhold judgement until the outcome of a large-scale maneuver, planned for December 1943, could be assessed. When Swing returned to the
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to resume command of the 11th Airborne in mid-September 1943, he was given the role of preparing the exercise. McNair ordered him to form a committee—the Swing Board—composed of
air force An air force – in the broadest sense – is the national military branch that primarily conducts aerial warfare. More specifically, it is the branch of a nation's armed services that is responsible for aerial warfare as distinct from an ...
, parachute, glider infantry and artillery officers, whose arrangements for the maneuver would effectively decide the fate of divisional-sized airborne forces. As the 11th Airborne Division was in reserve in the United States and had not yet been earmarked for combat, the Swing Board selected it as the test formation. The maneuver would additionally provide the 11th Airborne and its individual units with further training, as had occurred several months previously in an earlier large-scale exercise conducted by the
101st The 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) ("Screaming Eagles") is a light infantry division (military), division of the United States Army that specializes in air assault military operation, operations. It can plan, coordinate, and execute mul ...
and the 82nd Airborne Divisions.


Knollwood Maneuver

The 11th Airborne, as the attacking force, was assigned the objective of capturing Knollwood Army Auxiliary Airfield near Fort Bragg in
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. The force defending the airfield and its environs was a combat team composed of elements of the
17th Airborne Division The 17th Airborne Division, "The Golden Talons", was an airborne infantry division of the United States Army during World War II, commanded by Major General William M. Miley. It was officially activated as an airborne division in April 1 ...
and a battalion from the 541st Parachute Infantry Regiment. The entire operation was observed by McNair, who would ultimately have a significant say in deciding the fate of the parachute infantry divisions. The Knollwood Maneuver took place on the night of 7 December 1943, with the 11th Airborne Division being airlifted to thirteen separate objectives by 200
C-47 Skytrain The Douglas C-47 Skytrain or Dakota (RAF, RAAF, RCAF, RNZAF, and SAAF designation) is a military transport aircraft developed from the civilian Douglas DC-3 airliner. It was used extensively by the Allies during World War II and remained in f ...
transport aircraft and 234
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gliders.Huston, p. 136. The transport aircraft were divided into four groups, two of which carried paratroopers while the other two towed gliders. Each group took off from a different airfield in the Carolinas. The four groups deployed a total of 4,800 troops in the first wave. Eighty-five percent were delivered to their targets without navigational error, and the airborne troops seized the Knollwood Army Auxiliary Airfield and secured the landing area for the rest of the division before daylight. With its initial objectives taken, the 11th Airborne Division then launched a coordinated ground attack against a reinforced infantry regiment and conducted several aerial resupply and casualty evacuation missions in coordination with
United States Army Air Forces The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...
transport aircraft. The exercise was judged by observers to be a great success. McNair, pleased by its results, attributed this success to the great improvements in airborne training that had been implemented in the months following Operation Husky. As a result of the Knollwood Maneuver, division-sized airborne forces were deemed to be feasible and Eisenhower permitted their retention.Huston, p. 137.


Leyte

Following the Knollwood Maneuver the 11th Airborne remained in reserve until January 1944, when it was moved by train from Camp Mackall to Camp Polk in
Louisiana Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-smallest by area and the 25th most populous of the 50 U.S. states. Louisiana is borde ...
. After four weeks of final preparation for its combat role,Flanagan, p. 309. in April the division was moved to Camp Stoneman, California and then transferred to Milne Bay, Papua New Guinea, between 25 May and 11 June. From June to September the division underwent acclimatization and continued its airborne training, conducting parachute drops in the New Guinea jungle and around the airfield in Dobodura. During this period, most of the glider troops became parachute-qualified making the division almost fully airborne. On 11 November the division boarded a convoy of naval transports and was escorted to
Leyte Leyte ( ) is an island in the Visayas group of islands in the Philippines. It is eighth-largest and sixth-most populous island in the Philippines, with a total population of 2,626,970 as of 2020 census. Since the accessibility of land has be ...
in the
Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...
, arriving on 18 November. Four days later it was attached to XXIV Corps and committed to combat, but operating as an infantry division rather than in an airborne capacity. The 11th Airborne was ordered to relieve the 7th Infantry Division stationed in the Burauen-La Paz-Bugho area, engage and destroy all Japanese forces in its operational area, and protect XXIV Corps rear-area supply dumps and airfields. Swing ordered the 187th Glider Infantry Regiment (GIR) to guard the rear installations of XXIV Corps, while the 188th GIR was to secure the division's rear and conduct aggressive patrols to eliminate any enemy troops in the area. The 511th Parachute Infantry Regiment (PIR) was assigned the task of destroying all Japanese formations in the division's operational area, which it began on 28 November when it relieved the 7th Infantry. The 511th PIR advanced overland with two battalions abreast and the third in reserve, but progress proved slow in the face of fierce Japanese resistance, a lack of mapped trails and heavy rainfall (with more than falling in November alone). As the advance continued resupply became progressively more difficult; the division resorted to using large numbers of
Piper Cub The Piper J-3 Cub is an American light aircraft that was built between 1938 and 1947 by Piper Aircraft. The aircraft has a simple, lightweight design which gives it good low-speed handling properties and short-field performance. The Cub is P ...
aircraft to drop food and ammunition. Several attempts were made to improve the rate of advance, such as dropping platoons of the 187th GIR from Piper Cubs in front of the 511th PIR to reconnoiter, and using C-47 transport aircraft to drop artillery pieces to the regiment's location when other forms of transport, such as mule-trains, failed. On 6 December the Japanese tried to disrupt operations on Leyte by conducting two small-scale airborne raids. The first attempted to deploy a small number of Japanese airborne troops to occupy several key American-held airfields at
Tacloban Tacloban ( ; ), officially the City of Tacloban ( war, Syudad han Tacloban; fil, Lungsod ng Tacloban), is a first class highly urbanized city in the Eastern Visayas region of the Philippines. The city is autonomous from the province of Leyte, ...
and Dulag, but failed when the three aircraft used were either shot-down, crash-landed or destroyed on the ground along with their passengers. The second, larger, raid was carried out by between 29 and 39 transport aircraft supported by fighters; despite heavy losses, the Japanese managed to drop a number of airborne troops around
Burauen Burauen (IPA: u'ɾaʊen, officially the Municipality of Burauen ( war, Bungto han Burauen; tl, Bayan ng Burauen), is a 1st class municipality in the province of Leyte, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 52,511 peo ...
airfield, where the headquarters of 11th Airborne Division were located. Five
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reconnaissance aircraft and one C-47 transport were destroyed, but the raiders were eliminated by an ''ad hoc'' combat group of artillerymen, engineers and support troops led by Swing.Flanagan, p. 313. The 511th PIR was reinforced by the 2nd Battalion, 187th GIR, and continued its slow but steady progress. On 17 December it broke through the Japanese lines and arrived at the western shoreline of Leyte, linking up with elements of the 32nd Infantry Division. It was during this period that Private
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earned a
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when he helped to repel a counterattack, personally killing twenty-seven Japanese soldiers before being mortally wounded by a sniper. The regiment was ordered to set up temporary defensive positions before being relieved on 25 December by the 1st Batt., 187th GIR, and the 2nd Batt., 188th GIR, who would themselves incur considerable casualties against a heavily dug-in enemy. The 511th PIR was reassembled at its original base-camp in Leyte on 15 January 1945.


Luzon

On 22 January the division was placed on alert for an operation on the island of
Luzon Luzon (; ) is the largest and most populous island in the Philippines. Located in the northern portion of the Philippines archipelago, it is the economic and political center of the nation, being home to the country's capital city, Manila, as ...
, to the north of Leyte. Five days later the 187th and 188th Glider Infantry Regiments were embarked for Luzon by sea, while the 511th Parachute Infantry Regiment flew by
C-46 Commando The Curtiss C-46 Commando is a twin-engine transport aircraft derived from the Curtiss CW-20 pressurised high-altitude airliner design. Early press reports used the name "Condor III" but the Commando name was in use by early 1942 in company pub ...
transport aircraft to
Mindoro Mindoro is the seventh largest and eighth-most populous island in the Philippines. With a total land area of 10,571 km2 ( 4,082 sq.mi ) and has a population of 1,408,454 as of 2020 census. It is located off the southwestern coast of Luz ...
. At dawn on 31 January the 188th GIR led an amphibious assault near Nasugbu, in southern Luzon. Supported by a short naval barrage, A-20 Havoc light bombers and
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fighter aircraft, a beach-head was established in the face of light Japanese resistance. The regiment moved rapidly to secure Nasugbu, after which its 1st Battalion advanced up the island's arterial Highway 17 to deny the Japanese time to establish defenses further inland. The 2nd Battalion moved south, crossing the River Lian and securing the division's right flank. By 10:30 elements of the 188th had pushed deep into southern Luzon, creating the space for the 187th GIR to come ashore. The 188th's 2nd Battalion was relieved and the regiment continued its advance, reaching the River Palico by 14:30 and securing a vital bridge before it could be destroyed by Japanese
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s. Following Highway 17 to Tumalin, the regiment began to encounter heavier Japanese resistance. At midnight the 187th took over the lead and the two glider infantry regiments rested briefly before tackling the main Japanese defensive lines. These consisted of trenches linked to bunkers and fortified caves, and were manned by several hundred infantry with numerous artillery pieces in support. At 09:00 on 1 February the glider infantry launched their assault, and by midday had managed to break through the first Japanese position; they spent the rest of the day conducting mopping up operations. On the morning of 2 February the second line was breached, and by midnight the 188th had broken a third. The divisional reconnaissance platoon was now in the vicinity of Tagaytay Ridge, the intended site of the 511th Parachute Infantry Regiment's first combat drop.Flanagan, p. 314.Harclerode, p. 617. The 511th's airborne operation had originally been scheduled for 2 February, but with Swing's insistence that the drop was only to go ahead if his ground forces were in range to offer support, the dogged Japanese resistance encountered delayed the operation. With only 48 C-47s available, the 511th was forced to deploy in three waves. The regimental staff, the 2nd Battalion and half of the 3rd Battalion would drop first, the rest of the regiment would arrive in the second lift, and the 457th Parachute Field Artillery Battalion would drop in the third.Flanagan, p. 315. At 03:00 on 3 February the troops of the first lift entered their transport planes, and at 07:00 the first transports left Mindoro. Protected by an escort of
P-61 Black Widow The Northrop P-61 Black Widow is a twin-engine United States Army Air Forces fighter aircraft of World War II. It was the first operational U.S. warplane designed as a night fighter, and the first aircraft designed specifically as a night figh ...
night fighter A night fighter (also known as all-weather fighter or all-weather interceptor for a period of time after the Second World War) is a fighter aircraft adapted for use at night or in other times of bad visibility. Night fighters began to be used i ...
s, on arriving over Luzon they followed Highway 17 to Tagaytay Ridge. The ridge itself was an open space some long and wide, plowed in places, and had been largely cleared of Japanese troops by local Filipino soldiers and recognized guerrillas. At 08:15 the first echelon of the first lift, approximately 345 men, successfully parachuted into the drop zone. The second echelon, consisting of approximately 570 men, were dropped prematurely and landed about to the east. The next lift also encountered problems, with 425 men dropping correctly but another 1,325 dropping early due to pilot error and poor jump discipline. However, the entire regiment was assembled within five hours of the first landings. After overcoming minor Japanese resistance, by 15:00 the 511th had made contact with the 188th and 187th, and the entire division was once again assembled as a single formation. The ridge having been cleared of its remaining defenders, the division began to advance towards
Manila Manila ( , ; fil, Maynila, ), officially the City of Manila ( fil, Lungsod ng Maynila, ), is the capital of the Philippines, and its second-most populous city. It is highly urbanized and, as of 2019, was the world's most densely populate ...
, with the national highway in Silang, Dasmarinas, Imus and Bacoor where cleared by Fil-American Cavite Guerilla Forces FACGF under General Mariano Castaneda and reaching the Paranaque River by 21:00. The city was protected by the Genko Line, a major Japanese defensive belt that stretched along Manila's southern edge. The line consisted of approximately 1,200 two- to three-story deep blockhouses, many of which emplaced naval guns or large-caliber mortars. Entrenched heavy anti-aircraft weapons, machine-gun nests and booby-traps made of naval bombs completed the defenses, which were manned by around 6,000 Japanese soldiers. The 11th Airborne Division was ordered to breach the Genko Line and drive into Manila, where it would link up with other American forces attacking the city from the north. All three regiments were committed to the assault. During the advance on Manila, the division's Chief of Staff, Colonel Irvin R. Schimmelpfennig III, was killed by Japanese small arms fire on 4 February and posthumously awarded the
Distinguished Service Cross The Distinguished Service Cross (D.S.C.) is a military decoration for courage. Different versions exist for different countries. *Distinguished Service Cross (Australia) The Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) is a military decoration awarded to ...
. Spearheading the division's attack on 5 February, the 511th overcame fierce resistance and broke the crust of the Japanese position, but was soon relieved by the 188th. As the glider regiment took up the push westwards in the face of heavy opposition, the 511th changed their axis of advance and attempted to move into the city from the south. By 11 February, the division had penetrated as far as
Nichols Field Nichols Field was a U.S. military airfield located south of Manila in Pasay and Parañaque, Metro Manila, Luzon, the Philippines. The complex is located at Andrews Avenue by the north, Domestic Road by the west, NAIA Road and Ninoy Aquino Avenu ...
, an airfield that formed the center of the Genko Line. This was heavily fortified with a number of entrenched naval guns and a series of bunkers; after a short artillery bombardment on the morning of 12 February, the 187th's 2nd Battalion attacked the airfield's north-west corner while the 1st Battalion and the entire 188th regiment moved in from the south and south-eastern corners. This pincer movement succeeded in taking the airfield and, despite a local counter-attack, by nightfall the position was secured. The following day the division thrust towards Fort William McKinley, the headquarters of Rear Admiral Iwabuchi, commander of the Japanese defenders on Luzon. It was during this advance that Private First Class
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neutralized several Japanese bunkers which were impeding the division's progress, capturing one single-handedly and killing eighteen Japanese soldiers. Perez was killed by a sniper a month later in South Luzon, and posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. On 15 February, the 1st Battalion of the 187th, alongside other American units, launched an attack on Mabato Point. This was an extremely heavily fortified position featuring the same defensive measures as the Genko Line, and it would take six days of hard fighting, multiple airstrikes, and the frequent use of
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and heavy artillery, before the point was secured.Harclerode, pp. 623–624. Meanwhile, having taken heavy casualties on its approach to Fort McKinley—particularly when the Japanese detonated a quantity of buried naval depth charges—on 17 February the rest of the 11th Airborne Division assaulted the fort. The 511th led the break-in, and by 18 February the area had been cleared of its defenders. Sporadic fighting continued in Manilla until 3 March, when all organized Japanese resistance ended. The commander of the 511th, Colonel Orin D. "Hard Rock" Haugen, died of shrapnel wounds sustained during the battle of Manilla on 22 February.


Raid at Los Baños

A large number of civilian prisoners had been detained by the Japanese on Luzon, mostly in internment camps scattered throughout the island. The largest of these was located on the campus of the Agricultural College of the Philippines at Los Baños, some south-east of Manila.
General A general officer is an officer of high rank in the armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry. In some usages the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colonel."general, adj. and n.". OED ...
Douglas MacArthur had tasked the 11th Airborne Division with rescuing the Los Baños internees on 3 February, but the division's ongoing combat operations around the Genko Line left it unable to divert any resources at that time.Flanagan, p. 328. All that could be accomplished during February was to gather information, primarily through liaison with the guerilla groups operating in Southern Luzon and around Los Baños. Swing and his command staff were briefed daily by the officer working with the guerilla groups, Major Vanderpool. From the guerillas and a few civilians that had escaped the camp, Vanderpool established that it was surrounded by two barbed-wire fences approximately six feet tall. Several guard towers and bunkers dotted its perimeter, each containing at least two guards. Prisoners left each morning under armed guard to gather food supplies and firewood from a nearby town. Vanderpool was informed that the camp's population consisted of American civilians in three distinct groups: Protestant missionaries and their families; Roman Catholic nuns and priests; and professional workers such as doctors and engineers, and their families. The latter group included several hundred women and children. While all the inmates appeared to be in good health, many had become weak from food rationing. On 20 February, Swing was finally able to release sufficient troops for a raid on the Los Baños camp, and a four-phase plan was devised by Vanderpool and the divisional staff officers.Flanagan, p. 330. The divisional reconnaissance platoon would travel across a nearby lake and move to the outskirts of the camp, securing a large adjacent field as the drop zone for a company of paratroopers. Having landed, the paratroopers would eliminate Japanese resistance in the area, secure the camp, and prepare for its evacuation. Fifty-four amphibious Amtracs would transport two additional companies of paratroopers to the lake shore, where a beachhead would be established while the Amtracs continued to the camp to evacuate its occupants. Simultaneously, a task force consisting of a reinforced infantry battalion, two battalions of heavy artillery and a tank destroyer battalion would advance down Highway 1 towards Los Baños to interdict any Japanese attempts to interfere. Assisted by a group of guerrillas, on the night of 21 February the divisional reconnaissance platoon made their way to the lake and collected ten canoes. Despite navigational difficulties, the platoon came ashore near Los Baños at 02:00 the following morning, and after securing the paratroopers' drop zone, concealed themselves in the jungle near the camp. During the afternoon B Company of the 1st Battalion, 511th PIR was transferred to the airfield from which they would be deployed, while the rest of the battalion rendezvoused with the Amtrac convoy.Harclerode, p. 632. At 07:00 on the morning of 23 February, B Company took off in ten C-47s, arriving over their drop zone shortly afterwards. As the first paratroopers landed, the reconnaissance platoon and the supporting guerilla fighters opened fire on the camp's defences, using
Bazooka Bazooka () is the common name for a man-portable recoilless anti-tank rocket launcher weapon, widely deployed by the United States Army, especially during World War II. Also referred to as the "stovepipe", the innovative bazooka was among the ...
rounds to penetrate the concrete pillboxes, and then entered the camp to engage its garrison. The paratroopers soon joined the battle, and by 07:30 the Japanese guards had been overcome and the internees were being rounded up and readied for evacuation. At the lakeshore the 511th's other two companies had secured their beachhead, and the convoy of Amtracs reached the camp without incident. Priority during loading was given to the women, children and wounded; some of the able-bodied men walked alongside the Amtracs as they returned to the beach. The first evacuation convoy left the camp at approximately 10:00, with B Company, the reconnaissance platoon and the guerrillas remaining behind to provide a rearguard. By 11:30 all of the civilians had been evacuated, and at 13:00 the Amtrac convoy returned for the rearguard, with the last paratroopers leaving the beach at approximately 15:00. Meanwhile, on Highway 1, the taskforce that had been deployed to protect the operation met heavy Japanese resistance and suffered several casualties, but was able to block Japanese forces that advanced on the camp, before retreating back to American lines. The raid had been a complete success, liberating 2,147 civilians.


Southern Luzon and Aparri

On the day that the Los Baños internees were freed, the headquarters of
Sixth United States Army Sixth Army is a theater army of the United States Army. The Army service component command of United States Southern Command, its area of responsibility includes 31 countries and 15 areas of special sovereignty in Central and South America and ...
assigned the 11th Airborne Division the task of destroying all Japanese formations in southern Luzon, south of Manila.Devlin, p. 640. The bulk of the division moved south the following day, with the 187th GIR and the 511th PIR advancing abreast. The 188th GIR was detached from the main advance by Swing; it was to eliminate all Japanese units still operating in the Pico de Loro hills along the southern shore of
Manila Bay Manila Bay ( fil, Look ng Maynila) is a natural harbor that serves the Port of Manila (on Luzon), in the Philippines. Strategically located around the capital city of the Philippines, Manila Bay facilitated commerce and trade between the Phi ...
. These forces belonged to the 80,000-strong ''Shimbu'' Group, one of three groups of the
Japanese Fourteenth Area Army The was a field army of the Imperial Japanese Army (IJA) during World War II. It was originally the 14th Army, formed on November 6, 1941 for the upcoming invasion of the Philippines. It was reorganized in the Philippines on July 28, 1944, w ...
under General Tomoyuki Yamashita. It would take until the end of April for the 11th Airborne Division—often acting in conjunction with Filipino soldiers, the recognized guerillas and elements of the 1st Cavalry Division—to subdue the ''Shimbu'' Group. Conducting combat operations was extremely difficult in the mountainous terrain, and many Japanese units elected to fight to the death rather than surrender. However, all organized resistance in southern Luzon ended on 1 May, when the division captured Mount Malepunyo near the city of Lipa. The 11th Airborne established a base centered around the former Japanese airstrip on the outskirts of Lipa, the runway of which was lengthened by the 127th Airborne Engineer Battalion to accommodate C-47s. Once the engineering work was completed, the division's combat troops participated in several refresher-training courses. The 11th Airborne's next operation took place on 23 June in the province of Aparri in northern Luzon.Flanagan, p. 335. By this time the only Japanese forces remaining on the island were positioned to the far north and belonged to the 52,000-strong ''Shobu'' Group. This last of General Yamashita's three groups proved to be the most tenacious, forcing Lieutenant-General
Walter Krueger Walter Krueger (26 January 1881 – 20 August 1967) was an American soldier and general officer in the first half of the 20th century. He commanded the Sixth United States Army in the South West Pacific Area during World War II. He rose fr ...
, commander of the Sixth United States Army, to commit four infantry divisions, an armored task force and a large band of the Filipino recognized guerrillas. While these forces pinned down the Japanese, the 37th Infantry Division began an advance northwards, defeating a weaker formation and encircling the main Japanese force. To ensure the success of the 37th's drive, Krueger called for an airborne force to land near Aparri and move southwards to meet the advancing 37th. The 11th Airborne Division was to drop a battalion-sized combat team on Camalaniugan Airfield, approximately south of Aparri. It would then advance southwards, eliminating all Japanese resistance, until it linked up with the leading elements of the 37th Infantry Division. To accomplish this Swing formed a special unit–Gypsy Task Force–comprising the 1st Battalion of the 511th Parachute Infantry Regiment, G and I Companies of the regiment's 2nd Battalion, an artillery battery from the 457th Parachute Field Artillery Battalion, and a platoon of engineers and miscellaneous signal and medical detachments. Gypsy Task Force would be transported by 54 C-47s and 13 C-46s aircraft, as well as six Waco CG-4A Gliders which would land jeeps and supplies for the task force. On 21 June, a detachment of pathfinders from the division was flown in to secure Camalaniugan Airfield, and two days later the transport aircraft carrying the troops of Gypsy Task Force were escorted by fighters to the area. At 09:00 the pathfinder detachment set off colored smoke to mark the drop-zone, but fierce winds and uneven ground around the airfield proved hazardous to the parachutists, causing two deaths and seventy injuries during the drop.Flanagan, p. 337. Despite these casualties the force was rapidly concentrated, and began its advance southwards. Japanese resistance was stiff, forcing the airborne troops to rely on flamethrowers to eliminate bunkers and fortifications along their route. After three days of fighting and having eliminated a significant portion of ''Shobu'' Group, the task force encountered the lead elements of the 37th Infantry Division. Although ''Shobu'' Group would continue its resistance until September, its encirclement marked the 11th Airborne Division's final combat operation of the war.


Casualties

*Total battle casualties: 2,431Army Battle Casualties and Nonbattle Deaths, Final Report (Statistics and Accounting Branch, Office of the Adjutant General, 1 June 1953), pp. 88–89 *Killed in action: 494 *Died of wounds and injuries: 120 *Wounded in action: 1,926 *Missing in action: 11


Awards

During World War II the division and its members were awarded the following awards: * Distinguished Unit Citations: 13 *
Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valo ...
: 2 ** Private
Elmer E. Fryar Elmer E. Fryar (February 10, 1914 – December 8, 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 At age nineteen Fryar joi ...
(
KIA Kia Corporation, commonly known as Kia (, ; formerly known as Kyungsung Precision Industry and Kia Motors Corporation), is a South Korean multinational automobile manufacturer headquartered in Seoul, South Korea. It is South Korea's second lar ...
)
** Private First Class
Manuel Perez Jr. Manuel may refer to: People * Manuel (name) * Manuel (Fawlty Towers), a fictional character from the sitcom ''Fawlty Towers'' * Charlie Manuel, manager of the Philadelphia Phillies * Manuel I Komnenos, emperor of the Byzantine Empire * Manu ...
(
KIA Kia Corporation, commonly known as Kia (, ; formerly known as Kyungsung Precision Industry and Kia Motors Corporation), is a South Korean multinational automobile manufacturer headquartered in Seoul, South Korea. It is South Korea's second lar ...
)
*
Distinguished Service Cross The Distinguished Service Cross (D.S.C.) is a military decoration for courage. Different versions exist for different countries. *Distinguished Service Cross (Australia) The Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) is a military decoration awarded to ...
: 9 * Silver Star: 432 * Legion of Merit: 10 *
Soldier's Medal The Soldier's Medal is an individual decoration of the United States Army. It was introduced as Section 11 of the Air Corps Act, passed by the Congress of the United States on July 2, 1926., Appendix 5, p. 126. The Army' Soldier's Medal is equiv ...
: 56 * Bronze Star Medal: 1,515 *
Air Medal The Air Medal (AM) is a military decoration of the United States Armed Forces. It was created in 1942 and is awarded for single acts of heroism or meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight. Criteria The Air Medal was establish ...
: 41


Post-World War II


Occupation of Japan

MacArthur made plans to use the 11th Airborne Division in the
invasion of Japan Operation Downfall was the proposed Allied plan for the invasion of the Japanese home islands near the end of World War II. The planned operation was canceled when Japan surrendered following the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, ...
; it was to remain as Sixth Army's operational reserve, to be committed if required. However, with the end of hostilities in the Pacific Theater due to the surrender of Japan, the division was instead selected by MacArthur to lead the American forces that would occupy Japan. The divisional staff received orders to this effect on 11 August 1945,Flanagan, pp 340–341. and the division was transported to
Okinawa is a prefecture of Japan. Okinawa Prefecture is the southernmost and westernmost prefecture of Japan, has a population of 1,457,162 (as of 2 February 2020) and a geographic area of 2,281 km2 (880 sq mi). Naha is the capital and largest city ...
on 12 August; an operation that involved 99 B-24 Liberator bombers, 350 C-46s and 150 C-47s to airlift 11,100 men, 120 vehicles and approximately 1.16 million pounds (530,000 kg) of equipment. The 11th Airborne remained on Okinawa for several weeks before, on 28 August, it was ordered to land at Atsugi Airfield outside of
Yokohama is the second-largest city in Japan by population and the most populous municipality of Japan. It is the capital city and the most populous city in Kanagawa Prefecture, with a 2020 population of 3.8 million. It lies on Tokyo Bay, south of T ...
, on the main Japanese home island of Honshū. Its instructions were to secure the surrounding area, evacuate all Japanese civilians and military personnel within a radius of , and finally occupy Yokohama itself. A large number of
C-54 Skymaster The Douglas C-54 Skymaster is a four-engined transport aircraft used by the United States Army Air Forces in World War II and the Korean War. Like the Douglas C-47 Skytrain derived from the DC-3, the C-54 Skymaster was derived from a civilian a ...
transport aircraft were made available, with the first—carrying Swing and his divisional staff—landing at Atsugi Airfield at 06:00 on 30 August. It took a week to fully assemble the division, and by 13 September it had been joined by the 27th Infantry Division, which was airlifted into Japan at the same time. The 11th Airborne Division was later moved from Yokohama to northern Japan, and established camps along the coast of
Honshu , historically called , is the largest and most populous island of Japan. It is located south of Hokkaidō across the Tsugaru Strait, north of Shikoku across the Inland Sea, and northeast of Kyūshū across the Kanmon Straits. The island se ...
and on the island of
Hokkaido is Japan's second largest island and comprises the largest and northernmost prefecture, making up its own region. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaidō from Honshu; the two islands are connected by the undersea railway Seikan Tunnel. The lar ...
. Occupation duties in Japan continued until May 1949, when the 11th Airborne was relieved and recalled to the United States.Flanagan, p. 345. The division was transferred to
Camp Campbell Fort Campbell is a United States Army installation located astride the Kentucky–Tennessee border between Hopkinsville, Kentucky and Clarksville, Tennessee (post address is located in Kentucky). Fort Campbell is home to the 101st Airborne Divi ...
in
Kentucky Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virginia ...
and remained a combat formation ready to deploy worldwide. During the early 1950's, the Angels conducted several large scale training operations in Alaska, such as Exercise Snowbird. Angels descended near Mt. McKinley on the first day from C-119s over the arctic region. Inactivated at Camp Anza, California, in December 1945, it was reactivated and redesignated as the 503rd Airborne Infantry Regiment in February 1951 and assigned to the 11th Airborne Division at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, following the departure of the 187th Airborne Infantry Regiment to Korea as a separate airborne regimental combat team. In 1956 the 503rd went with the rest of the 11th Airborne Division to posts in southeastern Germany.


Korean War

Training continued until the outbreak of the
Korean War , date = {{Ubl, 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953 (''de facto'')({{Age in years, months, weeks and days, month1=6, day1=25, year1=1950, month2=7, day2=27, year2=1953), 25 June 1950 – present (''de jure'')({{Age in years, months, weeks a ...
in 1950. For service in Korea, the 187th Glider Infantry Regiment—now renamed the 187th Airborne Infantry Regiment—and the 674th Airborne Field Artillery Battalion were detached from the division and re-formed as a separate
Regimental Combat Team A regimental combat team (RCT) is a provisional major infantry unit which has seen use by branches of the United States Armed Forces. It is formed by augmenting a regular infantry regiment with smaller combat, combat support and combat service ...
(RCT). The 187th made successful combat parachute assaults near the towns of Sukchon and Sunchon, north of the North Korean capital of
Pyongyang Pyongyang (, , ) is the capital and largest city of North Korea, where it is known as the "Capital of the Revolution". Pyongyang is located on the Taedong River about upstream from its mouth on the Yellow Sea. According to the 2008 populat ...
, as part of the
Battle of Yongju The Battle of Yongyu (), also known as the Battle of the Apple Orchard or the Battle of Yongju to the Australians who fought in it, took place between 21 and 22 October 1950 during the United Nations Command (UNC) UN offensive into North Korea, ...
. The published purpose of that drop was to capture members of the North Korean Government fleeing Pyongyang and also to free American POWs being moved towards the Chinese border, however, neither objective was realized. The regiment later fought against North Korean and Chinese forces at Suan,
Wonju Wonju () is the most populous city in Gangwon Province, South Korea. The city is located approximately east of Seoul. Wonju was the site of three crucial battles during the Korean War. Geography Wonju sits at the southwestern corner of Gangw ...
, Kaesong,
Munsan-ni Munsan is a town of Paju, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. It lies on the south bank of the Imjin River, close to the edge of the Demilitarized Zone and near Panmunjom and the Joint Security Area. History Munsan has a heavy military presence beca ...
, and
Inje Inje County (''Inje-gun'') is a county in Gangwon Province, South Korea. It has the lowest population density of any South Korean county. History Since the first inhabitants came to the Korean peninsula, there have been people living in Inje cou ...
. During the winter of 1950, the 187th was caught up in the Chinese "
Second Phase Offensive The Second Phase Offensive (25 November – 24 December 1950) or Second Phase Campaign () of the Korean War was an offensive by the Chinese People's Volunteer Army (PVA) against United Nations Command (U.S./UN) forces, most of which were soldier ...
" and fought in the Battle of the Ch'ongch'on River. The 187th led the last parachute assault in Korea on 23 March 1951 as part of
Operation Tomahawk Operation Tomahawk was an airborne military operation by the 187th Regimental Combat Team (187th RCT) on 23 March 1951 at Munsan-ni as part of Operation Courageous in the Korean War. Operation Courageous was designed to trap large numbers of Chine ...
and took part in the UN May–June 1951 counteroffensive. It redeployed to Japan on 26 June 1951 where it became a strategic reserve but returned to Korea on 24 May 1952 to assist in the suppression of the prisoner rebellion at the
Geoje POW Camp Geoje-do POW camp ( ko, 거제도 포로수용소, zh, 巨济岛戰俘營) was a prisoner of war camp located on Geoje island at the southernmost part of Gyeongsangnam-do, South Korea. It is considered the largest of the UNC established camps. ...
, where prisoners had forcibly seized and held Brigadier General Francis Dodd, camp commandant, hostage for four days from 7 May 1952. After this, it once more returned to Japan on 18 October 1952 and made its final return to Korea on 22 June 1953. The unit returned to the United States in July 1955. Four members of the 187th were awarded the Medal of Honor for their actions in the Korean War: Corporal Lester Hammond, Jr.(
KIA Kia Corporation, commonly known as Kia (, ; formerly known as Kyungsung Precision Industry and Kia Motors Corporation), is a South Korean multinational automobile manufacturer headquartered in Seoul, South Korea. It is South Korea's second lar ...
)
, Corporal
Rodolfo P. Hernandez Rodolfo is a given name. Notable people with the name include: *Rodolfo (footballer, born 1992), Brazilian footballer Rodolfo José da Silva Bardella *Rodolfo Albano III, Filipino politician *Dolphy, Rodolfo Vera Quizon Sr. (1928-2012), Filipino ...
( WIA), Corporal Joe R. Baldonado(
KIA Kia Corporation, commonly known as Kia (, ; formerly known as Kyungsung Precision Industry and Kia Motors Corporation), is a South Korean multinational automobile manufacturer headquartered in Seoul, South Korea. It is South Korea's second lar ...
)
and Private First Class Richard G. Wilson(
KIA Kia Corporation, commonly known as Kia (, ; formerly known as Kyungsung Precision Industry and Kia Motors Corporation), is a South Korean multinational automobile manufacturer headquartered in Seoul, South Korea. It is South Korea's second lar ...
)
.


Operation Gyroscope and First inactivation

The 11th Airborne Division was sent to Germany in early 1956 as part of
Operation Gyroscope Operation Gyroscope was a United States Army program implemented between 1955 and 1959 during the Cold War that modified the replacement system so that entire divisions were rotated out of overseas service together rather than as individuals. The p ...
, to replace the 5th Infantry Division stationed in Augsburg and Munich. As the division was en route, the 187th RCT was relocated to Fort Campbell, taking over the camps that the 11th had recently vacated. In July that year the 187th, along with the 508th ARC, was transferred to the newly reactivated 101st Airborne Division. As the American Army began to restructure its organization (known as the
Pentomic Pentomic (cf. ''Greek pent(e)-'' +''-tome'' "of five parts") was a structure for infantry and airborne divisions adopted by the US Army between 1957 and 1963, in response to the potential use of tactical nuclear weapons, on future battlefields. ...
Concept), the battalions of the 187th were reorganized as Airborne Battle Groups. In early 1957 the lineage of Company A, 187th AIR was redesignated as HHC, 1st Airborne Battle Group, 187th Infantry and administratively transferred (less personnel and equipment) to Augsburg to join its former parent formation, where it was formed from the existing personnel and equipment of the 11th Airborne Division. HHC, 2d Airborne Battle Group, 187th Infantry, formed from the lineage of Company B, 187th AIR remained with the 101st until 1964 while the 3d Battalion was inactivated. The 11th Division was itself inactivated in Augsburg on 1 July 1958, being reorganized and reflagged as the 24th Infantry Division. The 1st ABG, 187th Infantry and the 1st ABG, 503d Infantry, retrained their Airborne designations and jump status within the 24th until both groups rotated back to the US for assignment to the 82d Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, NC.


11th Air Assault Division (Test)

In 1960, Lt. General Gordon B. Rogers chaired the Army Aircraft Requirements Review Board. It recommended selection of the
UH-1 The Bell UH-1 Iroquois (nicknamed "Huey") is a utility military helicopter designed and produced by the American aerospace company Bell Helicopter. It is the first member of the prolific Huey family, as well as the first turbine-powered helic ...
Huey and
CH-47 The Boeing CH-47 Chinook is a tandem rotor helicopter developed by American rotorcraft company Vertol and manufactured by Boeing Vertol. The Chinook is a heavy-lift helicopter that is among the heaviest lifting Western helicopters. Its name ...
Chinook helicopters as primary airlift capability for the U.S. Army. The board also recommended that an operational use study be considered and mentioned the possibility of creating a unit to test operational concepts.Conceptual Underpinnings of the Air Assault Concept, The Hogaboom, Rogers and Howze Boards
, by Mark A. Olinger, published by the Institute of Land Warfare, Association of the United States Army, 2006, p. 5
Defense Secretary
Robert S. McNamara Robert Strange McNamara (; June 9, 1916 – July 6, 2009) was an American business executive and the eighth United States Secretary of Defense, serving from 1961 to 1968 under Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson. He remains the ...
Lt. Gen. Hamilton H. Howze, the Army's first director of aviation, to implement the study. McNamara handpicked the board members and prevented Secretary of the Army
Elvis Jacob Stahr Jr. Elvis Jacob Stahr Jr. (March 9, 1916 – November 11, 1998) was an American government official and college president and administrator. After graduating from the University of Kentucky in 1936 as a member of Sigma Chi and Pershing Rifles, ...
, in what many considered a slap in the face, from nominating anyone. The
Howze Board The Howze Board was the informal name given to the Tactical Mobility Requirements Board created at the direct request of Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara to review and test new concepts integrating helicopters as close air support into the Unit ...
released its findings on August 20, 1962. It proposed huge changes in Army doctrine: To test the concept of helicopter assault, the 11th Airborne Division was reactivated at Fort Benning on 1 February 1963 and redesignated as the 11th Air Assault Division (Test) as a unit of the
Regular Army A regular army is the official army of a state or country (the official armed forces), contrasting with irregular forces, such as volunteer irregular militias, private armies, mercenaries, etc. A regular army usually has the following: * a standin ...
.Flanagan, p. 376 The 10th Air Transport Brigade was formed around an existing aviation battalion at Fort Benning to manage and fly the helicopters assigned to the division. The 11th Aviation Group was created, consisting of the 227th, 228th, and 229th Aviation Battalions. Elements of its original combat units—the 187th Infantry, the 188th Infantry and the 511th Infantry—were reformed under the new division. The group also included the 11th Aviation Company (General Support), 17th Aviation Company (Airmobile Light), and 478th Aviation Company (Heavy Helicopter). Under the leadership of Major General Charles W. G. Rich, the Test Director, and Brigadier General Harry W. O. Kinnard, the Division Commander, the group developed a organizational structure and plans for a unit that could move one-third of the division's infantry battalions and supporting units in one single helicopter lift. The 11th Air Assault Division developed and refined air assault tactics and the equipment required to operate effectively in the role. The 187th and 188th tested helicopters during various exercises, ranging from command and control maneuvers to scouting, screening and aerial resupply, to assess their ability to perform as combat aircraft. In September 1963, Air Assault I exercises tested the Airmobility concept at the battalion level at Fort Stewart in Georgia. Air Assault II, a much larger exercise, was conducted across two states in October 1964. The 11th Air Assault Division operated against the 82nd Airborne Division and the 11th thoroughly dominated the exercise. The 11th was not constituted as a full division during the test period. Although the intent was to create three air assault brigades, the test division included an air assault brigade (which was also parachute-qualified), an airmobile brigade, and both ground and a new air artillery element provided by helicopters known as
ARA ARA may refer to: Media and the arts * American-Romanian Academy of Arts and Sciences * '' Artistička Radna Akcija'', compilation album released in former Yugoslavia * Associate of the Royal Academy, denoting membership in the British Royal Aca ...
. When the test was concluded, the assets of the 11th Air Assault Division (Test), the 10th Air Transport Brigade, and the 2nd Infantry Division were merged into a single unit. On 29 June 1965, the colors and subordinate unit designations of the 1st Cavalry Division were transferred from its post in Korea to Fort Benning,
Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States Georgia may also refer to: Places Historical states and entities * Related to the ...
. On 3 July 1965, the 11th Air Assault Division (Test) was inactivated and its colors cased. The 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile) colors were moved onto the field at in Doughboy Stadium and passed to the commander of the former 11th Air Assault Division, Major General Kinnard. At the same time the personnel and units of the 1st Cavalry Division that remained in Korea were reflagged as a new 2nd Infantry Division. On 29 July 1965, President
Lyndon B. Johnson Lyndon Baines Johnson (; August 27, 1908January 22, 1973), often referred to by his initials LBJ, was an American politician who served as the 36th president of the United States from 1963 to 1969. He had previously served as the 37th vice ...
ordered the 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile) to Vietnam.


Air Assault Badge

An earlier predecessor to the current
Air Assault Badge The Air Assault Badge, U.S. Army Institute of Heraldry, dated 18 January 1978, last accessed 16 October 2020 is awarded by the U.S. Army for successful completion of the Air Assault School. The course includes three phases of instruction involving ...
, the original Air Assault Badge was worn by troops of 11th who qualified for it by making three helicopter rappels from and three from . Soldiers were also required to be knowledgeable of aircraft safety procedures; familiar with aircraft orientation; proficient in hand and arm signals and combat assault operations; able to prepare, inspect and rig equipment for external sling loads; and able to lash down equipment inside helicopters. The badge was first awarded in early 1964 and was authorized for wear by soldiers within the 11th Air Assault Division (Test).ORIGINAL AIR ASSAULT BADGE
ranger25.com, archived 30 April 2013, last accessed 10 May 2022


Twenty-first century

On 5 May 2022, during a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Army Secretary Christine Wormuth and Army Chief of Staff General James McConville announced that U.S. Army Alaska would be reflagged as the 11th Airborne Division. According to Wormuth and McConville, the goals of the redesignation are to give the Alaska based forces a better sense of purpose and identity during a time of a spike in suicides. The redesignation is also meant to give a focus to the Army's Arctic strategy. U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan of Alaska said “This is a historic development for our Alaska-based military, redesignating U.S. Army Alaska under the 11th Airborne Division banner presents a dual opportunity for our country—renewing the spirit and purpose of our Alaska-based soldiers by connecting them with this division’s proud and storied history, and better fulfilling America’s role as an Arctic nation.”
Major General Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of ...
Brian S. Eifler, the 11th Airborne Division's commanding general, has shared with the press the basic outline of the division stating, “There’s no other formation that’s going to look like it, nor have the same mission.”How — and why — the 11th Airborne Division is being resurrected in Alaska
ArmyTimes, by Davis Winkie, dated 25 May 2022, last accessed 29 May 2022
On June 6, 2022, during separate ceremonies, the 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team and 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division were reflagged to the 1st Infantry Brigade Combat Team and 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 11th Airborne Division respectively. All units from the former U.S. Army Alaska were absorbed under the new division. It was also announced that the 1st Infantry Brigade would divest its Strykers. Following these changes, the brigade would test several new vehicles to include the Cold-Weather
All-Terrain Vehicle An all-terrain vehicle (ATV), also known as a light utility vehicle (LUV), a quad bike, or simply a quad, as defined by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI); is a vehicle that travels on low-pressure tires, with a seat that is stra ...
(CATV) to replace the former Strykers. The division's 2nd Brigade would remain largely unchanged. According to MG Eifler, the division will take time to be fully realized, but force structure currently consists of the following units:New Army 11th Airborne Division Gets Stand Up Date, Force Outline
Military.com, Military News, by Steve Beynon, dated 18 May 2022, last accessed 20 May 2022
11th Airborne Division, Units
Official 11th Airborne Division website, last accessed 11 September 2022
11th Airborne Division "Arctic Angels"
* Headquarters and Headquarters Company ** 11th Airborne Division Band11th Army Band
official
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page, last accessed 1 August 2022
**
Northern Warfare Training Center The United States Army Northern Warfare Training Center (NWTC) is the name of a United States Army Alaska (USARAK) special skills training unit and facility located in Black Rapids, Alaska, managed out of Fort Wainwright. It is the Active Army's ...
** Non-Commissioned Officer's Academy * 1st Infantry Brigade Combat Team "Arctic Wolves" located at
Fort Wainwright Fort Wainwright is a United States Army installation in Fairbanks, Alaska. Fort Wainwright is part of the Fairbanks North Star Borough and the coterminous Fairbanks Metropolitan Statistical Area. The installation is managed by U.S. Army Garrison ...
,
Alaska Alaska ( ; russian: Аляска, Alyaska; ale, Alax̂sxax̂; ; ems, Alas'kaaq; Yup'ik: ''Alaskaq''; tli, Anáaski) is a state located in the Western United States on the northwest extremity of North America. A semi-exclave of the U.S. ...
** Headquarters and Headquarters Company "Dire Wolves" ** 5th Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment, Reconnaissance Surveillance and Target Acquisition (RSTA) "Blackhawk" ** 1st Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment "Bobcat" ** 3rd Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment "Gimlet" ** 1st Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment "Legion" ** 2nd Battalion,
8th Field Artillery Regiment The 8th Field Artillery Regiment is a field artillery regiment of the United States Army first formed in 1916. The regiment served in World War I, World War II, and Korea, and regimental units have served in Vietnam, Honduras, Panama, Operation De ...
"Automatic" ** 70th Brigade Engineer Battalion "Kodiak" ** 25th Brigade Support Battalion "Opahey" * 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Airborne) "Spartans" located at
Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson A joint or articulation (or articular surface) is the connection made between bones, ossicles, or other hard structures in the body which link an animal's skeletal system into a functional whole.Saladin, Ken. Anatomy & Physiology. 7th ed. McGraw- ...
, Alaska ** Headquarters and Headquarters Company ** 1st Squadron, 40th Cavalry Regiment "Denali" ** 1st Battalion 501st Infantry Regiment ** 3rd Battalion
509th Infantry Regiment The 509th Infantry Regiment (previously the 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment) is an airborne infantry regiment of the United States Army. The unit was initially activated as a single battalion, the 504th Parachute Infantry Battalion, in Octo ...
** 2nd Battalion 377th Field Artillery Regiment ** 6th Brigade Engineer Battalion "Oak" ** 725th Brigade Support Battalion "Centurion" * 17th Combat Support Sustainment Battalion Attached units: * 1st Battalion,
25th Aviation Regiment The 25th Aviation Regiment is an aviation regiment of the U.S. Army. Structure * 1st Battalion (Attack Reconnisance) ** Company A (AH-64) ** Company B (AH-64) ** Company C (AH-64) ** Company D * 2nd Battalion "Diamondhead" (Assault) ** Headquar ...
( Attack Reconnaissance) * 1st Battalion, 52nd Aviation Regiment (
General Support is a Japan-exclusive video game created by General Support which was originally released for the NEC PC-9801, and later ported for the Super Famicom. The Super Famicom version of the game would become the prequel to '' Koutetsu no Kishi 2: Sa ...
) Along with the reactivation of the 11th Airborne Division, on 25 April 2022 the G-1 of the U.S. Army authorized the wear of the Arctic Tab by soldiers assigned to organizations in Alaska as a temporary wear tab with specific SSIs.SUBJECT: United States Army Arctic Tab and SUBJECT: Guidance for Wear of the Arctic Tab with Shoulder Sleeve Insignia
The Institute of Heraldry, Department of the Army; dated 26 April 2022 and 25 April 2022 respectively; last accessed 9 May 2022
This means 11th Airborne Division soldiers will be the first U.S. Army unit to be authorized two unit designation tabs with their SSI, the Airborne Tab and Arctic Tab.11th Airborne Division Insignia
Defense Visual Information Distribution Service The Defense Visual Information Distribution Service (DVIDS), formerly the "Defense Video & Imagery Distribution System," is an operation supported by the Defense Media Activity (DMA). It provides a connection between world media and the American ...
, by Benjamin Wilson (U.S. Army Alaska), dated 5 May 2022, last accessed 10 May 2022
First Look at the Army's New Patch for its Newest Airborne Division
Military.com, by Steve Beynon, dated 6 May 2022, last accessed 10 May 2022


Previous commanders

Division Activated February 1943 * Joseph M. Swing February 1943 - January 1948 *
William Miley Major General William Maynadier "Bud" Miley (December 26, 1897 – September 24, 1997) was a senior United States Army officer and a professor of military science who fought in both World War I and World War II. During the latter, he was one of ...
January 1948 - January 1950 * Lyman L. Lemnitzer January 1950 - November 1951 *
Wayne C. Smith Wayne Carleton Smith (December 4, 1901 – November 13, 1964) was a major general in the United States Army. Early life Smith was born in St. Joseph, Missouri. He enlisted in the United States Army on January 30, 1920 and was subsequently appoin ...
November 1951 - January 1952 *
Ridgely Gaither Ridgely Gaither (February 23, 1903 – October 26, 1992) was a United States Army lieutenant general prominent as commander of the 40th Infantry Division during the Korean War, and commander of the XVIII Airborne Corps, U.S. Army Caribbean Comma ...
January 1952 - April 1953 *
Wayne C. Smith Wayne Carleton Smith (December 4, 1901 – November 13, 1964) was a major general in the United States Army. Early life Smith was born in St. Joseph, Missouri. He enlisted in the United States Army on January 30, 1920 and was subsequently appoin ...
April 1953 - May 1955 *Derrill McDaniel May 1955 - September 1956 *
Hugh P. Harris Hugh Pate Harris (June 15, 1909 – November 3, 1979) was a United States Army four-star general who served as Commanding General, U.S. Continental Army Command (CG CONARC) from 1964 to 1965. Military career Harris was born in Anderson, Alabama ...
October 1956 - April 1958 *Ralph Cooper May 1958 - June 1958 Division Inactivated June 1958 Division Reactivated as Air Assault Testing Division * Harry W.O. Kinnard 1963 - 1965


Notable members

* Rod Serling, former 11th Airborne Division paratrooper and creator of ''
The Twilight Zone ''The Twilight Zone'' is an American media franchise based on the anthology television series created by Rod Serling. The episodes are in various genres, including fantasy, science fiction, absurdism, dystopian fiction, suspense, horror, sup ...
'' TV series. *
Lauri Törni Lauri Allan Törni (28 May 1919 – 18 October 1965), later known as Larry Alan Thorne, was a Finnish-born soldier who fought under three flags: as a Finnish Army officer in the Winter War and the Continuation War ultimately gaining a rank of ca ...
, aka Major Larry Thorne, a former 11th Airborne Division soldier who was killed on a 1965 covert MACV-SOG mission in Vietnam. *
Darwin Gross Eckankar is a new religious movement founded by Paul Twitchell in 1965. Its membership today is primarily in North America, Europe, Asia and Africa. The spiritual home is the Temple of ECK in Chanhassen, Minnesota. Eckankar is not affiliated w ...
(1928–2008) former 11th Airborne Division soldier who was a former leader of Eckankar


Footnotes


References

* * * * * * * * * *


External links

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:011 011th Airborne Division, U.S. Airborne Division, U.S. 011th Military units and formations established in 1943 Military units and formations disestablished in 1965