HOME

TheInfoList



Click Here for Items Related To - U.S. 82nd Infantry Division
OR:
U.S. 82nd Infantry Division on:   [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Amazon]

The 82nd Airborne Division is an airborne
infantry Infantry, or infantryman are a type of soldier who specialize in ground combat, typically fighting dismounted. Historically the term was used to describe foot soldiers, i.e. those who march and fight on foot. In modern usage, the term broadl ...
division of the
United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary Land warfare, land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of th ...
specializing in parachute assault operations into hostile areasSof, Eric
"82nd Airborne Division"
''Spec Ops Magazine'', 25 November 2012. Archived from th
original
on 1 September 2017. with a
US Department of Defense The United States Department of Defense (DoD, USDOD, or DOD) is an executive department of the U.S. federal government charged with coordinating and supervising the six U.S. armed services: the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, Space Force, ...
mandate to be "on-call to fight any time, anywhere" at "the knife's edge of technology and readiness."82nd Airborne Division
United States Army, dated 16 May 2018. Retrieved 11 September 2018 Primarily based at
Fort Bragg, North Carolina Fort Bragg (formerly Fort Liberty from 2023–2025) is a United States Army, U.S. Army Military base, military installation located in North Carolina. It ranks among the largest military bases in the world by population, with more than 52,000 m ...
, the 82nd Airborne Division is part of the
XVIII Airborne Corps The XVIII Airborne Corps is a corps of the United States Army that has been in existence since 1942 and saw extensive service during World War II. The corps is designed for Rapid deployment force, rapid deployment anywhere in the world and is r ...
. The 82nd Airborne Division is the US Army's most strategically mobile division. The division was organized on 25 August 1917, at Camp Hancock,
Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the South Caucasus * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the southeastern United States Georgia may also refer to: People and fictional characters * Georgia (name), a list of pe ...
, (now subdivided and owned by a combination of the City of Augusta-Richmond County, Veterans Administration, and private parties) and later served with distinction on the Western Front in the final months of
World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
. Since its initial members came from all 48 states, the division acquired the nickname ''All-American'', which is the basis for its "AA" on the shoulder patch. The division later served in
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
where, in August 1942, it was reconstituted as the first airborne division of the US Army and fought in numerous campaigns during the war.


Origins

The 82nd Division was first constituted during
World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
on 5August 1917 as an infantry division in the National Army. It was organized and formally activated on 25 August 1917 at
Camp Gordon Fort Gordon, formerly known as Fort Eisenhower and Camp Gordon, is a United States Army installation established southwest of Augusta, Georgia in October 1941. It is the current home of the United States Army Signal Corps, United States Army Cy ...
, Georgia. At the time, the division consisted entirely of newly
conscripted Conscription, also known as the draft in the United States and Israel, is the practice in which the compulsory enlistment in a national service, mainly a military service, is enforced by law. Conscription dates back to antiquity and it contin ...
soldiers. Original enlisted men assigned to the division came from
Alabama Alabama ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Deep South, Deep Southern regions of the United States. It borders Tennessee to the north, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gu ...
,
Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the South Caucasus * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the southeastern United States Georgia may also refer to: People and fictional characters * Georgia (name), a list of pe ...
, and
Tennessee Tennessee (, ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Kentucky to the north, Virginia to the northeast, North Carolina t ...
, but during October 1917, nearly all of them were transferred to fill shortages in
National Guard National guard is the name used by a wide variety of current and historical uniformed organizations in different countries. The original National Guard was formed during the French Revolution around a cadre of defectors from the French Guards. ...
and National Army units, principally the 30th, 31st, and 81st Divisions, which were training at other camps in the Southern United States. Replacements for them were received mostly from
Camp Devens Fort Devens is a United States Army Reserve military installation in the towns of Ayer and Shirley, in Middlesex County and Harvard in Worcester County in the U.S. state of Massachusetts. Due to extensive environmental contamination it was l ...
,
Massachusetts Massachusetts ( ; ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Maine to its east, Connecticut and Rhode ...
,
Camp Dix Fort Dix, the common name for the Army Support Activity (ASA) located at Joint Base McGuire–Dix–Lakehurst, is a United States Army post. It is located south-southeast of Trenton, New Jersey. Fort Dix is under the jurisdiction of the Air Fo ...
,
New Jersey New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...
, Camps
Lee Lee may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Lee'' (2007 film), Tamil-language sports action film * ''Lee'' (2017 film), Kannada-language action film * ''Lee'' (2023 film), biographical drama about Lee Miller, American photojournalist * ''L ...
and Meade,
Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States between the East Coast of the United States ...
, and
Camp Upton Camp Upton was a port of embarkation of the United States Army during World War I. During World War II, it was used as an Army induction center, an internment camp for enemy aliens, and a hospital. It was located in Yaphank, New York, in Suffo ...
, New York, the men hailing from
New England New England is a region consisting of six states in the Northeastern United States: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. It is bordered by the state of New York (state), New York to the west and by the ...
and the
Mid-Atlantic states The Mid-Atlantic is a region of the United States located in the overlap between the nation's Northeastern and Southeastern states. Traditional definitions include seven U.S. states: New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virg ...
. In the spring, 5,000 more replacements for transfers made over the winter were assigned from Fort Devens, Camp Gordon, Camp Upton,
Camp Dodge Camp Dodge is a military installation in the city of Johnston, Iowa, Johnston, Iowa. Centrally located near the capital of Iowa, it currently serves as the headquarters of the Iowa National Guard. History Original construction of the post began ...
, Iowa, and Camp Travis,
Texas Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...
, along with a contingent of men from Alabama, Georgia, and Tennessee. The citizens of
Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Georgia (U.S. state), most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. It is the county seat, seat of Fulton County, Georg ...
held a contest to give a nickname to the new division, and in April 1918, Major General
Eben Swift Eben Swift (May 11, 1854 – April 25, 1938) was a Major general (United States), major general in the United States Army who served as the first commander of the 82nd Division, now the 82nd Airborne Division. Military career Swift was born ...
, the commanding general, chose "All American" to reflect the unique composition of the 82nd—it had soldiers from all 48 states in the Union. The bulk of the division was two infantry
brigade A brigade is a major tactical military unit, military formation that typically comprises three to six battalions plus supporting elements. It is roughly equivalent to an enlarged or reinforced regiment. Two or more brigades may constitute ...
s, each commanding two regiments. The 163rd Brigade commanded the 325th Infantry Regiment and the 326th Infantry Regiment along with the 320th Machine Gun Battalion. The 164th Brigade commanded the 327th Infantry Regiment and the 328th Infantry Regiment and the 321st Machine Gun Battalion. Also in the division were the 157th Field Artillery Brigade, composed of the 319th, 320th and
321st Field Artillery Regiment The 321st Field Artillery Regiment (321st FAR) is a field artillery regiment of the United States Army. A parent regiment under the U.S. Army Regimental System, the 321st FAR currently has one active battalion, the 3rd Battalion, 321st FAR, ass ...
s and the 307th Trench Mortar Battery; a divisional troops contingent, and a division train. The division sailed to Europe in May 1918 to join the
American Expeditionary Forces The American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) was a formation of the United States Armed Forces on the Western Front (World War I), Western Front during World War I, composed mostly of units from the United States Army, U.S. Army. The AEF was establis ...
(AEF), commanded by
General A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air force, air and space forces, marines or naval infantry. In some usages, the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colone ...
John Pershing General of the Armies John Joseph Pershing (September 13, 1860 – July 15, 1948), nicknamed "Black Jack", was an American army general, educator, and founder of the Pershing Rifles. He served as the commander of the American Expeditionary Forc ...
, on the Western Front.


World War I

Brigadier General William P. Burnham, who had previously commanded the 164th Brigade, led the division during most of its training and movement to Europe. In early April 1918, the division embarked from the ports in
Boston Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...
, New York City and
Brooklyn Brooklyn is a Boroughs of New York City, borough of New York City located at the westernmost end of Long Island in the New York (state), State of New York. Formerly an independent city, the borough is coextensive with Kings County, one of twelv ...
to
Liverpool Liverpool is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. It is situated on the eastern side of the River Mersey, Mersey Estuary, near the Irish Sea, north-west of London. With a population ...
, England, where the division fully assembled by mid-May 1918. From there, the division moved to
Continental Europe Continental Europe or mainland Europe is the contiguous mainland of Europe, excluding its surrounding islands. It can also be referred to ambiguously as the European continent, – which can conversely mean the whole of Europe – and, by som ...
, leaving
Southampton Southampton is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city and unitary authority in Hampshire, England. It is located approximately southwest of London, west of Portsmouth, and southeast of Salisbury. Southampton had a population of 253, ...
and arriving at
Le Havre Le Havre is a major port city in the Seine-Maritime department in the Normandy (administrative region), Normandy region of northern France. It is situated on the right bank of the estuary of the Seine, river Seine on the English Channel, Channe ...
, France. The 82nd Division then moved to the British-controlled sector of the
Somme __NOTOC__ Somme or The Somme may refer to: Places *Somme (department), a department of France * Somme, Queensland, Australia * Canal de la Somme, a canal in France *Somme (river), a river in France Arts, entertainment, and media * ''Somme'' (book), ...
, where it began sending small numbers of troops and officers to the front lines to gain combat experience. On 16 June, it moved by
rail Rail or rails may refer to: Rail transport *Rail transport and related matters *Railway track or railway lines, the running surface of a railway Arts and media Film * ''Rails'' (film), a 1929 Italian film by Mario Camerini * ''Rail'' (1967 fil ...
to the French sector. The division was briefly assigned to I Corps before falling under the command of
IV Corps 4 Corps, 4th Corps, Fourth Corps, or IV Corps may refer to: France * 4th Army Corps (France) * IV Cavalry Corps (Grande Armée), a cavalry unit of the Imperial French Army during the Napoleonic Wars * IV Corps (Grande Armée), a unit of the Imperi ...
until late August. It was then moved to the
Woëvre The Woëvre () (German: ''Waberland'') is a natural region of Lorraine in northeastern France. It forms part of Lorraine plateau and lies largely in the department of Meuse. Along with the Côtes de Moselle, the Woëvre is one of the areas ...
front.


Battle of Saint-Mihiel

As part of the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) deployed during WWI, the 82nd Division began training with British forces in Picardy as early as 10 May 1918. From there they moved to the hotly contested French border region of
Lorraine Lorraine, also , ; ; Lorrain: ''Louréne''; Lorraine Franconian: ''Lottringe''; ; ; is a cultural and historical region in Eastern France, now located in the administrative region of Grand Est. Its name stems from the medieval kingdom of ...
, which they occupied from 16 June to 11 September in preparation for the Saint-Mihiel offensive. As the attack on the Saint-Mihiel salient began on 12 September, the division engaged in a holding mission to prevent
Imperial German Army The Imperial German Army (1871–1919), officially referred to as the German Army (), was the unified ground and air force of the German Empire. It was established in 1871 with the political unification of Germany under the leadership of Kingdom o ...
forces from attacking the right flank of the First Army. This defensive action allowed the 163rd Brigade and 327th Infantry Regiment to advance north-east, raiding the communes of Port-sur-Seille, Eply,
Bois de Cheminot Cheminot (; ) is a commune in the Moselle department in Grand Est in north-eastern France. See also * Communes of the Moselle department The following is a list of the 725 communes of the Moselle department of France France, offici ...
, and
Bois Fréhaut Bavay () is a commune in the Nord department in the Hauts-de-France region of northern France. The town was the seat of the former canton of Bavay. Geography Bavay is located some 20 km east by south-east of Valenciennes and 10 km ...
. Meanwhile, the 328th Infantry Regiment advanced on the west of the
Moselle River The Moselle ( , ; ; ) is a river that rises in the Vosges mountains and flows through north-eastern France and Luxembourg to western Germany. It is a left bank tributary of the Rhine, which it joins at Koblenz. A small part of Belgiu ...
, made contact with the 90th Division, and entered the town of
Norroy Norroy (, also: ''Norroy-sur-Vair'') is a commune in the Vosges department in Grand Est in northeastern France. Inhabitants are called ''Nogarésiens''. Geography Norroy is positioned to the north-west of Vittel on a plateau that separates the ...
, to consolidate American troop positions. By 17 September, the Saint-Mihiel offensive had stabilized, and preparations for the infamous Meuse-Argonne offensive began. On 20 September, the 82nd Division was relieved by the French 69th Division. The 82nd Division was then stationed near Triaucourt and Rarécourt, near the First Army. During this operation, the 82nd Division suffered casualties from heavy artillery fire which the fresh American soldiers were completely unused to. The division was moved into reserve from 26 September to 3 October while it assembled near
Varennes-en-Argonne Varennes-en-Argonne (, literally ''Varennes in Argonne'') or simply Varennes (German: Wöringen) is a commune in the Meuse department in the Grand Est region in Northeastern France. In 2019, it had a population of 639. Geography Varennes-en-A ...
to train and prepare for the Meuse-Argonne offensive.


Meuse-Argonne Offensive

The division mobilized to the Clermont area in Argonne (just west of Verdun) starting on 24 September, stationed there to act as a reserve for the US First Army. On 3 October, Major General George B. Duncan, commander of the 77th Division, relieved William Burnham of his duties and took over as commander of the 82nd. On the night of 6 October 1918, the 164th Brigade relieved troops of the 28th Division, which were holding the front line from south of
Fléville Fléville () is a commune in the Ardennes department in northern France. Population See also *Communes of the Ardennes department The following is a list of the 447 communes of the Ardennes department of France France, officiall ...
to La Forge, along the eastern bank of the Aire River. On7 October the 82nd Division, minus the 163rd Brigade, which remained in reserve, attacked the northeastern edge of the Argonne Forest, taking "Hill 223" in the process. The division's right flank entered the commune of Cornay but later withdrew southeast. The division's left flank took the high ground northwest of Châtel-Chéhéry. On 9 October, the division's left flank advanced to form a line along the French pylons on the road to the Belgian city of
la Louvière La Louvière (; ) is a city and Municipalities of Belgium, municipality of Wallonia located in the Hainaut Province, province of Hainaut, Belgium. The municipality consists of the following districts: Boussoit, Haine-Saint-Paul, Haine-Saint-Pie ...
. Throughout October, the division advanced north-east along the Aire (Aisne) river. On 10 October, it relieved troops of the 1st Division in Ardennes at
Fléville Fléville () is a commune in the Ardennes department in northern France. Population See also *Communes of the Ardennes department The following is a list of the 447 communes of the Ardennes department of France France, officiall ...
and Sommerance. The 82nd Division then relaunched an attack on Cornay and the Belgian city of
Enghien Enghien (; ; ; ) is a city and municipality of Wallonia located in the province of Hainaut, Belgium. On 1January 2006, Enghien had a total population of 11,980. The total area is , which gives a population density of 295 inhabitants per km2. ...
, successfully re-establishing the front there. On 11 October, the right flank of the division took the high ground north of the
Rance river The Rance (; , ) is a river of northwestern France. It is long. The semi-tidal river flows into the English Channel between Dinard and Saint-Malo. Before reaching the Channel, its waters are barred by a 750 metre long dam forming the Rance tid ...
while the left flank continued to advance along the Aire. The next day, the 42nd Division relieved the 82nd's troops in Sommerance. Attacking with fresh troops, the 82nd broke through the
Hindenburg line The Hindenburg Line (, Siegfried Position) was a German Defense line, defensive position built during the winter of 1916–1917 on the Western Front (World War I), Western Front in France during the First World War. The line ran from Arras to ...
on 15 October. On 18 October, the 82nd Division relieved the 78th division at Champigneulle. Three days later it advanced to the Ravin aux Pierres. On 31 October, the 82nd, except the artillery, was relieved by the 77th Division and the 80th Division, and assembled in the Argonne Forest to regroup. On 10 November, it moved again to training areas in
Bourmont Bourmont () is a former commune in the Haute-Marne department in northeastern France. On 1 June 2016, it was merged into the new commune of Bourmont-entre-Meuse-et-Mouzon.Armistice of 11 November 1918 The Armistice of 11 November 1918 was the armistice signed in a railroad car, in the Compiègne Forest near the town of Compiègne, that ended fighting on land, at sea, and in the air in World War I between the Entente and their las ...
.


Post-war

The division suffered 995 killed and 7,082 wounded, for a total of 8,077 casualties. Following the war's end, the division moved to training areas near
Prauthoy Prauthoy () is a former commune in the Haute-Marne department in north-eastern France. On 1 January 2016, it was merged into the new commune Le Montsaugeonnais. It returned to the United States in April and May, and was
demobilized Demobilization or demobilisation (see spelling differences) is the process of standing down a nation's armed forces from combat-ready status. This may be as a result of victory in war, or because a crisis has been peacefully resolved and militar ...
and deactivated at
Camp Mills Camp Albert L. Mills (Camp Mills) was a military installation on Long Island, New York (state), New York. It was located about ten miles from the eastern boundary of New York City on the Hempstead Plains within what is now the village of Garden Ci ...
, New York, on 27 May.


Interwar period

Pursuant to the
National Defense Act of 1920 The National Defense Act of 1920 (or Kahn Act) was sponsored by United States Representative Julius Kahn (congressman), Julius Kahn, Republican Party (United States), Republican of California. This legislation updated the National Defense Act ...
, the 82nd Division was reconstituted in the
Organized Reserve The United States Army Reserve (USAR) is a reserve force of the United States Army. Together, the Army Reserve and the Army National Guard constitute the Army element of the reserve components of the United States Armed Forces. History Origi ...
on 24 June 1921, allotted to the Fourth Corps Area, assigned to the XIV Corps, and further allotted to Florida,
Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the South Caucasus * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the southeastern United States Georgia may also refer to: People and fictional characters * Georgia (name), a list of pe ...
, and
South Carolina South Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders North Carolina to the north and northeast, the Atlantic Ocean to the southeast, and Georgia (U.S. state), Georg ...
as its home area. The division headquarters was organized on 23 September 1921 at 1202-1/2 Main Street in
Columbia, South Carolina Columbia is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of South Carolina. With a population of 136,632 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is List of municipalities in South Carolina, the second-mo ...
, relocating in 1923 to the Post Office Building where it remained until activated for World War II. The 82nd Division's designated mobilization station was
Camp McClellan, Alabama Fort McClellan, originally Camp McClellan, is a United States Army post located adjacent to the city of Anniston, Alabama. During World War II, it was one of the largest U.S. Army installations, training an estimated half-million troops. After t ...
, also where much of the unit's annual training activities occurred in the interwar years. The headquarters usually trained at Camp McClellan, but also occasionally trained with the staff of the 8th Infantry Brigade, 4th Division. The 82nd Division's infantry regiments held their annual training primarily with the units of the 8th Infantry Brigade, while other units, such as the special troops, artillery, engineers, aviation, medical, and quartermaster units, usually trained alongside the active elements of the 4th Division at various posts in the Fourth Corps Area. For example, the division artillery trained with the units of the 13th Field Artillery Brigade at
Fort Bragg, North Carolina Fort Bragg (formerly Fort Liberty from 2023–2025) is a United States Army, U.S. Army Military base, military installation located in North Carolina. It ranks among the largest military bases in the world by population, with more than 52,000 m ...
; the 307th Engineer Regiment alongside Company A, 4th Engineer Regiment at
Fort Benning, Georgia Fort Benning (named Fort Moore from 2023–2025) is a United States Army post in the Columbus, Georgia area. Located on Georgia's border with Alabama, Fort Benning supports more than 120,000 active-duty military, family members, reserve compone ...
; the 307th Medical Regiment trained at the medical officers training camp at
Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia Fort Oglethorpe is a city predominantly in Catoosa County, Georgia, Catoosa County with some portions in Walker County, Georgia, Walker County in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, ...
; and the 307th Observation Squadron with Air Corps units at
Maxwell Field Maxwell Air Force Base , officially known as Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base, is a United States Air Force (USAF) installation under the Air Education and Training Command (AETC). The installation is located in Montgomery, Alabama, United States. ...
, Alabama. The infantry regiments of the division rotated responsibility to conduct the
Citizens' Military Training Camp Citizens' Military Training Camps (CMTC) were United States government authorized military training programs held annually each summer during the years 1921 to 1940. CMTC camps differed from National Guard and Organized Reserve training in that t ...
s each year at Camp McClellan. The division participated in Fourth Corps Area or Third Army command post exercises in conjunction with other Regular Army, National Guard and Organized Reserve units, but unlike Regular and Guard units, the 82nd Division did not participate as an organized unit in the Fourth Corps Area maneuvers and the Third Army maneuvers of 1938, 1940, and 1941 due to a lack of enlisted personnel and equipment, with the officers and a few enlisted reservists assigned to fill vacant slots in organized units to bring them to war strength for the exercises, with others assigned duties as umpires or support personnel.


Order of battle, 1939

*Headquarters (Columbia, SC) *Headquarters, Special Troops (Columbia, SC) **Headquarters Company (Columbia, SC) **82nd Military Police Company (Columbia, SC) **82nd Signal Company ( Macon, GA) **307th Ordnance Company (Medium) (
Savannah A savanna or savannah is a mixed woodland-grassland (i.e. grassy woodland) biome and ecosystem characterised by the trees being sufficiently widely spaced so that the canopy does not close. The open canopy allows sufficient light to reach th ...
, GA) **82nd Tank Company (Light) (
Columbus Columbus is a Latinized version of the Italian surname "''Colombo''". It most commonly refers to: * Christopher Columbus (1451–1506), the Italian explorer * Columbus, Ohio, the capital city of the U.S. state of Ohio * Columbus, Georgia, a city i ...
, GA) *163rd Infantry Brigade (Atlanta, GA) **325th Infantry Regiment ( Albany, GA) **326th Infantry Regiment (Atlanta, GA) *164th Infantry Brigade (
Tampa Tampa ( ) is a city on the Gulf Coast of the United States, Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida. Tampa's borders include the north shore of Tampa Bay and the east shore of Old Tampa Bay. Tampa is the largest city in the Tampa Bay area and t ...
, FL) **327th Infantry Regiment ( Greenville, SC) **328th Infantry Regiment (Tampa, FL) *157th Field Artillery Brigade (
Spartanburg Spartanburg is a city in and the county seat of Spartanburg County, South Carolina, United States. The city had a population of 38,732 as of the 2020 census, making it the 11th-most populous city in the state. The Office of Management and Budg ...
, SC) **319th Field Artillery Regiment ( Decatur, GA) **320th Field Artillery Regiment (Spartanburg, SC) **321st Field Artillery Regiment (Macon, GA) **307th Ammunition Train (
Newberry Newberry is a surname, a variant of Newbury. Notable people with the surname include: * Booker Newberry III (1956–2023), American singer and keyboardist * Brennan Newberry (born, 1990), American professional stock car racing driver * Brian Ne ...
, SC) *307th Engineer Regiment (
Jacksonville Jacksonville ( ) is the most populous city proper in the U.S. state of Florida, located on the Atlantic coast of North Florida, northeastern Florida. It is the county seat of Duval County, Florida, Duval County, with which the City of Jacksonv ...
, FL) *307th Medical Regiment (Macon, GA) *407th Quartermaster Regiment ( Augusta, GA)


World War II


Initial training and conversion

Before Organized Reserve infantry divisions were ordered into active military service, they were reorganized on paper as "triangular" divisions under the 1940 tables of organization. The headquarters companies of the two infantry brigades were consolidated into the division's cavalry reconnaissance troop, and one infantry regiment was removed by inactivation. The field artillery brigade headquarters and headquarters battery became the headquarters and headquarters battery of the division artillery, and its three field artillery regiments were reorganized into four battalions. The engineer, medical, and quartermaster regiments were reorganized into battalions. In 1942, divisional quartermaster battalions were split into ordnance light maintenance companies and quartermaster companies, and the division's headquarters and military police company, which had previously been a combined unit, was split. The 82nd Division was redesignated on 13 February 1942 as Division Headquarters, 82nd Division, and ordered into active service on 25 March 1942, at
Camp Claiborne Camp Claiborne was a U.S. Army military camp in the 1930s continuing through World War II located in Rapides Parish in central Louisiana. The camp was under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Eighth Service Command, and included 23,000 acres (93&nbs ...
,
Louisiana Louisiana ( ; ; ) is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It borders Texas to the west, Arkansas to the north, and Mississippi to the east. Of the 50 U.S. states, it ranks 31st in area and 25 ...
, under the command of Major General
Omar N. Bradley Omar Nelson Bradley (12 February 1893 – 8 April 1981) was a senior Officer (armed forces), officer of the United States Army during and after World War II, rising to the rank of General of the Army (United States), General of the Army. He wa ...
. The officer and enlisted cadre mostly came from the 9th Infantry Division, while the enlisted fillers came from reception centers in the
Midwest The Midwestern United States (also referred to as the Midwest, the Heartland or the American Midwest) is one of the four census regions defined by the United States Census Bureau. It occupies the northern central part of the United States. It ...
,
South South is one of the cardinal directions or compass points. The direction is the opposite of north and is perpendicular to both west and east. Etymology The word ''south'' comes from Old English ''sūþ'', from earlier Proto-Germanic ''*sunþa ...
, and
Southwest The points of the compass are a set of horizontal, radially arrayed compass directions (or azimuths) used in navigation and cartography. A '' compass rose'' is primarily composed of four cardinal directions—north, east, south, and west— ...
. During this period, the division brought together three officers who would ultimately steer the US Army during the following two decades:
Matthew Ridgway Matthew Bunker Ridgway (3 March 1895 – 26 July 1993) was a senior officer in the United States Army, who served as Supreme Allied Commander Europe (1952–1953) and the 19th Chief of Staff of the United States Army (1953–1955). Although he ...
, James M. Gavin, and
Maxwell D. Taylor Maxwell Davenport Taylor (26 August 1901 – 19 April 1987) was a senior United States Army Officer (armed forces), officer and diplomat during the Cold War. He served with distinction in World War II, most notably as commander of the 101st Air ...
. Under Major General Bradley, the 82nd Division's
Chief of staff The title chief of staff (or head of staff) identifies the leader of a complex organization such as the armed forces, institution, or body of persons and it also may identify a principal staff officer (PSO), who is the coordinator of the supportin ...
was George Van Pope. On 15 August 1942, the 82nd Infantry Division, now commanded by Major General Ridgway, became the first airborne division in the history of the US Army, and was redesignated as the 82nd Airborne Division. The 82nd was selected after deliberations by the US Army General Staff because of a number of factors; it was not a Regular Army or National Guard unit (historian John B. Wilson wrote that "many traditionalists in those components wanted nothing to do with such an experimental force," while James M. Gavin wrote that many states would refuse the conversion of their National Guard units, likely because of the additional expenses needed to maintain facilities for airborne units), its personnel had all completed basic training, and it was stationed in an area that had good weather and flying facilities. The division initially consisted of the 325th, 326th and 327th Infantry Regiments, and supporting units. The 327th was soon transferred to help form the
101st Airborne Division 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. The 101st is designed to plan, coordinat ...
and was replaced by the
504th Parachute Infantry Regiment The 504th Infantry Regiment, originally the 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment (504th PIR), is an airborne forces regiment of the United States Army, part of the 82nd Airborne Division, with a long and distinguished history. The regiment was f ...
, leaving the division with two regiments of
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 ...
and one of
parachute infantry A parachute is a device designed to slow an object's descent through an atmosphere by creating drag or aerodynamic lift. It is primarily used to safely support people exiting aircraft at height, but also serves various purposes like slowing ...
. In February 1943 the division received another change when the 326th was transferred to the 13th Airborne Division, being replaced by the
505th Parachute Infantry Regiment The 505th Infantry Regiment (505th IR), formerly and colloquially the 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment (505th PIR) and the 505th Airborne Infantry Regiment (505th AIR), is an airborne infantry regiment of the United States Army, one of four in ...
, under James M. Gavin, then a
colonel Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...
, who was later to command the division.


North Africa and Italy

In April 1943,
paratrooper A paratrooper or military parachutist is a soldier trained to conduct military operations by parachuting directly into an area of operations, usually as part of a large airborne forces unit. Traditionally paratroopers fight only as light infa ...
s from the 82nd, under the command of Major General Ridgway, sailed into the
Mediterranean Theater of Operations The Mediterranean Theater of Operations, United States Army (MTOUSA), originally called the North African Theater of Operations, United States Army (NATOUSA), was a military formation of the United States Army that supervised all U.S. Army for ...
and landed in North Africa as part of the Allied plan to invade Sicily. The division's first two combat operations were parachute assaults into Sicily on 9 July and
Salerno Salerno (, ; ; ) is an ancient city and ''comune'' (municipality) in Campania, southwestern Italy, and is the capital of the namesake province, being the second largest city in the region by number of inhabitants, after Naples. It is located ...
on 13 September 1943. The initial assault on Sicily, by the 505th Parachute Regimental Combat Team, under Colonel Gavin, was the first regimental-sized combat parachute assault conducted by the United States Army. The first glider assault did not occur until
Operation Neptune 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 ...
as part of the D-Day landings of 6 June 1944. Troopers arrived in Italy by
landing craft Landing craft are small and medium seagoing watercraft, such as boats and barges, used to convey a landing force (infantry and vehicles) from the sea to the shore during an amphibious assault. The term excludes landing ships, which are larger. ...
at Maiori, Naples, and Salerno. During the invasion of Italy, Ridgway considered
Will Lang Jr. William John Lang Jr. (October 7, 1914 – January 21, 1968) was an American journalist and a bureau head for ''Life'' magazine. Early career Lang was born on the south side of Chicago. While attending the University of Chicago in 1936, he wr ...
of ''TIME'' magazine an honorary member of the division. In January 1944, the 504th, commanded by Colonel Reuben Tucker, which was temporarily detached to fight at Anzio, adopted the nickname "Devils in Baggy Pants", taken from an entry in a German officer's diary.


Normandy

With two air drops under its belt, the 82nd Airborne was ready for the second "D-Day" operation in the division's history;
Operation Neptune 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 ...
, or the amphibious assault portion of Allied
invasion of Normandy Operation Overlord was the codename for the Battle of Normandy, the Allied operation that launched the successful liberation of German-occupied Western Europe during World War II. The operation was launched on 6 June 1944 ( D-Day) with the ...
. The division conducted
Mission Boston Mission Boston was a parachute combat assault at night by Major General Matthew Ridgway's U.S. 82nd Airborne Division on June 6, 1944, part of the American airborne landings in Normandy during World War II. Boston was a component element of Ope ...
, a component of the
Operation Overlord Operation Overlord was the codename for the Battle of Normandy, the Allies of World War II, Allied operation that launched the successful liberation of German-occupied Western Front (World War II), Western Europe during World War II. The ope ...
plan. In preparation for the operation, the division was significantly reorganized. To ease the integration of replacement troops, rest, and refitting following the fighting in Italy, the 504th PIR did not rejoin the division for the invasion. Two new parachute infantry regiments (PIRs), the 507th and the 508th, provided it, along with the veteran 505th, a three-parachute infantry regiment punch. The 325th was also reinforced by the addition of the 3rd Battalion of the 401st GIR, bringing it up to a strength of three battalions. On 5 and 6 June these paratroopers, parachute artillery elements, and the 319th and 320th, boarded hundreds of transport planes and gliders to begin history's largest airborne assault at the time (only Operation Market Garden later that year would be larger). During the 6 June assault, a 508th platoon leader,
First lieutenant First lieutenant is a commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces; in some forces, it is an appointment. The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations, but in most forces it is sub-divided into a se ...
Robert P. Mathias, would be the first US Army officer killed by German fire during the invasion. On 7June, after this first wave of attack, the 325th GIR would arrive by glider to provide a division reserve. In Normandy, the 82nd gained its first
Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest Awards and decorations of the United States Armed Forces, military decoration and is awarded to recognize American United States Army, soldiers, United States Navy, sailors, Un ...
of the war, belonging to Private first class Charles N. DeGlopper of the 325th GIR. When the division was relieved in early July, the 82nd had seen a month straight of severe combat. Casualties had been heavy. Losses included 5,245 troopers killed, wounded, or missing- a 46% casualty rate. Major General Ridgway's post-battle report stated in part, "... 33 days of action without relief, without replacements. Every mission accomplished. No ground gained was ever relinquished." Following Normandy, the 82nd Airborne Division returned to England to rest and refit for future airborne operations. The 82nd became part of the newly organized
XVIII Airborne Corps The XVIII Airborne Corps is a corps of the United States Army that has been in existence since 1942 and saw extensive service during World War II. The corps is designed for Rapid deployment force, rapid deployment anywhere in the world and is r ...
, which consisted of the 17th, 82nd, and
101st Airborne Division 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. The 101st is designed to plan, coordinat ...
s. Ridgway was given command of the corps but was not officially promoted to
lieutenant general Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the battlefield, who was norma ...
until 1945. His recommendation for succession as division commander was Brigadier General James M. Gavin, previously the 82nd's assistant division commander. Upon being promoted to Major General in October 1944 at the age of 37, Gavin became the youngest general since the
Civil War A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...
to command a US Army division.


Market Garden

On 2 August 1944, the division became part of the
First Allied Airborne Army The First Allied Airborne Army was an Allies of World War II, Allied Military organization, formation formed on 2 August 1944 by the order of General of the Army (United States), General Dwight D. Eisenhower, the Supreme Headquarters Allied Exped ...
. In September, planning for Operation Market Garden (the Allied invasion of the
Netherlands , Terminology of the Low Countries, informally Holland, is a country in Northwestern Europe, with Caribbean Netherlands, overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Nether ...
) began in earnest. The operation called for three (at minimum) airborne divisions to seize and hold key bridges and roads deep behind German lines. The 504th PIR, now back at full strength, was reassigned to the 82nd, while the 507th was assigned to the 17th Airborne Division, at the time training in England. On 17 September, the "All American" Division conducted its fourth (and final) combat jump of World War II. Fighting off German counterattacks, the division captured its objectives between
Grave A grave is a location where a cadaver, dead body (typically that of a human, although sometimes that of an animal) is burial, buried or interred after a funeral. Graves are usually located in special areas set aside for the purpose of buria ...
, and
Nijmegen Nijmegen ( , ; Nijmeegs: ) is the largest city in the Dutch province of Gelderland and the ninth largest of the Netherlands as a whole. Located on the Waal River close to the German border, Nijmegen is one of the oldest cities in the ...
. The division failed to initially capture Nijmegen Bridge when the opportunity presented itself early in the battle. When the British XXX Corps arrived in Nijmegen, six hours ahead of schedule, they found themselves having to fight to take a bridge that should have already been in allied hands. In the afternoon of Wednesday 20 September 1944, the 82nd Airborne Division successfully conducted an opposed assault crossing of the
Waal WAAL (99.1 FM broadcasting, FM; "The Whale") is a commercial radio, commercial radio station licensed to Binghamton, New York. It airs a classic rock radio format and is owned by Townsquare Media. WAAL is the oldest FM radio station continuou ...
river. War correspondent
Bill Downs William Randall Downs, Jr. (August 17, 1914 – May 3, 1978) was an American broadcast journalist and war correspondent. He worked for CBS News from 1942 to 1962 and for ABC News beginning in 1963. He was one of the original members of the te ...
, who witnessed the assault, described it as "a single, isolated battle that ranks in magnificence and courage with
Guam Guam ( ; ) is an island that is an Territories of the United States, organized, unincorporated territory of the United States in the Micronesia subregion of the western Pacific Ocean. Guam's capital is Hagåtña, Guam, Hagåtña, and the most ...
,
Tarawa Tarawa is an atoll and the capital of the Republic of Kiribati,Kiribati
''
Omaha Beach Omaha Beach was one of five beach landing sectors of the amphibious assault component of Operation Overlord during the Second World War. On June 6, 1944, the Allies of World War II, Allies invaded German military administration in occupied Fra ...
. A story that should be told to the blowing of bugles and the beating of drums for the men whose bravery made the capture of this crossing over the Waal possible." The Market Garden salient was held in a defensive operation for several weeks until the 82nd was relieved by Canadian troops, and sent into reserve in France. During the operation, 19-year-old Private John R. Towle of the 504th PIR was posthumously awarded the 82nd Airborne Division's second
Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest Awards and decorations of the United States Armed Forces, military decoration and is awarded to recognize American United States Army, soldiers, United States Navy, sailors, Un ...
of World War II.


The Bulge

On 16 December 1944, the Germans launched a surprise offensive through the
Ardennes Forest The Ardennes ( ; ; ; ; ), also known as the Ardennes Forest or Forest of Ardennes, is a region of extensive forests, rough terrain, rolling hills and ridges primarily in Belgium and Luxembourg, extending into Germany and France. Geological ...
, which became known as the
Battle of the Bulge The Battle of the Bulge, also known as the Ardennes Offensive or Unternehmen Die Wacht am Rhein, Wacht am Rhein, was the last major German Offensive (military), offensive Military campaign, campaign on the Western Front (World War II), Western ...
. In
SHAEF Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force (SHAEF; ) was the headquarters of the Commander of Allies of World War II, Allied forces in northwest Europe, from late 1943 until the end of World War II. US General Dwight D. Eisenhower was the ...
reserve, the 82nd was committed on the northern face of the bulge near Elsenborn Ridge. On 20 December 1944, the 82nd Airborne Division was assigned to take Cheneux which had been captured by
Kampfgruppe Peiper Joachim Peiper (30 January 1915 – 14 July 1976) was a German ''Schutzstaffel'' (SS) colonel, convicted war criminal and car salesman. During the Second World War in Europe, Peiper served as personal adjutant to Heinrich Himmler, leader of the ...
. On 21–22 December 1944, the 82nd Airborne faced counterattacks from two
Waffen SS The (; ) was the combat branch of the Nazi Party's paramilitary ''Schutzstaffel'' (SS) organisation. Its formations included men from Nazi Germany, along with volunteers and conscripts from both German-occupied Europe and unoccupied lands. ...
divisions which included the
1st SS Panzer Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler The 1st SS Panzer Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler or SS Division Leibstandarte, abbreviated as LSSAH (), began as Adolf Hitler's personal bodyguard unit, responsible for guarding the Führer's person, offices, and residences. Initially th ...
(''lit. translation'' "The SS Bodyguard Division of Adolf Hitler") and the
9th SS Panzer Division Hohenstaufen The 9th SS Panzer Division "Hohenstaufen" () was a Waffen-SS armoured division of Nazi Germany during World War II. It participated in battles on both the Eastern and Western Fronts. The division was activated in December 1942. Many of the men ...
. The
Waffen SS The (; ) was the combat branch of the Nazi Party's paramilitary ''Schutzstaffel'' (SS) organisation. Its formations included men from Nazi Germany, along with volunteers and conscripts from both German-occupied Europe and unoccupied lands. ...
efforts to relieve the Kampfgruppe Peiper failed due to the stubborn defense of the 82nd Airborne, the 30th ID, 2nd ID, and other units. On 23 December, the Germans attacked from the south and overran the 325th GIR holding the Baraque- Fraiture crossroads on the 82nd's southern flank, endangering the entire 82nd Airborne division. The 2nd SS Panzers objective was to outflank the 82nd Airborne. It was not an attack designed to reach Peiper, but it was his last chance, nonetheless. If it did outflank the 82nd, it could have opened a corridor and reached the stranded yet still powerful Kampfgruppe. But the attack came too late. On 24 December 1944, the 82nd Airborne Division with an official strength of 8,520 men was facing off against a vastly superior combined force of 43,000 men and over 1,200 armored fighting and artillery vehicles and pieces. Due to these circumstances, the 82nd Airborne Division was forced to withdrawal for the first time in its combat history. The Germans pursued their retreat with the 2nd and 9th SS Panzer Divisions. The 2nd SS Panzer Division Das Reich engaged the 82nd until 28 December when it and what was left of the 1st SS Panzer Division Leibstandarte were ordered to move south to meet General
George Patton George Smith Patton Jr. (11 November 1885 – 21 December 1945) was a general in the United States Army who commanded the Seventh Army in the Mediterranean Theater of World War II, then the Third Army in France and Germany after the Alli ...
's forces attacking in the area of Bastogne. Some units of the 9th SS Panzer including the 19th Panzer Grenadier Regiment stayed and fought the 82nd. They were joined by the 62nd Volksgrenadier Division. The 9th SS Panzer tried to breakthrough by attacking the
508 __NOTOC__ Year 508 ( DVIII) was a leap year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar. In the Roman Empire, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Venantius and Celer (or, less frequently, year 1261 ''Ab urbe condita''). The denomi ...
and 504 PIR positions, but ultimately failed. The failure of the 9th and 2nd SS Panzer Divisions to break through the 82nd lines marked the end of the German offensive in the northern shoulder of the Bulge. The German objective now became one of defense. On 3 January 1945, the 82nd Airborne Division conducted a counterattack. On the first day's fighting the 82nd Airborne overran the 62nd Volksgrenadiers and the 9th SS Panzer's positions capturing 2,400 prisoners. The 82nd Airborne suffered high casualties in the process. The attached 551st Parachute Infantry Battalion was all but destroyed during these attacks. Of the 826 men who went into the Ardennes, only 110 came out. Having lost its charismatic leader Lt. Colonel Joerg, and almost all its men either wounded, killed, or frostbitten, the 551 was never reconstituted. The few soldiers who remained were later absorbed into units of the 82nd Airborne. After several days of fighting, the destruction of the 62nd Volksgrenadiers, and what had been left of the 9th SS Panzer Division was complete. For the 82nd Airborne Division the first part of the Battle of the Bulge had ended.


Into Germany

After helping to secure the
Ruhr The Ruhr ( ; , 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 1,160/km2 and a populati ...
, the 82nd Airborne Division took over
Ludwigslust Ludwigslust () is a central castle town of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany, 40 km south of Schwerin. Since 2011 it has been part of the Ludwigslust-Parchim district. Ludwigslust is part of the Hamburg Metropolitan Region. The former royal re ...
past the
Elbe River The Elbe ( ; ; or ''Elv''; Upper and , ) is one of the major rivers of Central Europe. It rises in the Giant Mountains of the northern Czech Republic before traversing much of Bohemia (western half of the Czech Republic), then Germany and flo ...
, accepting the surrender of over 150,000 men of Lieutenant General
Kurt von Tippelskirch Kurt Oskar Heinrich Ludwig Wilhelm von Tippelskirch (9 October 1891 – 10 May 1957) was a German general during World War II who commanded several armies and Army Group Vistula. He surrendered to the United States Army on 2 May 1945. Tippelskir ...
's 21st Army on 2 May 1945.
General A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air force, air and space forces, marines or naval infantry. In some usages, the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colone ...
Omar Bradley Omar Nelson Bradley (12 February 1893 – 8 April 1981) was a senior Officer (armed forces), officer of the United States Army during and after World War II, rising to the rank of General of the Army (United States), General of the Army. He wa ...
, commanding the US 12th Army Group, stated in a 1975 interview with Gavin that Field Marshal Sir Bernard Montgomery, commanding 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 ...
, had told him that German opposition was too great to cross the Elbe. When Gavin's 82nd crossed the river, in company with the
British 6th Airborne Division The 6th Airborne Division was an airborne infantry division of the British Army during the Second World War. Despite its name, the 6th was actually the second of two airborne divisions raised by the British Army during the war, the other bein ...
, the 82nd Airborne Division moved 36 miles in one day and captured over 100,000 troops, causing great laughter in Bradley's
12th Army Group The Twelfth United States Army Group was the largest and most powerful United States Army formation ever to take to the field, commanding four field armies at its peak in 1945: First United States Army, Third United States Army, Ninth United Stat ...
headquarters. Following Germany's surrender, the 82nd Airborne Division entered Berlin for occupation duty, replacing the 2nd Armored Division in August 1945. The division was relieved by the 78th Infantry Division early in November 1945. While in Berlin, General
George S. Patton George Smith Patton Jr. (11 November 1885 – 21 December 1945) was a general in the United States Army who commanded the Seventh Army in the Mediterranean Theater of World War II, then the Third Army in France and Germany after the Alli ...
was so impressed with the 82nd's "honor guard" that he said, "In all my years in the Army and all the honor guards I have ever seen, the 82nd's honor guard is undoubtedly the best." Hence the "All-American" became also known as "America's Guard of Honor". The war ended before their scheduled participation in the Allied
invasion of Japan An invasion is a military offensive of combatants of one geopolitical entity, usually in large numbers, entering territory controlled by another similar entity, often involving acts of aggression. Generally, invasions have objectives o ...
, Operation Downfall.


Composition

During WWII the division was composed of the following units: * 325th Glider Infantry Regiment (received the 2nd Battalion, 401st Glider Infantry Regiment
101st Airborne Division 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. The 101st is designed to plan, coordinat ...
1 March 1945, which became the 3rd Battalion, 325th GIR) * 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment (assigned 15 August 1942; replaced the 327th Infantry Regiment which departed on same date) * 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment (assigned 10 February 1943; replaced 326th Infantry Regiment which departed 4 February 1943) * 307th Airborne Engineer Battalion * 80th Airborne Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion * 82nd Parachute Maintenance Company (provisional unit made permanent on 1 March 1945) * 307th Airborne Medical Company * 82nd Airborne Division Artillery ** 319th Glider Field Artillery Battalion (75 mm) ** 320th Glider Field Artillery Battalion (105 mm) ** 376th Parachute Field Artillery Battalion (75 mm) ** 456th Parachute Field Artillery Battalion (75 mm) * Special Troops (headquarters activated 1 March 1945) ** Headquarters Company, 82nd Airborne Division ** 82nd Airborne Signal Company ** 407th Forward Support Battalion, 407th Airborne Quartermaster Company ** 782nd Airborne Ordnance Company ** Reconnaissance Platoon (assigned 1 March 1945) ** Military Police Platoon ** Band (assigned 1 March 45) Attached paratrooper units: * 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment (attached 14 June 1944 – 27 August 1944) * 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment (attached 14 June 1944 – 21 June 1944; 23 January 1945 through 9 May 1945) * 517th Parachute Infantry Regiment (attached 1–11 January 1945; 23–26 January 1945; 3–5 February 1945; 9–10 February 1945) * 551st Parachute Infantry Battalion (attached 26 December 1944 – 13 January 1945; 21–27 January 1945)


Casualties

* Total battle casualties: 9,073Army Battle Casualties and Nonbattle Deaths in World War II, Final Report (Statistical and Accounting Branch Office of the Adjutant General, 1June 1953) * Killed in action: 1,619 * Wounded in action: 6,560 * Missing in action: 279 * Prisoner of war: 615


Awards

During World War II the division and its members were awarded the following awards: * Distinguished Unit Citations: 15 *
Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest Awards and decorations of the United States Armed Forces, military decoration and is awarded to recognize American United States Army, soldiers, United States Navy, sailors, Un ...
: 4 ** Private John R. Towle(Killed in action, KIA) ** Private First Class Charles N. Deglopper(KIA) ** First Sergeant Leonard A. Funk Jr. ** Private Joe Gandara(KIA) (issued 18 March 2014) * Distinguished Service Cross (United States), Distinguished Service Cross: 37 * Distinguished Service Medal (U.S. Army), Distinguished Service Medal: 2 * Silver Star: 898 * Legion of Merit: 29 * Soldier's Medal: 49 * Bronze Star Medal: 1,894 * Air Medal: 15


Cold War


Post–World War II

The 82nd Airborne division returned to the United States on 3 January 1946 on the . The 82nd initially was staged at Camp Shanks, New York, where they drilled for the coming New York City Victory Parade of 1946, Victory Parade, to be held in New York City on 12 January 1946. In 1947 the 555th Parachute Infantry Battalion was assigned to the 82nd and was reflagged as the 3d Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment (redesignated as the 505th Airborne Infantry Regiment effective 15 December 1947). Instead of being demobilized, the 82nd found a permanent home at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, Fort Bragg, North Carolina, designated a Regular Army division on 15 November 1948. The 82nd was not sent to the Korean War, as both presidents Harry S. Truman, Truman and Eisenhower chose to keep it in strategic reserve in the event of a U.S.S.R., Soviet ground attack anywhere in the world. Life in the 82nd during the 1950s and 1960s consisted of intensive training exercises in all environments and locations, including Panama, the Far East, and the Contiguous United States, continental United States.


Pentomic organization

In 1957, the division implemented the pentomic organization (officially Reorganization of the Airborne Division (ROTAD)) to better prepare for Tactical nuclear weapon, tactical nuclear war in Europe. Five battle groups (each with a headquarters and service company, five rifle companies and a mortar battery) replaced the division's three regiments of three battalions each. The division's battle groups were: * 1st Airborne Battle Group (ABG), 187th Infantry (reassigned from the 24th Infantry Division on 8February 1959)(1) * 1st ABG, 325th Infantry * 2nd ABG, 501st Infantry * 1st ABG, 503d Infantry (reassigned from the 24th Infantry Division on 1July 1958)(2) * 2nd ABG, 503rd Infantry (reassigned to the 25th Infantry Division on 24 June 1960) * 1st ABG, 504th Infantry (reassigned to the 8th Infantry Division on 11 December 1958) * 2nd ABG, 504th Infantry (assigned effective 9May 1960)(1) * 1st ABG, 505th Infantry (reassigned to the 8th Infantry Division on 15 January 1959) ::(1) 1st ABG, 504th Infantry and 1st ABG, 505th Infantry were reassigned to the 8th Infantry Division in central West Germany to provide airborne capability in Germany; in turn, 1–187th and 1-503d were reassigned from the 24th Infantry Division in southern Germany to the 82nd Airborne Division ::(2) 2nd ABG, 503rd Infantry was reassigned to the 25th Infantry Division and stationed in United States Civil Administration of the Ryukyu Islands, Okinawa to provide airborne capability in the Pacific on 24 June 1960. This ABG was reassigned to the 173d Airborne Brigade on 26 March 1963. * the Division Artillery consisted of: ** Battery A, 319th Artillery ** Battery B, 319th Artillery ** Battery C, 319th Artillery (Battery C, 320th Artillery after 1960; C-319th accompanied the 2d ABG, 503d Infantry on its assignment to the 25th Infantry Division) ** Battery D, 320th Artillery ** Battery E, 320th Artillery ** Battery B, 377th Artillery * additional division elements consisted of: ** 82nd Medical Company ** 82nd Signal Battalion ** 82nd Aviation Company ** Troop A, 17th Cavalry ** 307th Airborne Engineer Battalion ** 407th Supply and Transportation Battalion (The 82nd Quartermaster Parachute Supply and Maintenance Company [activated 1March 1945] was reorganized and redesignated as Company B, 407th S&T Battalion.) ** 782nd Maintenance Battalion The pentomic organization was unsuccessful, and the division reorganized into three brigades of three battalions (the Reorganization Objective Army Division (ROAD) organization) in 1964.


Dominican Republic and Vietnam deployments

In April 1965, the "All-Americans" invaded the Dominican Republic. Spearheaded by the 3rd Brigade, the 82nd deployed in Operation Power Pack. During the Tet Offensive, which swept across South Vietnam in January/February 1968, the 3rd Brigade was en route to Chu Lai within 24 hours of receiving its orders. The 3rd Brigade performed combat duties in the Huế – Phu Bai Combat Base, Phu Bai area of the I Corps sector. Later the brigade moved south to Saigon, and fought in the Mekong Delta, the Iron Triangle (Vietnam), Iron Triangle and along the Cambodian border, serving nearly 22 months. While the 3rd Brigade was deployed, the division created a provisional 4th Brigade, consisting of 4th Battalion, 325th Infantry; 3d Battalion, 504th Infantry; and 3d Battalion, 505th Infantry. An additional unit, the 3rd Battalion, 320th Field Artillery Regiment, 3d Battalion, 320th Artillery, was activated under Division Artillery to support the 4th Brigade. The units assigned and attached to the 3d Brigade of the 82nd Airborne Division were as follows: * Brigade Infantry: ** 1st Battalion (Airborne), 505th Infantry ** 2nd Battalion (Airborne), 505th Infantry ** 1st Battalion (Airborne), 508th Infantry * Brigade Artillery: ** 2nd Battalion (Airborne), 321st Artillery (105mm) * Brigade Aviation: ** Company A, 82nd Aviation Battalion * Brigade Reconnaissance: ** Troop B, 1st Squadron (Armored), 17th Cavalry ** Company O (Ranger), 75th Infantry * Brigade Support: ** 82nd Support Battalion ** 58th Signal Company ** Company C, 307th Engineer Battalion (Airborne) ** 408th Army Security Agency Detachment ** 52nd Chemical Detachment ** 518th Military Intelligence Detachment ** 307th Medical (Airborne) Headquarters and Alpha Company The deployment of the 3rd Brigade took place with significant problems and controversy. In ''The Rise and Fall of an American Army: US Ground Forces in Vietnam, 1965–1973,'' author Shelby L. Stanton describes how, other than the 82nd, only two under-strength Marine and four skeletonized Army divisions were left stateside by the beginning of 1968. MACV, desperate for additional manpower, wanted the division to deploy to Vietnam, and the Department of the Army, wishing to retain its "sole readily deployable strategic reserve, the last real vestige of actual Army divisional combat potency in the United States left to the Pentagon," compromised by sending the 3d Brigade. As Stanton wrote:
The division had been so rushed to get this brigade to the battlefront that it ignored individual deployment criteria. Paratroopers who had just returned from Vietnam now found themselves suddenly going back. The howl of soldier complaints was so vehement that the Department of the Army was soon forced to give each trooper who had deployed to Vietnam with the 3d Brigade the option of returning to Fort Bragg or remaining with the unit. To compensate for the abrupt departures from home for those who elected to stay with the unit, the Army authorized a month leave at the soldiers' own expense or a two-week leave with government aircraft provided for special flights back to North Carolina. Of the 3,650 paratroopers who had deployed from Fort Bragg, 2,513 elected to return to the United States at once. MACV had no paratroopers to replace them, and overnight the brigade was transformed into a separate light infantry brigade, airborne in name only.


Urban riots in 1967–68


1967 Detroit riot

On 24 July 1967, shortly before midnight, President Lyndon B. Johnson ordered the US military to occupy Detroit. At 1:10 a.m., 4,700 paratroopers of the 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions, under the command of Lieutenant General John L. Throckmorton, arrived in Detroit and began working in the streets, coordinating refuse removal, tracing persons who had disappeared in the confusion, and carrying out routine military functions, such as the establishment of mobile patrols, guard posts, and roadblocks. Rioting peaked in high intensity. The 82nd worked alongside the 101st to secure east of M-1 (Michigan highway), Woodward, while the National Guard took land west of Woodward. "Incidents" began to decline as paratroopers constantly patrolled the perimeter with M16 rifles, M60 machine guns, and M48 Patton, M48 tanks, while the police began making arrests on those violating curfew regulations or who were caught looting. On 27 July, with a sense of normalcy returned to the city, in part due to the presence of Army and National Guard troops, and the riot was officially declared over. The Army began to scale down to return to their normal duties, relinquishing control to local authorities. Although Army paratroopers exercised some restraint on firepower due to being racially integrated, as well as their combat experience in Vietnam (as opposed to the mainly white and inexperienced National Guard troops), the 82nd was directly responsible for at least one death. On 29 July, two days after the riot officially ended, 82nd Captain Randolph Smith fatally shot Ernest Roquemore, a 19-year-old black man carrying a transistor radio. Three other individuals were injured by shotgun fire from police in the same incident. The Army and Detroit Police were on a joint patrol to recover looted items within the vicinity. On 30 July, the 82nd and the 101st completely left Detroit and moved back to Selfridge Air National Guard Base, Selfridge for redeployment to their home stations, a process that continued gradually until 2 August.


1968 riots in Washington, D.C., and Baltimore

The 82nd was called in to tackle 1968 Washington, D.C., riots, civil disturbances in Washington, D.C., and Baltimore riot of 1968, Baltimore in the wake of the King assassination riots, nationwide riots following the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. on 4 April 1968. In Washington, D.C., the first of 21 aircraft carrying the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, 1st Brigade Combat Team of the 82nd landed at Andrews Air Force Base on 6 April, with the 82nd's 2nd Brigade Combat Team joining up later. In total, more than 2,000 82nd paratroopers were among the 11,850 federal troops to assist the Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia and the District of Columbia Army National Guard, D.C. Army National Guard in Washington. By then, the rioting had largely ended, but isolated looting and arson continued for a few more days. On 8 April, when D.C. was considered pacified, the 1st Brigade was later moved to Baltimore in assisting the Maryland Military Department, Maryland National Guard and the Baltimore Police Department because of the ongoing city's disorder there, leaving the 2nd Brigade the only 82nd unit in Washington. The 82nd brigades in D.C. and Baltimore worked with other federal, state, and local forces in maintaining order, detaining looters, clearing any signs of trouble, assisting crews clearing debris from the main traffic arteries, and helping sanitation, food store, and public utility employees to restore essential services within devastated areas. On 12 April, orders were issued for federal troops and National Guardsmen stationed in both cities to return to their home stations. The 1st Brigade was among the federal forces that left Baltimore by midnight the same day and three days later, the 2nd Brigade went into an assembly area at Bolling Air Force Base, where they eventually departed back to Fort Bragg sometime later.


Post-Vietnam Operations

From 1969 into the 1970s, the 82nd deployed paratroopers to South Korea and Vietnam on more than 180DBT (Days Bad Time) for exercises in potential future battlegrounds. The division received three alerts. One was for Black September 1970. Paratroopers were on their way to Amman, Jordan when the mission was aborted. In May 1971 they were used to help national guard and Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia, Washington DC police to round up and arrest protestors. Nine years later in August 1980, the 1st Battalion (Airborne), 504th Infantry was alerted and deployed to conduct civil disturbance duty at Fort Indiantown Gap, Pennsylvania, during the Cuban refugee internment. War in the Middle East in the fall of 1973 brought the 82nd to full alert. President Gerald Ford put the unit on high alert in case the administration decided to intervene in the Boston desegregation busing crisis. In May 1978, the division was alerted to a possible drop into Zaire. In November 1979, the division was alerted for a possible operation to rescue the Iran hostage crisis, American hostages in Iran. The division formed the nucleus of the newly created United States Rapid Deployment Forces, Rapid Deployment Forces (RDF), a mobile force at a permanently high state of readiness.


Invasion of Grenada – Operation Urgent Fury

On 25 October 1983, elements of the 82nd conducted an Airland Operation to secure Point Salines Airport following an airborne assault by the 1st Ranger Battalion (United States), 1st and 2nd Ranger Battalions who conducted the airfield seizure just hours prior. The first 82nd unit to deploy was a task force of the 2d and 3d Battalions (Airborne), 325th Infantry. On 26 October and 27, the 1st Battalion (Airborne), 505th Infantry, and the 1st and 2nd Battalions (Airborne), 508th Infantry, deployed to Grenada with support units. 2-505 deployed as well. Military operations ended in early November (Note: that C/2-325 did not deploy due to being a newly formed COHORT unit, in its place B/2-505 deployed, landing at Point Salines. The 82nd expanded its missions from the airhead at Salines to weed out Cuban Revolutionary Armed Forces and People's Revolutionary Army (Grenada), Grenadan People's Revolutionary Army soldiers Each proceeding battalion pushed a single company forward with A/2-504 deploying only one company out of the entire brigade. The operation was flawed in several areas and identified areas needing attention to enhance the United States RDF doctrine. Newly issued Battledress Uniforms (BDUs) were not designed for the tropical environment; communication between Army ground forces and Navy and Air Force aircraft lacked interoperability and even food and other logistic support to ground forces were hampered due to communication issues between the services. The operation proved the division's ability to act as a rapid deployment force. The first aircraft carrying troopers from the 2–325th touched down at Point Salines 17 hours after H-Hour notification. In March 1988, a brigade task force made up of two battalions from the 504th Infantry and 3d Battalion (Airborne), 505th Infantry, conducted a parachute insertion and air/land operation into Honduras as part of Operation Golden Pheasant. The deployment was billed as a joint training exercise, but the paratroopers were ready to fight. The deployment caused the Sandinistas to withdraw to Nicaragua. Operation Golden Pheasant prepared the paratroopers for future combat in an increasingly unstable world.


Panama: Operation Just Cause

On 20 December 1989, the "All-American", as part of the United States invasion of Panama, conducted their first combat jump since World War II onto Tocumen International Airport, Torrijos International Airport, Panama. The goal of the 1st Brigade task force, which was made up of the 1–504th and 2–504th INF as well as 4–325th INF and Company A, 3–505th INF, and 3–319th FAR, was to oust Manuel Noriega from power. They were joined on the ground by 3–504th INF, which was already in Panama. The invasion was initiated with a night combat jump and airfield seizures; the 82nd conducted follow-on combat air assault missions in Panama City and the surrounding areas of the Gatun Locks. The operation continued with an assault of multiple strategic installations, such as the Punta Paitilla Airport in Panama City and a Panamanian Public Forces, Panamanian Defense Forces (PDF) garrison and airfield at Río Hato, Rio Hato, where Noriega also maintained a residence. The attack on La Comandancia (PDF HQ) touched off several fires, one of which destroyed most of the adjoining and heavily populated El Chorrillo neighborhood in downtown Panama City. The 82nd Airborne Division secured several other key objectives such as Madden Dam, El Ranacer Prison, Gatun Locks, Gamboa and Fort Cimarron. Overall, the operation involved 27,684 US troops and over 300 aircraft, including C-130 Hercules, AC-130 Spectre gunship, OA-37B Dragonfly observation, and attack aircraft, C-141 and C-5 strategic transports, F-117A Nighthawk stealth aircraft and AH-64 Apache attack helicopters. The invasion of Panama was the first combat deployment for the AH-64, the HMMWV, and the F-117A. In the short six years since the Operation Urgent Fury, Invasion of Grenada, Operation Just Cause demonstrated how quickly the US Armed Forces could adapt and overcome the mistakes and equipment interoperability issues to conduct a quick and decisive victory. In all, the 82nd Airborne Division suffered six of the 23 fatalities of the operation. The paratroopers began redeployment to Fort Bragg on 12 January 1990. Operation Just Cause concluded on 31 January 1990, just 42 days (D+42) since the invasion started.


Organization 1989

At the end of the Cold War the division was organized as follows: * 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, North Carolina ** Headquarters & Headquarters Company ** 1st Brigade *** Headquarters & Headquarters Company *** 1st Battalion, 504th Infantry Regiment (United States), 504th Infantry *** 2nd Battalion, 504th Infantry *** 3rd Battalion, 504th Infantry ** 2nd Brigade *** Headquarters & Headquarters Company *** 1st Battalion, 325th Infantry Regiment (United States), 325th Infantry *** 2nd Battalion, 325th Infantry *** 4th Battalion, 325th Infantry ** 3rd Brigade *** Headquarters & Headquarters Company *** 1st Battalion, 505th Infantry Regiment (United States), 505th Infantry *** 2nd Battalion, 505th Infantry *** 3rd Battalion, 505th Infantry ** Aviation Brigade *** Headquarters & Headquarters Company *** 1st Squadron, 17th Cavalry Regiment (United States), 17th Cavalry (Reconnaissance) *** 1st Battalion, 82nd Aviation Regiment (United States), 82nd Aviation (Attack) *** 2nd Battalion, 82nd Aviation (General Support) ** 82nd Airborne Division Artillery, Division Artillery *** Headquarters & Headquarters Battery *** 1st Battalion, 319th Field Artillery Regiment, 1st Battalion, 319th Field Artillery Regiment (United States), 319th Field Artillery (18 × M102 howitzer, M102 105 mm towed howitzer) *** 2nd Battalion, 319th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Battalion, 319th Field Artillery (18 × M102 105 mm towed howitzer) *** 3rd Battalion, 319th Field Artillery Regiment, 3rd Battalion, 319th Field Artillery (18 × M102 105 mm towed howitzer) ** 82nd Sustainment Brigade, Division Support Command *** Headquarters & Headquarters Company *** 307th Medical Battalion *** 407th Forward Support Battalion, 407th Supply & Transportation Battalion *** 782nd Maintenance Battalion *** Company D, 82nd Aviation (Aviation Intermediate Maintenance) ** 3rd Battalion, 73rd Armor Regiment (United States), 73rd Armor ** 3rd Battalion, 4th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 4th Air Defense Artillery ** 307th Engineer Battalion ** 82nd Signal Battalion ** 313th Military Intelligence Battalion (United States), 313th Military Intelligence Battalion ** 82nd Military Police Company ** 21st Chemical Company ** 82nd Airborne Division Band


Persian Gulf War

Seven months later the paratroopers of the 82nd Airborne Division were again called to war. Four days after the Invasion of Kuwait, Iraqi invasion of Kuwait on 2August 1990, the 4th Battalion (Airborne), 325th Infantry was the Division Ready Force1 (DRF-1) and the initial ground force invaded Iraq on the orders of President George H. W. Bush, George Bush Sr. after his "Line in the sand" speech to Saddam Hussein part of the largest deployment of American troops since Vietnam as part of "Gulf War, Operation Desert Shield." The 4–325th INF immediately deployed to Riyadh and Thummim, Saudi Arabia. Their role was to guard the House of Saud, royal family as part of the agreement with Fahd of Saudi Arabia, King Fahd to station troops in and around the kingdom. The DRF2 and3 (1–325 and 2-325 INF, respectively) began drawing the "line in the sand" near al Jubail by building defenses for possible retrograde operations. Soon after, the rest of the division followed. There, intensive intelligence operations began in anticipation of desert fighting against the heavily armored Iraqi Army. On 16 January 1991, Gulf War, Operation Desert Storm began when American war planes attacked Iraqi targets. As the air war began, 2nd Brigade of the 82nd initially deployed near an airfield in the vicinity of the ARAMCO oil facilities outside Abqaiq, Saudi Arabia. While 1st Brigade and 3d Brigade consolidated at the Division HQ (CHAMPION Main) near Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, Dhahran in Coinciding with the start of the air war, three National Guard Light-Medium Truck companies, the 253d (NJARNG), 1122d (AKARNG), and the 1058th (MAARNG) joined 2d Brigade of the 82nd. In the coming weeks using primarily the 5-Ton cargo trucks of these NG truck companies, the 1st Brigade moved north to "tap line road" in the vicinity of Rafha, Saudi Arabia. Eventually, these National Guard truck units effectively "motorized" the 325th Infantry, providing the troop ground transportation required for them to keep pace with the French Division Daguet during the invasion. Extensive ground operations began almost six weeks later. The 2–325th INF was the division's spearhead for the ground war who took positions over the Iraqi border 24 hours in advance of U.N. coalition forces at 8:00 am, 22 February 1991, on Objectives Tin Man and Rochambeau. On 23 February, 82nd Airborne Division paratroopers protected the XVIII Airborne Corps (United States), XVIII Airborne Corps flank as fast-moving armor and mechanized units moved deep inside south-western Iraq. After the second day, the 1st Brigade moved forward to extend the Corps flank along with 3d Brigade. The 82nd drove deep into Iraq and captured thousands of Iraqi soldiers and tons of equipment, weapons, and ammunition. During that time, the 82nd's band and MP company processed 2,721 prisoners. After the liberation of Kuwait and the surrender of the Iraqi Army, the 82nd redeployed to Fort Bragg.


Hurricane Andrew

In August 1992, the 82nd Airborne deployed a task force to the hurricane-ravaged area of South Florida to provide so-called "humanitarian assistance" following Hurricane Andrew. For more than 30 days, troopers provided food, shelter and medical attention to the Florida population as part of the US military Domestic Emergency Planning System. The 82nd was part of over 20,000 Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine, Coast Guard and an additional 6200 National Guard troops deployed for the disaster. They also provided security and a sense of safety for the victims of the storm who were without power, doors, windows and in many cases roofs. The 82nd Airborne were deployed to "eliminate" what were officially designated "looters and thieves."


Post–Cold War


Operation Uphold Democracy: Haiti

On 16 September 1994, the 82nd Airborne Division joined Operation Uphold Democracy. The 82nd was scheduled to make combat parachute jumps into Pegasus Drop Zone and PAPIAP Drop Zone (Port au Prince Airport, Port-au-Prince Airport), to help oust Raoul Cédras and to restore Jean-Bertrand Aristide to the presidency. At the same time, former US president Jimmy Carter and former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Colin Powell were negotiating with Cédras to restore Aristide to power, the 82nd's first wave was in the air, with paratroopers waiting at Green Ramp to air-land in Haïti once the airfields there had been seized. When the Haitian military verified from sources outside Pope Air Force Base that the 82nd was on the way, Cédras stepped down, averting the invasion. Former vice president Al Gore would later travel to Fort Bragg to personally thank the paratroopers of the 82nd for their actions, noting in a speech on 19 September 1994, that the 82nd's reputation was enough to change Cédras' mind:


Operations Safe Haven and Safe Passage

On 12 December 1994, the 2nd Battalion (Airborne), 505th Infantry, with the 2nd Platoon of Company C, 307th Engineer Battalion, deployed as part of Operations Safe Haven and Safe Passage. The battalion deployed from Fort Bragg "to restore order" against what American officials termed "1994 Cuban rafter crisis, Cuban refugees" who had attacked and injured a number of Air Force personnel and one marine while protesting their detainment at Empire Range along the Panama Canal. The battalion participated in the safeguarding of the Cuban refugees, a camp cordon and reorganization, and the active patrolling in and around the refugee camps in and around the Panamanian jungle along the Panama canal for two months. General Engineering support in the area of camp establishment/improvement operations was provided by the Sappers of the habitually associated Task Force Panther Engineer platoon, 2/C-307th. (Task Force Panther was commanded by LTC Lloyd Austin, Lloyd J. Austin III, who would later be the first African American General to commander of United States Central Command, US Central Command and United States Secretary of Defense, US Secretary of Defense.) This support included the planning of camp power requirements, pouring of 78 concrete pads, three-foot bridges, a set of "mock doors" for airborne pre-jump training, and a system of decks for the muddy camp. During the deployment, the paratroopers experienced a 92-degree Christmas Day and returned to Fort Bragg on 14 February 1995.


Operation Joint Endeavor: Bosnia

Battalions of the 82nd prepared for a possible parachute jump to support elements of the 1st Armored Division (United States), 1st Armored Division which had been ordered to Bosnia-Herzegovina as part of Operation Joint Endeavor. Only after engineers of the 1st Armored Division bridged the Sava, Sava River on 31 December 1995 without hostilities did the 82nd begin to draw down against plans for a possible airborne operation there. The 82nd's 49th Public affairs (military), Public Affairs Detachment was deployed in support of the 1st Armored Division and air-landed in Tuzla with the 1AD TAC CP and began PA operations to include establishing the first communications in print and radio and covering the crossing of the Sava River by the main forces.


Centrazbat '97

In September 1997 the 82nd traveled to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan for CENTRAZBAT '97. Paratroopers from Ft. Bragg, NC flew 8000 miles on US Air Force C-17s and jumped into an airfield in Shymkent, Kazakhstan, Shimkent, Kazakhstan. Forty soldiers from the three republics joined 500 paratroopers on the exercise-opening jump. Marine Gen. John J. Sheehan, John Sheehan, then-commander in chief of the United States Atlantic Command, Atlantic Command, was first out of the aircraft. The 82nd joined units from Kyrgyzstan, Turkey, and Russia in the two-week-long NATO training mission. Members of the international press and local reporters from WRAL-TV and the Fayetteville Observer were also embedded with the 82nd Airborne.


Operation Allied Force: Kosovo

In March 1999 the TF 2–505th INF deployed to Albania and forward-deployed along the Albania/Kosovo border in support of Operation Allied Force, NATO's bombing campaign against Serbian forces in the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Yugoslav Republic. In September 1999, TF 3–504th INF deployed in support of Operation Joint Guardian, replacing TF 2–505th INF. TF 3–504th INF was replaced in March 2000 by elements of the 101st Airborne Division (United States), 101st Airborne Division. On 1October 1999, the 1–508th ABCT (SETAF) made a combat jump in "Operation Rapid Guardian": 500-foot altitude jump near Pristina.


Global War on Terror


Operation Enduring Freedom II and III, 2002–2003

After 11 September attacks on the United States, the 82nd's 49th Public Affairs Detachment deployed to Afghanistan in October 2001 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom along with several individual 82nd soldiers who deployed to the Central Command area of responsibility to support combat operations. In June 2002, elements of the division headquarters and TF Panther (HQ 3d Brigade; 1–504th INF, 1–505th INF, 3–505th INF, 1–319th FA) deployed to Afghanistan. In January 2003, TF Devil (HQ 1st Brigade, 2–504th INF, 3–504th INF, 2–505th INF, 3–319th FA) relieved TF Panther.


Operation Iraqi Freedom I, 2003–2004

In March 2003, 2–325 of the 2nd BCT was attached to the 75th Ranger Regiment as part of a special operations task force to conduct a parachute assault to seize Saddam International Airport in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. On 21 March 2003, Company D, 2-325 crossed the Saudi Arabia–Iraq border as part of Task Force Hunter to escort HIMARS artillery systems to destroy Iraqi artillery batteries in the western Iraqi desert. Upon cancellation of the parachute assault to seize the airport, the battalion returned to its parent 2nd Brigade at Talil Airfield near An Nasariyah, Iraq. The 2nd Brigade then conducted operations in Battle of Samawah (2003), Samawah, Fallujah, and Baghdad. The brigade returned to the United States by the end of February 2004. The early days of the 82nd Airborne's participation in the deployment were chronicled by embedded journalist Karl Zinsmeister in his 2003 book ''Boots on the Ground (book), Boots on the Ground: A Month with the 82nd Airborne in the Battle for Iraq''. In April 2003, according to Human Rights Watch, soldiers from a subordinate unit, the 1st battalion of the 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment, 325th Infantry, allegedly fired indiscriminately into a crowd of Iraqi civilians protesting their presence in the city of Fallujah killings of April 2003, Fallujah, killing and wounding many civilians. The battalion suffered no casualties. The 3rd Brigade deployed to Iraq in the summer, redeploying to the US in spring 2004. The 1st Brigade deployed in January 2004. The last units of the division left by the end of April 2004. The 2nd Brigade deployed on 7December 2004 to support the free elections and returned on Easter Sunday in 2005. During this initial deployment, 36 soldiers from the division were killed and about 400 were wounded, out of about 12,000 deployed. On 21 July 2006, the 1st Battalion, 325th Infantry Regiment, along with a platoon from Battery A, 2nd Battalion, 319th Field Artillery Regiment and a troop from 1st Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment (United States), 73rd Cavalry Regiment deployed to Tikrit, Iraq, returning in December 2006.


Torture and Abuse at Camp Mercury

In September 2005, a Human Rights Watch report alleged that residents of Fallujah called the 1st Battalion, 504th Infantry Regiment "the Murderous Maniacs," based on their treatment of Iraqis in detention. According to accounts of 82nd Airborne officers and NCOs, members of the battalion in 2003–2004 routinely used physical and mental torture as a means of intelligence gathering and for stress relief. According to the report, these battalion members estimated "...that about half of the detainees at Camp Mercury were released because they were not involved in the insurgency, but they left with the physical and mental scars of torture." After reporting these abuses yet being ignored by his superiors for 17 months, the Captain took his allegations to three senior Republican senators—Bill Frist, John McCain, and John Warner—before the Army was finally compelled to launch an investigation. It was only after his report to the senators that action was taken. A staffer for one of them later told TIME magazine that the captain's claims were "extremely credible." The 1st Battalion, 504th Infantry Regiment's torture and abuse of prisoners later inspired the passage of the Detainee Treatment Act, and the anonymous captain was later revealed to be Ian Fishback. When Ian Fishback passed away in 2021, Senator Dick Durbin called Ian Fishback a military hero, saying:


Rapid deployment operations


Afghanistan

In late September 2004 the National Command Authority (United States), National Command Authority alerted TF 1–505th INF for an emergency deployment to Afghanistan in support of that October's elections.


Iraq

In December 2004, the task forces based on 2–325th AIR and 3–325th AIR were deployed to Iraq to provide security for the country's January 2005 Iraqi parliamentary election, national elections in which more than eight million Iraqis voted.


Operation Enduring Freedom VI, 2005–2008

The 1st Brigade of the 82nd deployed in April 2005 in support of OEF 6, and returned in April 2006. 1st Battalion, 325th Infantry Regiment deployed in support of OEF6 from July through November 2005. In March 2006, 3rd Battalion (General Support), 82nd Aviation was selected to augment a special operations task force using CH-47 Chinooks and UH-60 Black Hawks. The task force consisted of 75th Ranger Regiment, United States Army Special Forces, Special Forces, and 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne). 2007 February 18, seven soldiers from the task force died in a helicopter crash. The deployment would end a month later (March 2007). In January 2007, then Maj. Gen. David M. Rodriguez deployed the division headquarters to Bagram Airfield, Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan, accompanied by 4th BCT and the Aviation Brigade, as Commander, Combined Joint Task Force 82, Combined Joint Task Force-82 (CJTF-82) and Regional Command – East for Operation Enduring Freedom VIII. The 3d BCT, 10th Mountain Division (United States), 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) was extended for 120 days to increase the troop strength against the Taliban spring offensive. Extended to 15-month deployment, 4th BCT, which included 1–508th Infantry Regiment, 2–508th Infantry Regiment, and 4–73rd Cavalry Regiment, 2–321st Field Artillery, and 782nd Brigade Support Battalion, was commanded by then Col. Martin P. Schweitzer and remained in Khost Province, Khowst Province from January 2007 until April 2008. The 2–508th IR worked to establish and maintain firebases in and around the Ghazni province while actively patrolling their operational area. The 1–508 PIR served in Regional Command-South. Working mostly out of Kandahar province as the theater tactical force, they mentored the Afghan National Security Force (ANSF), conducting combined operations with both ANSF and NATO partners in the Helmand Province. Supporting the division were the 36th Engineer Brigade (United States), 36th Engineer Brigade, and the 43rd Sustainment Brigade (United States), 43d Area Support Group.


Hurricane Katrina

The 82nd Airborne's 3rd Brigade, 505th Infantry Regiment, and the division's 319th Field Artillery Regiment along with supporting units deployed to support search-and-rescue / security operations in Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, New Orleans, Louisiana after the city was flooded by Hurricane Katrina in September 2005. About 5,000 paratroopers commanded by Major General William B. Caldwell IV, operated out of Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, New Orleans International Airport.


Reorganization

In January 2006, the division began reorganizing from a division based organization to a brigade combat team-based organization. Activated elements include a 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division (508th Infantry Regiment (United States), 1–508th INF, 2–508th INF, 4–73rd Cav (RSTA), 2nd Battalion, 321st Field Artillery Regiment, 2–321st FA, 782nd BSB, and STB, 4th BCT) and the inactivation of the Division Artillery, 82nd Signal Battalion, 307th Engineer Battalion, and 313th Military Intelligence Battalion (United States), 313th Military Intelligence Battalion. The 82nd Division Support Command (DISCOM) was redesignated as the 82nd Sustainment Brigade (United States), 82nd Sustainment Brigade. A Pathfinders (military), pathfinder unit was reactivated within the 82nd when the Long Range Surveillance Detachment of the inactivating 313th Military Intelligence Battalion was transferred to the 2d Battalion, 82nd Aviation Regiment and converted to a pathfinder role as the battalion's Company F.


Operation Iraqi Freedom, 2006–2009, "The Surge"

In December 2006, 2nd BCT deployed once again to Iraq in support of OIF. On 4January 2007, 2nd Brigade deployed to northern Bagdad in the Sumer and Talbiyah district, returning 8March 2008. On 4June 2007, 1st Brigade deployed to Southern Iraq, returning 15 July 2008. Since the deployment began, the division has lost 37 paratroopers. Since 11 September 2001, the division has lost 20 paratroopers in Afghanistan and 101 paratroopers in Iraq.


Operation Enduring Freedom, 2007–2008

In January 2007, then Maj. Gen. David M. Rodriguez deployed the division headquarters to Bagram, Afghanistan, accompanied by 4th BCT and the Aviation Brigade, as Commander, Combined Joint Task Force-82 (CJTF-82)and Regional Command – East for Operation Enduring Freedom VIII. The 3d BCT, 10th Mountain Division (United States), 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) was extended for 120 days to increase the troop strength against the Taliban spring offensive. Extended to 15-month deployment, 4th BCT, which included 1–508th Infantry Regiment, 2–508th Infantry Regiment, and 4–73rd Cavalry Regiment, 2–321st Field Artillery, and 782nd Brigade Support Battalion, was commanded by then Col. Martin P. Schweitzer and remained in Khowst Province from January 2007 until April 2008. The 2–508th IR worked to establish and maintain firebases in and around the Ghazni province while actively patrolling their operational area. The 1–508 PIR served in Regional Command-South. Working mostly out of Kandahar province as the theater tactical force, they mentored the Afghan National Security Force (ANSF), conducting combined operations with both ANSF and NATO partners in the Helmand province. Supporting the division were the 36th Engineer Brigade (United States), 36th Engineer Brigade, and the 43rd Sustainment Brigade (United States), 43d Area Support Group.


Operations Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom and New Dawn, 2008–2011

In December 2008, the 3d BCT deployed to Baghdad, Iraq and redeployed to Ft. Bragg in November 2009. In August 2009, 1st BCT deployed once again to Iraq and redeployed late July 2010. During the months of August and September 2009, 4th BCT deployed again to Afghanistan and returned in August 2010 having lost 38 soldiers. In May 2011 1–505 (Task Force 1 Panther) deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Dispersed throughout the country, 1st battalion was attached to various Special Operations elements. 1st battalion redeployed to Fort Bragg, NC in February 2012 having lost two paratroopers. The 2d Brigade deployed to the Al Anbar Governorate, Anbar Province in Iraq in May 2011 for the last time in support of Operation New Dawn (Iraq, 2010-2011), Operation New Dawn with the mission to advise, train and assist the Iraqi security forces and lead the responsible withdrawal of United States Forces – Iraq, US Forces – Iraq. Elements of 2d Brigade were among the last US combat units to withdraw from Baghdad. The brigade suffered the loss of the last American service member in Iraq, SPC. David E. Hickman, on 14 November 2011. They were part of the long convoy of equipment and troops who exited Iraq into Kuwait as OIF came to an end.


2010 Haiti earthquake – Operation Unified Response

As part of Operation Unified Response, the 2d BCT, on rotation as the division's Global Response Force, was alerted and deployed forces to Haiti later that same day for the mission to provide humanitarian assistance following the devastating earthquake in Haiti. Paratroopers distributed water and food during the 2010 Haiti earthquake relief. Just two months following redeployment from Haiti in 2010, elements of 2d BCT (Red Falcons) deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom to serve as trainers for the Afghan National Security Forces. In October 2011, the Division Headquarters returned to Afghanistan, where they relieved the 10th Mountain Division as the Headquarters of Regional Command-South. In February 2012, 4th BCT deployed to Kandahar province. Taliban commander Mullah Dadullah, formed an overwhelming force in Kandahar. Zhari district in southern Kandahar is where Dadullah was recruiting a high number of jihadists. 4th BCT of the 82nd held the 5-month siege from March 2012 to the end of July, witnessing some of the most intense combat since the initial deployments since 2001, 4th BCT inflicted massive casualties among the Taliban. Performing with an almost perfect strategic plan, 4th BCT drove Dadullah and his men out of Kandahar to the Northeastern province of Kunar, where Dadullah was killed by airstrikes. As of April 2012, the 1st BCT was deployed to Afghanistan, operating in Ghazni Province, Regional Command-East. The paratroopers took control of Ghazni from the Polish Armed Forces, allowing the Polish Task Force White Eagle (:pl:Polski Kontyngent Wojskowy w Afganistanie) to consolidate around the provincial seat in northern Ghazni. In June 2012, the 3rd Brigade Combat Team deployed as part of the Global Response Force (GRF) in support of heavy combat operations conducted by the 1st Infantry Division. The Brigade was spread across much of RC-East Afghanistan. In December 2013, elements of the 4th Brigade deployed again to Afghanistan and they were joined by the 1st Brigade in spring 2014. Since 11 September 2001, the division has lost 106 paratroopers in Afghanistan and 139 paratroopers in Iraq.


Operation Inherent Resolve

On 19 December 2014, ''Stars and Stripes (newspaper), Stars & Stripes,'' a daily military newspaper, announced 1,000 soldiers from the 82nd Airborne's 3rd Brigade Combat Team would deploy to Iraq to train, advise, and assist Iraq's Security Forces. On 3 November 2016, it was reported that 1,700 soldiers from the 2d Brigade Combat Team will deploy to the US Central Command area of responsibility in Iraq, to take part in Operation Inherent Resolve. They will replace the 2d Brigade Combat Team,
101st Airborne Division 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. The 101st is designed to plan, coordinat ...
and will advise and assist Iraqi Security Forces currently trying to Battle of Mosul (2016), retake Mosul from ISIS fighters. On 27 March 2017, it was reported that 300 paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne's 2nd Brigade Combat Team will temporarily deploy to northern Iraq to provide additional advise-and-assist combating Islamic State, ISIS, particularly to speed up the Battle of Mosul (2016–2017), offensive against ISIS in Mosul. On 31 December 2019, approximately 750 soldiers from the 82nd Airborne's Immediate Response Force were authorized to be deployed to Iraq in response to events which saw the Attack on the United States embassy in Baghdad, United States' embassy in the country stormed. From the start of January 2017 to September 2017, the division suffered the loss of five paratroopers killed in action.


Syria intervention

It was confirmed in July 2020 that the 82nd Airborne Division did in fact have combat deployments in Syria.


Operation Freedom's Sentinel

The 1st BCT deployed to Afghanistan in support of War in Afghanistan (2001–present)#Post ISAF phase, Operation Freedom's Sentinel from June 2017 to March 2018. Two soldiers were killed in action when their convoy was purposefully hit by a vehicle filled with explosives. The 3rd BCT deployed to Afghanistan in support of War in Afghanistan (2001–present)#Post ISAF phase, Operation Freedom's Sentinel from July 2019 to March 2020. In February 2020 soldiers from the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (United States), 1st BCT, 10th Mountain Division were deployed to Afghanistan to replace the 3rd BCT as part of a unit rotation.


Iranian threat in Iraq

The 82nd Airborne was called to deploy in Iraq upon after Attack on the United States embassy in Baghdad, rioting civilians outside of the Embassy of the United States, Baghdad, US embassy in Baghdad, Iraq breached the outer gates of the Green Zone. On 1 January 2020, the first 750 troops began mobilizing to Kuwait and bases in the Baghdad area. On the direct orders of Donald Trump, Iranian general and Quds Force commander Qasem Soleimani was killed in a 2020 Baghdad International Airport airstrike, US airstrike at the Baghdad airport. Iranian influence on Iraqi militia groups was believed to play a part in the rioting at the US embassy. Actions by the Iranians and the US have increased tensions in the region not seen since before the invasion of Iraq in 2003. The 82nd airborne was among the first military units to be mobilized in response to this escalation and tensions. An additional 3,500 to 4,000 troops were ordered to deploy to Kuwait in response to Iranian threats in the region.


Evacuation of Kabul

In August 2021, elements of the 82nd Airborne Division, particularly the Immediate Response Force, deployed to Afghanistan to secure the evacuation of American diplomats and Afghan Special Immigrant Visa applicants as the Taliban seized land and converged on Kabul. Throughout Operation Allies Refuge, the 82nd Airborne Division served as the Operational Command, Task Force 82. Operation Allies Refuge, led by Major General Chris Donahue, was a combined and joint NATO command post composed of forces representing NATO allied Nations, 1st Brigade Combat Team "Devil", aviation capabilities from the 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade "Pegasus", medical capabilities from the 44th Medical Brigade, riot control capabilities from the 16th Military Police Brigade, 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, and the 3rd Expeditionary Sustainment Command who oversaw sustainment in the joint operational area from a command post in Kuwait.


Organization

The 82nd Airborne Division consists of a division headquarters and headquarters battalion, three infantry brigade combat teams, a division artillery, a combat aviation brigade, and a division sustainment brigade. The 82nd DIVARTY commands all artillery battalions. * 82nd Airborne Division, in Fort Bragg, North Carolina ** Division Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion *** Headquarters and headquarters company (United States), Headquarters and Headquarters Company *** Operations Company (Company A) *** Intelligence and Sustainment Company (Company B) *** Signal Company (Company C) *** Gainey Company (Provisional) *** 49th Public Affairs Detachment *** 82nd Airborne Division Band ** United States Army Jumpmaster School, US Army Advanced Airborne School ** 307th Engineer Battalion "Cobalt" ** 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, 1st Infantry Brigade Combat Team "Devil Brigade" *** Headquarters and Headquarters Company *** 1st Battalion, 504th Infantry Regiment (United States), 504th Infantry Regiment "Red Devils" *** 2nd Battalion, 504th Infantry Regiment (United States), 504th Infantry Regiment "White Devils" *** 2nd Battalion, 501st Infantry Regiment (United States), 501st Infantry Regiment "Geronimo" ** 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team "Falcon Brigade" *** Headquarters and Headquarters Company *** 1st Battalion, 325th Infantry Regiment "Red Falcons" *** 2nd Battalion, 325th Infantry Regiment "White Falcons" *** 2nd Battalion, 508th Infantry Regiment (United States), 508th Infantry Regiment "2 Fury or 2F" ** 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team "Panther Brigade" *** Headquarters and Headquarters Company *** 1st Battalion, 505th Infantry Regiment (United States), 505th Infantry Regiment "1 Panther or 1P" *** 2nd Battalion, 505th Infantry Regiment "2 Panther or 2P" *** 1st Battalion, 508th Infantry Regiment (United States), 508th Infantry Regiment "1 Fury or 1F" ** 82nd Airborne Division Artillery, 82nd Division Artillery *** Headquarters and Headquarters Battery *** 1st Battalion, 319th Field Artillery Regiment, 1st Battalion, 319th Field Artillery Regiment (United States), 319th Airborne Field Artillery Regiment "Loyalty" *** 2nd Battalion, 319th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Battalion, 319th Airborne Field Artillery Regiment "Black Falcons" *** 3rd Battalion, 319th Field Artillery Regiment, 3rd Battalion, 319th Airborne Field Artillery Regiment "Gun Devils" ** 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade "Pegasus Brigade" *** Headquarters and Headquarters Company *** 1st Squadron (Attack/Reconnaissance), 17th Cavalry Regiment (United States), 17th Cavalry Regiment (AH-64 Apache, AH-64E Apache) *** 1st Battalion (Attack), 82nd Aviation Regiment (United States), 82nd Aviation Regiment (AH-64E Apache) *** 2nd Battalion (Assault), 82nd Aviation Regiment (UH-60 Black Hawk, UH-60M Black Hawk) *** 3rd Battalion (General Support), 82nd Aviation Regiment (Boeing CH-47 Chinook, CH-47 Chinook and UH-60 Black Hawk) *** Company D, 82nd Aviation Regiment (General Atomics MQ-1C Gray Eagle, MQ-1C Gray Eagle) *** 122nd Aviation Support Battalion ** 82nd Sustainment Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division Sustainment Brigade *** Headquarters and Headquarters Company *** 82nd Special Troops Battalion *** 189th Division Sustainment Support Battalion *** 82nd Finance Battalion *** 307th Brigade Support Battalion "Black Devils
"Today 82nd Airborne Division Sustainment Brigade welcomed the 307th Brigade Support Battalion, 407th Brigade Support Battalion, and 82nd Brigade Support Battalion as the newest battalions into our formation."
82nd Airborne Division Sustainment Brigade Facebook post, dated 6 April 2023. Retrieved 25 July 2024 *** 82nd Brigade Support Battalion "Gators" *** 407th Brigade Support Battalion "Griffin" The division's 4th Brigade Combat Team inactivated in fall of 2013: the Special Troops Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team; the 2nd Battalion, 321st Field Artillery Regiment (United States), 321st Field Artillery Regiment; and the 782nd Brigade Support Battalion were inactivated with some of the companies of the 782nd used to augment support battalions in the remaining three brigades. The 4th Squadron, 73rd Cavalry joined the 1st Brigade Combat Team and formed the core of the newly activated 2nd Battalion, 501st Infantry Regiment (United States), 501st Infantry Regiment. The 2nd Battalion, 508th Infantry Regiment joined the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, while the 1st Battalion, 508th Infantry Regiment joined the 3rd Brigade Combat Team.


Traditions

To commemorate the 1944
Waal WAAL (99.1 FM broadcasting, FM; "The Whale") is a commercial radio, commercial radio station licensed to Binghamton, New York. It airs a classic rock radio format and is owned by Townsquare Media. WAAL is the oldest FM radio station continuou ...
assault river crossing made by the 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment and the 307th Engineer Battalion (Airborne) during Operation Market Garden, an annual ''Crossing of the Waal'' competition is staged on the anniversary of the operation at McKellar's Lake near Fort Bragg. The winning company receives a paddle.


Honors


Campaign participation credit

* World War I # St. Mihiel # Meuse-Argonne # Lorraine 1918 * World War II # Sicily # Naples-Foggia # Invasion of Normandy, Normandy (with arrowhead) # Rhineland (with arrowhead) # Battle of the Bulge, Ardennes-Alsace # Central Europe * Armed Forces Expeditions # Dominican Republic # Grenada # Panama * Southwest Asia # Defense of Saudi Arabia # Liberation and Defense of Kuwait * Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) * Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) * Operation New Dawn (OND) * Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR)


Medal of Honor recipients


World War I

# Lt. Col. Emory J. Pike # SGT. Alvin C. York


World War II

# Pvt. John R. Towle # Pfc. Charles N. Deglopper # 1st Sgt. Leonard A. Funk Jr. # Pvt. Joe Gandara


Vietnam War

# SSG Felix M. Conde-Falcon # Master Sergeant Roy Benavidez, Roy P. Benavidez


Decorations

# Presidential Unit Citation (US), Presidential Unit Citation (Army) for Sainte-Mère-Église. # Presidential Unit Citation (Army) for Operation Market Garden. # Presidential Unit Citation (Army) for Chiunzi Pass/Naples/Foggia awarded to the following units of the 82nd Airborne: 319th Glider Field Artillery Battalion, 307th Engineer Battalion (2nd), 80th Anti-aircraft Battalion and Company H, 504 PIR # Presidential Unit Citation (Army) for the Battle of Samawah (2003), Battle of Samawah, April 2003, awarded to the following unit of the 82nd Airborne: 2nd Brigade Combat Team (325th Airborne Infantry Regiment) # Presidential Unit Citation (Army) for Operation Turki Bowl, OIF, November 2007, awarded to the following unit of the 82nd Airborne: 5th Squadron, 73rd Cavalry, 3rd Brigade, 505th PIR # Valorous Unit Citation (Army) for Operation Iraqi Freedom (3rd Brigade Combat Team, OIF 1) # Valorous Unit Citation (Army) for actions on the objective in the Baghdad neighborhood of Ghazaliya. While attached to the 3rd Brigade, 1st Armored Division. Cited in Department of the Army General Order 2009–10 # Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army) for Southwest Asia. # Superior Unit Award (Army) US Army Garrison, Ft Bragg 11 September 2001 – 15 April 2006 Cited in DAGO 2009–29 # French Croix de guerre 1939–1945, Croix de Guerre with Palm, World War II for Sainte-Mère-Église. # French Croix de Guerre with Palm, World War II for Cotentin. # French Croix de Guerre, World War II, Fourragère # Belgian War Cross (Belgium)#Unit Award, Fourragere 1940 # Cited in the Order of the Day of the Belgian Army for action in the Ardennes # Cited in the Order of the Day of the Belgian Army for action in Belgium And Germany. # Military William Order, for bravery and valiant service in battle at Nijmegen 1944 during Market Garden (worn as an Lanyard, Orange Lanyard) 8October 1945.. One of only two non-Dutch units receiving this decoratio
Databank dapperheidsonderscheidingen, Militaire Willems-Orde: Vaandel der 82nd U.S. Airborne Division, niveau MWO 4. Retrieved 10 mei 2016.
/ref>


Notable members

* Lloyd Austin, General Lloyd Austin (born 1953), Commanding General of
XVIII Airborne Corps The XVIII Airborne Corps is a corps of the United States Army that has been in existence since 1942 and saw extensive service during World War II. The corps is designed for Rapid deployment force, rapid deployment anywhere in the world and is r ...
, Commanding General of United States Central Command, CENTCOM, 28th United States Secretary of Defense, Secretary of Defense * Master Sergeant Roy Benavidez, Roy P. Benavidez (Medal of Honor Recipient), Vietnam War * General of the Army (United States), General of the Army
Omar Bradley Omar Nelson Bradley (12 February 1893 – 8 April 1981) was a senior Officer (armed forces), officer of the United States Army during and after World War II, rising to the rank of General of the Army (United States), General of the Army. He wa ...
* Moffatt Burriss, politician from South Carolina * Jason Crow, member of the US House of Representatives for Colorado's 6th congressional district * Fashion critic/choreographer Bruce Darnell (born 1957) * Louisiana governor John Bel Edwards (born 1966) * Lieutenant general (United States), LTG Michael Flynn (born 1958), former Commander#United States Army, commander of the 313th Military Intelligence Battalion (United States), 313th Military Intelligence Battalion and Division Staff (military)#Continental Staff System, G-2 * Actor Dennis Franz (born 1944) * Leonard A. Funk Jr. 508th P.I.R, WW2 Medal of Honor recipient and credited as the most highly decorated US Army Airborne soldier of the Second World War * Lieutenant General (United States), Lieutenant General James M. Gavin * Chris Gibson (New York politician), Colonel Chris Gibson (born 1964), former commander of the 2d Battalion, 325th Infantry Regiment, and later commander of the division's 2d Brigade Combat Team, former New York Congressman * Melvin O. Handrich (Medal of Honor Recipient, Korean War; First Special Service Force and Company I, 508th Infantry Regiment (United States), 508th Parachute Infantry in World War II) * Mark T. Vande Hei (born 1966), Col (En) (ret.), prior engineer platoon leader in 325th Infantry Regiment (United States), 3/325th Infantry * Real life ''Goodfellas'' movie mobster, Henry Hill served as a cook in the Division from 1960 to 1963. * Sean D. Jordan, judge * Clint Lorance (born 1984), officer convicted of second-degree murder for battlefield deaths; pardoned * Wes Moore, 63rd governor of Maryland * Platoon Forward Observer and Member of USA National Bobsled Team Lou Moreira * Country music singer Craig Morgan (born 1964) * Patrick Murphy (Pennsylvania politician), Patrick Murphy, United States Under Secretary of the Army, Under Secretary of the Army (born 1973) * Actor Noble Craig, Vietnam War * R&B singer Lou Rawls Sergeant in B Co 2/505 ABN INF 1956–58 * Senator Jack Reed (Rhode Island politician), Jack Reed (born 1949) * Dennis Richmond, journalist * Syracuse University football coach Ben Schwartzwalder * General "Henry" Hugh Shelton (Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from 1997 to 2001) * John Steele (paratrooper), John Steele who famously got hung up on a parapet of the church bell tower when jumping into Sainte-Mère-Église during the first hours of D-Day. * United States Senate, Senator Strom Thurmond (325th Infantry Regiment (United States), 325th Glider Infantry Regiment in
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
) * Actor William Windom (actor), William Windom * Benjamin H. Vandervoort who led the 2nd Battalion, 505th PIR on D-Day and the 3rd Battalion, 504th PIR during Operation Market Garden. * Sergeant Alvin C. York * List of killings by law enforcement officers in the United States, June 2024, Trae Stewart Spurlock a 2x combat veteran killed by the Casper Police Department * Jacklyn H. Lucas, Jack "Indestructible" Lucas The youngest Marine to receive the Medal of Honor who then reenlisted and became a Captain in the 82nd * Senator Dave McCormick (born 1965), Captain who served in the Gulf War


See also

* List of commanders of 82nd Airborne Division (United States) * 82nd Airborne Division War Memorial Museum * British Parachute Regiment * Maroon beret * United States military beret flash * Geneviève Duboscq * Medal of Honor: Airborne * Monica Lin Brown * World War II combat jump airfields: ** RAF Balderton ** RAF Barkston Heath ** RAF Chalgrove ** RAF Cottesmore ** RAF Folkingham ** RAF Merryfield ** RAF Membury ** RAF North Witham ** RAF Ramsbury ** RAF Saltby ** RAF Spanhoe


Notes


Further reading

* Alexander, Mark, and John Sparry. ''Jump Commander: In Combat with the 82nd Airborne in World War II''. Philadelphia: Casemate, 2010. * Angress, Werner T. ''Witness to the Storm: A Jewish Journey from Nazi Berlin to the 82nd Airborne, 1920–1945''. Durham, NC: Miriam Angress, 2012. * Anzuoni, Robert P. ''I'm the 82nd Airborne Division!: A History of the All American Division in World War II After Action Reports''. Atglen, PA : Schiffer Publishing, 2005. * Anzuoni, Robert P. ''The All American: An Illustrated History of the 82nd Airborne Division, 1917 to the Present''. Atglen, PA: Schiffer Pub, 2001. * Barry, Robert F. ''Power Pack: The Dominican Republic, 1965–1966''. Portsmouth, Va: Messenger, 1965. * Baugh, James Emory. ''From Skies of Blue: My Experiences with the Eighty-Second Airborne During World War II''. New York: iUniverse, 2003. * Breuer, William B. ''Drop Zone, Sicily: Allied Airborne Strike, July 1943''. Novato, CA: Presidio, 1983. * Burriss, T. Moffatt. ''Strike and Hold: A Memoir of the 82nd Airborne in World War II''. Washington, D.C.: Brassey's, 2000. * Caraccilo, Dominic J. ''The Ready Brigade of the 82nd Airborne in Desert Storm: A Combat Memoir by the Headquarters Company Commander''. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland, 1993. * Carter, Ross S. ''Those Devils in Baggy Pants''. Cutchogue, NY: Buccaneer Books, 1996. * Cooke, James J. ''The All-Americans at War: The 82nd Division in the Great War, 1917–1918''. Westport, Conn: Praeger, 1999. * Cooksey, Jon. ''Crossing the Waal: The US 82nd Airborne Division at Nijmegen''. Barnsley: Pen and Sword Military, 2005. * Covington, Henry L. ''A Fighting Heart, An Unofficial Story of the 82nd Airborne Division''. Fayetteville, NC: T. Davis, 1949. * Dawson, Buck. ''Saga of the All American''. Atlanta: Albert Love Enterprises, 1946. * Francois, Dominique. ''82nd Airborne Division 1917–2005''. Bayeux: Heimdal, 2006. * Gavin, James M. ''On to Berlin: Battles of an Airborne Commander, 1943–1946''. New York: Viking Press, 1978. * Grey, Stephen. ''Into the Viper's Nest: The First Pivotal Battle of the Afghan War''. Minneapolis: Zenith Press, 2010. * Heilman, William H. ''A Pilot's Tale: Flying Helicopters in Vietnam''. Hooks, Tex.?: William H. Heilman, 2008. * Hoyt, Edwin Palmer. ''The Invasion Before Normandy: The Secret Battle of Slapton Sands''. Lanham, MD: Scarborough House, 1999. * Imai, Kesaharu. ''Grenada : 25 October to 2 November 1983''. Tokyo: World Photo Press, 1984. * Langdon, Allen. ''Ready: The History of the 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division, World War II''. [Fort Bragg, N.C.]: The Division, 1986. * Lebenson, Leonard. ''Surrounded by Heroes: Six Campaigns with Division Headquarters, 82nd Airborne Division, 1942–1945''. Drexel Hill, PA: Casemate, 2007. * LoFaro, Guy ''Sword of St. Michael: The 82nd Airborne Division in World War II''. Cambridge, MA: Da Capo Press, 2011. * Lunteren, Frank van. ''The Battle of the Bridges: The 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment in Operation Market Garden''. Philadelphia: Casemate Publishing, 2014. * Lunteren, Frank van. ''Birth of a Regiment: The 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment in Sicily and Salerno.'' New York: Permuted Press, LLC, 2022. * Lunteren, Frank van. ''Blocking Kampfgruppe Peiper: The 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment in the Batlle of the Bulge.'' Philadelphia: Casemate Publishing, 2015. * Lunteren, Frank van. ''Spearhead of the Fifth Army: The 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment in Italy, from the Winter Line to Anzio.'' Philadelphia, Casemate Publishing, 2016. * Marshall, S. L. A., Carl Sandburg, and H. Garver Miller. ''Night Drop: The American Airborne Invasion of Normandy''. Boston: Little, Brown, 1962. * McCann, John P. ''Passing Through: The 82nd Airborne Division in Northern Ireland 1943–44''. Newtownards, County Down, Northern Ireland: Colourpoint Books, 2005. * McKenzie, John D. ''On Time, on Target: The World War II Memoir of a Paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne''. Novato, CA: Presidio Press, 2000. * McManus, John C. ''September Hope: The American Side of a Bridge Too Far''. New York: New American Library, 2012. * Megellas, James. ''All the Way to Berlin: A Paratrooper at War in Europe''. New York: Ballantine Books, 2003. * Mrozek, Steven J. ''82nd Airborne Division''. Paducah, Ky: Turner Pub. Co, 1997. * Nordyke, Phil. ''All American, All the Way: The Combat History of the 82nd Airborne Division in World War II''. St. Paul, MN: Zenith Press, 2005. * Nordyke, Phil. ''The All Americans in World War II: A Photographic History of the 82nd Airborne Division at War''. St. Paul, MN: Zenith Press, 2006. * Ruggero, Ed. ''Combat Jump: The Young Men Who Led the Assault into Fortress Europe, July 1943''. New York: HarperCollins, 2003. * Saunders, Tim. ''Nijmegen, Grave, and Groesbeek''. Barnsley, South Yorkshire: Leo Cooper, 2001. * Thompson, Leroy. ''The All Americans: The 82nd Airborne''. Newton Abbot, Devon: David & Charles Publishers, 1988. * Zinsmeister, Karl. ''Boots on the Ground: A Month with the 82nd Airborne in the Battle for Iraq''. New York: Truman Talley Books/St. Martin's Press, 2003. * Zinsmeister, Karl, Dan Jurgens, and Raul Trevino. ''Combat Zone: True Tales of GIs in Iraq''. New York, NY: Marvel Comics, 2005.


External links


Fort Bragg Homepage



All American: The Story of the 82nd Airborne Division
– World War II unit history booklet, 1945
82nd Airborne Combat Footage DVD World War II Normandy June 1944

82nd AB Combat Footage DVD World War II including Operation Market Garden September 1944

The 82nd Airborne Division

THE 82ND AIRBORNE DIVISION



82nd Airborne Division, NYC Victory Parade, 12 Jan 1946
* * * * * * * * * *

* [https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-2002-02-15-0202150101-story.html] {{Authority control Airborne divisions of the United States Army, 082nd Airborne Division, US Infantry divisions of the United States Army, 082 Military units and formations established in 1917, 082 Military units and formations in North Carolina, 082 Military units and formations of the United States in the Gulf War, 082 Military units and formations of the United States in the Iraq War, 082 Military units and formations of the United States Army in the Vietnam War, Airborne Division, 82 United States Army divisions during World War II, Airborne Division, US 082th United States Army divisions of World War I America's Got Talent contestants