509th Infantry Regiment
Encyclopedia
The 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment (509th PIR) was the first combat paratrooper
unit of the United States Army
formed during World War II
. 1st Battalion currently serves as an opposing force at Fort Polk's Joint Readiness Training Center and 3rd Battalion is assigned to the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, in Fort Richardson.
The battalion was the first US airborne
unit to ship to England early in 1942, and was assigned to the British 1st Airborne Division for further training. Although it was a non-divisional unit for most of the war, it was attached to the 82nd Airborne Division during the Allied invasion of Italy
, was part of the provisional 1st Airborne Task Force for the invasion of southern France in August 1944, and was attached to the 101st Airborne Division from 22 November to 18 December 1944.
. The transport planes flew all the way from English airfields to the African coast. This first operation was unsuccessful, with 7 of its 39 C-47s widely scattered. Only 10 aircraft actually dropped their troops, while the others unloaded after 28 troop carriers, nearly out of fuel, landed on the Sebkra d'Oran, a dry lake near their target. The 509th marched overland to occupy its objective, and on 15 November, 300 paratroopers successfully dropped on the Youks-les-Bains Airfield
.
Forty-six Paratroopers from the 509th participated in the liberation of Ventotene
, a small Italian island, on 9 September 1943. The German commander was tricked into surrendering to the weaker American force before realizing his mistake. An account of this is given in John Steinbeck
's "Once There Was a War
."
Later, the 509th saw two more combat jumps in Italy
and Southern France
. After landing, they were often used as elite mountain infantry in the Italian mountains and French Alps
. Paul B. Huff
, a member of the 509th, was the first American Paratrooper awarded the Medal of Honor
on 29 February 1944 for action at Anzio
, Italy.
During the Battle of the Bulge
, the 509th fought in Belgium to blunt the German attack. An account of this battle is described in the book "Bloody Clash at Sadzot." The war ended for the 509th at the end of January 1945 near St. Vith
, Belgium, with only about 50 survivors of the original 700 who entered the battle. At this time, the 509th was disbanded, and the men left were used as replacements for the U.S. 82d Airborne Division.
A complete history of the unit in World War II can be found in the book, "Stand in the Door! The wartime history of the 509th Parachute Infantry" by Charles H. Doyle and Terrell Stewart, both 509th veterans. It is available from Phillips Publications, P.O. Box 168, Williamstown, NJ 08094. An anecdotal, first-person history of the early days of the 509th was published in "A Corporal Once" by 509th veteran Leo C. Inglesby, published by Xlibris Corporation and available on Amazon.com.
Since 1958 the 8th Infantry Division in Germany had had an Airborne component consisting of the 1st Airborne Battle Group, 504th Infantry, and the 1st Airborne Battle Group, 505th Infantry, as well as other supporting elements on jump status. When the division reorganized from the Pentomic structure
to the new structure using brigades and battalions, 1-504th and 1-505th were replaced by 1-509th and 2-509th, respectively, located at Lee Barracks in Mainz-Gonsenheim, Germany. These two battalions formed the infantry component of the 1st Brigade (Airborne), 8th Infantry Division (Mechanized). Other units of the brigade included the 5th Battalion (Airborne), 81st Artillery; Troop A (Airborne), 3rd Squadron, 8th Cavalry; and Company A (Airborne), 12th Engineer Battalion.
In 1973, as the division's 1st Brigade jump status was ending, a new unit with the designation of 3rd Battalion (Airborne), 509th Infantry (bearing the lineage of WW II's Co C, 509PIB) was activated to form an Airborne battalion combat team (ABCT) from elements of the existing Airborne forces within the brigade. After a brief training period at Rhine Kaserne barracks in West Germany, the unit moved to Vicenza
, Italy, as a separate Airborne Battalion Combat Team and composed of a headquarters and headquarters company (HHC), a combat support company (CSC), three light infantry companies and one 105 mm towed field artillery battery, commanded by LTC Ward M. Lehardy. The colors of 1-509th and 2-509th were reflagged as 2-28th and 2-87th. Shortly after its arrival in Italy, 3-509th was reflagged as 1-509th.
On 1 July 1975 the lineage of Co C, 509PIB was reactivated at Fort Rucker
as the separate Co C (Pathfinder), 509th Infantry. The company was created by reflagging the existing 5th Infantry Detachment (Pathfinder), which had served at the post since 24 June 1963. (A pathfinder presence at Fort Rucker can be traced back to about 1960 with the activation of the Pathfinder Team, Company A, 2nd Battle Group, 31st Infantry, to support the Aviation Center.) Contrary to some erroneous accounts, C-509th was not created by transferring C-1-509th from Italy to Fort Rucker. There had already been a pathfinder presence at Fort Rucker for 15 years. Even if the 5th Infantry Detachment had not existed, the Army would not have reduced the strength of its only forward-deployed Airborne battalion in Europe when sufficient manning was available in CONUS
. Additionally, the organization and manning of a line Airborne infantry company is different from that of a pathfinder company conducting training support.
The size of C-509th varied depending upon funding and mission requirements. For example, documents on file at the United States Army Center of Military History in Washington, DC, indicate that when the company was activated in 1975 by replacing the 5th Infantry Detachment, it was authorized 4 officers and 108 enlisted soldiers. Documents dated 22 September 1987 show the unit as still having 4 officers authorized but only 77 enlisted soldiers.
In 1983, 1-509th in Italy was reflagged as 4-325th to align it with elements of the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg under an Army-wide combat arms battalion rotation program.
The lineage of 1-509th was reactivated provisionally in 1987 to serve as the OPFOR at the Joint Readiness Training Center at Fort Chaffee
, Arkansas. The unit was activated at Little Rock Air Force Base
in a formal ceremony on May 21, 1988. The unit was stationed at LRAFB because it provided modern quarters and facilities that Ft. Chaffee lacked, and deployed on a per-rotation basis to Ft. Chaffee. The unit served and serves as the opposing force for American and Allied light infantry. In June 1993, 1-509th moved along with the Joint Readiness Training Center to Fort Polk
, Louisiana. After moving to Fort Polk
, 1/509 Abn has become the elite urban fighting training unit that it has been over the years in guerilla warfare.
On 31 May 1993, the separate C-509th at Fort Rucker was reflagged as A-511th, reactivating the colors of a unit that had served with the long-inactive 11th Airborne Division and the short-lived (1963–65) 11th Air Assault Division (Test). The era of a pathfinder unit at Fort Rucker ended on 31 October 1995 when A-511th was inactivated to meet budget cut ceilings.
In May 2004 Alpha and Bravo companies of the 1st Battalion, 509th Infantry at Fort Polk deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom II. In Iraq they conducted combat patrols in and around the Baghdad area. Alpha and Bravo companies returned in March 2005. During the deployment, Delta Troop and HHC continued to support JRTC exercises.
.
With the expansion of the Airborne force from a single battalion (1-501st) at Fort Richardson, Alaska to a brigade (4th Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division), the lineage of 3-509th was reactivated on 16 September 2005 as 3-509th and assigned to Fort Richardson. The battalion deployed with the 4th BCT in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in October 2006. The following is a media release from 10 November 2007, dealing with the battalion's work during OIF:
Official Website: http://www.jrtc-polk.army.mil/OPFOR/
Paratrooper
Paratroopers are soldiers trained in parachuting and generally operate as part of an airborne force.Paratroopers are used for tactical advantage as they can be inserted into the battlefield from the air, thereby allowing them to be positioned in areas not accessible by land...
unit of the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
formed during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. 1st Battalion currently serves as an opposing force at Fort Polk's Joint Readiness Training Center and 3rd Battalion is assigned to the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, in Fort Richardson.
Beginnings
The 509th was originally constituted on 14 March 1941 as the 504th Parachute Battalion and activated on 5 October 1941 at Fort Benning, GA. It was reorganized and redesignated on 24 February 1942 as the 2nd Battalion, 503rd Parachute Infantry Regiment. Just prior to its first operation, it was again redesignated on 2 November 1942 as the 2nd Battalion, 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment. (The 2nd Battalion was the only active element of the 509PIR. In the 503d PIR, then in Australia, a new 2nd Battalion, with different honors and lineage, was formed.) The unit, heavily combat-attrited in Italy, was redesignated on 10 December 1943 as the 509th Parachute Infantry Battalion, a designation it retained for the remainder of the war.The battalion was the first US airborne
Airborne forces
Airborne forces are military units, usually light infantry, set up to be moved by aircraft and 'dropped' into battle. Thus they can be placed behind enemy lines, and have an ability to deploy almost anywhere with little warning...
unit to ship to England early in 1942, and was assigned to the British 1st Airborne Division for further training. Although it was a non-divisional unit for most of the war, it was attached to the 82nd Airborne Division during the Allied invasion of Italy
Allied invasion of Italy
The Allied invasion of Italy was the Allied landing on mainland Italy on September 3, 1943, by General Harold Alexander's 15th Army Group during the Second World War. The operation followed the successful invasion of Sicily during the Italian Campaign...
, was part of the provisional 1st Airborne Task Force for the invasion of southern France in August 1944, and was attached to the 101st Airborne Division from 22 November to 18 December 1944.
WWII battles
The 509th carried out the first US combat drop during the invasion of North AfricaOperation Torch
Operation Torch was the British-American invasion of French North Africa in World War II during the North African Campaign, started on 8 November 1942....
. The transport planes flew all the way from English airfields to the African coast. This first operation was unsuccessful, with 7 of its 39 C-47s widely scattered. Only 10 aircraft actually dropped their troops, while the others unloaded after 28 troop carriers, nearly out of fuel, landed on the Sebkra d'Oran, a dry lake near their target. The 509th marched overland to occupy its objective, and on 15 November, 300 paratroopers successfully dropped on the Youks-les-Bains Airfield
Youks-les-Bains Airfield
Youks-les-Bains Airfield is an abandoned military airfield in Algeria, located about 20 km northwest of Tebessa. The airfield today consists of several agricultural fields, with the faint remains of its main runway, parts of a taxiway and a few aircraft dispersal hardstands visible in aerial...
.
Forty-six Paratroopers from the 509th participated in the liberation of Ventotene
Ventotene
Ventotene, in Roman times known as Pandataria or Pandateria from the Greek Pandoteira, is one of the Pontine Islands in the Tyrrhenian Sea, off the coast of Gaeta right at the border between Lazio and Campania, Italy...
, a small Italian island, on 9 September 1943. The German commander was tricked into surrendering to the weaker American force before realizing his mistake. An account of this is given in John Steinbeck
John Steinbeck
John Ernst Steinbeck, Jr. was an American writer. He is widely known for the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel The Grapes of Wrath and East of Eden and the novella Of Mice and Men...
's "Once There Was a War
Once There Was A War
Once There Was a War, published in 1958, is a collection of articles written by John Steinbeck while he was a very special war correspondent for the New York Herald Tribune from June to December 1943...
."
Later, the 509th saw two more combat jumps in Italy
Italian Campaign (World War II)
The Italian Campaign of World War II was the name of Allied operations in and around Italy, from 1943 to the end of the war in Europe. Joint Allied Forces Headquarters AFHQ was operationally responsible for all Allied land forces in the Mediterranean theatre, and it planned and commanded the...
and Southern France
Operation Dragoon
Operation Dragoon was the Allied invasion of southern France on August 15, 1944, during World War II. The invasion was initiated via a parachute drop by the 1st Airborne Task Force, followed by an amphibious assault by elements of the U.S. Seventh Army, followed a day later by a force made up...
. After landing, they were often used as elite mountain infantry in the Italian mountains and French Alps
French Alps
The French Alps are those portions of the Alps mountain range which stand within France, located in the Rhône-Alpes and Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur regions....
. Paul B. Huff
Paul B. Huff
Paul B. Huff was a United States Army soldier and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration—the Medal of Honor—for his actions in World War II.-Biography:...
, a member of the 509th, was the first American Paratrooper awarded the Medal of Honor
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
on 29 February 1944 for action at Anzio
Operation Shingle
Operation Shingle , during the Italian Campaign of World War II, was an Allied amphibious landing against Axis forces in the area of Anzio and Nettuno, Italy. The operation was commanded by Major General John P. Lucas and was intended to outflank German forces of the Winter Line and enable an...
, Italy.
During the Battle of the Bulge
Battle of the Bulge
The Battle of the Bulge was a major German offensive , launched toward the end of World War II through the densely forested Ardennes mountain region of Wallonia in Belgium, hence its French name , and France and...
, the 509th fought in Belgium to blunt the German attack. An account of this battle is described in the book "Bloody Clash at Sadzot." The war ended for the 509th at the end of January 1945 near St. Vith
Sankt Vith
St. Vith is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Liège, and in the German speaking community in Belgium. It was named after Saint Vitus....
, Belgium, with only about 50 survivors of the original 700 who entered the battle. At this time, the 509th was disbanded, and the men left were used as replacements for the U.S. 82d Airborne Division.
A complete history of the unit in World War II can be found in the book, "Stand in the Door! The wartime history of the 509th Parachute Infantry" by Charles H. Doyle and Terrell Stewart, both 509th veterans. It is available from Phillips Publications, P.O. Box 168, Williamstown, NJ 08094. An anecdotal, first-person history of the early days of the 509th was published in "A Corporal Once" by 509th veteran Leo C. Inglesby, published by Xlibris Corporation and available on Amazon.com.
Post-WWII
After World War II, the colors of the 509th remained inactive until 1963, when Co A, 509PIB was reactivated as HHC, 1st Battalion (Airborne), 509th Infantry, and Co B, 509PIB was reactivated as HHC, 2nd Battalion (Airborne), 509th Infantry.Since 1958 the 8th Infantry Division in Germany had had an Airborne component consisting of the 1st Airborne Battle Group, 504th Infantry, and the 1st Airborne Battle Group, 505th Infantry, as well as other supporting elements on jump status. When the division reorganized from the Pentomic structure
Pentomic
Pentomic refers to a structure for infantry divisions adopted by the U.S. Army in 1957 in response to the perceived threat posed by tactical nuclear weapons use on the battlefield....
to the new structure using brigades and battalions, 1-504th and 1-505th were replaced by 1-509th and 2-509th, respectively, located at Lee Barracks in Mainz-Gonsenheim, Germany. These two battalions formed the infantry component of the 1st Brigade (Airborne), 8th Infantry Division (Mechanized). Other units of the brigade included the 5th Battalion (Airborne), 81st Artillery; Troop A (Airborne), 3rd Squadron, 8th Cavalry; and Company A (Airborne), 12th Engineer Battalion.
In 1973, as the division's 1st Brigade jump status was ending, a new unit with the designation of 3rd Battalion (Airborne), 509th Infantry (bearing the lineage of WW II's Co C, 509PIB) was activated to form an Airborne battalion combat team (ABCT) from elements of the existing Airborne forces within the brigade. After a brief training period at Rhine Kaserne barracks in West Germany, the unit moved to Vicenza
Vicenza
Vicenza , a city in north-eastern Italy, is the capital of the eponymous province in the Veneto region, at the northern base of the Monte Berico, straddling the Bacchiglione...
, Italy, as a separate Airborne Battalion Combat Team and composed of a headquarters and headquarters company (HHC), a combat support company (CSC), three light infantry companies and one 105 mm towed field artillery battery, commanded by LTC Ward M. Lehardy. The colors of 1-509th and 2-509th were reflagged as 2-28th and 2-87th. Shortly after its arrival in Italy, 3-509th was reflagged as 1-509th.
On 1 July 1975 the lineage of Co C, 509PIB was reactivated at Fort Rucker
Fort Rucker
Fort Rucker is a U.S. Army post located mostly in Dale County, Alabama, United States. It was named for a Civil War officer, Confederate General Edmund Rucker. The post is the primary flight training base for Army Aviation and is home to the United States Army Aviation Center of Excellence and...
as the separate Co C (Pathfinder), 509th Infantry. The company was created by reflagging the existing 5th Infantry Detachment (Pathfinder), which had served at the post since 24 June 1963. (A pathfinder presence at Fort Rucker can be traced back to about 1960 with the activation of the Pathfinder Team, Company A, 2nd Battle Group, 31st Infantry, to support the Aviation Center.) Contrary to some erroneous accounts, C-509th was not created by transferring C-1-509th from Italy to Fort Rucker. There had already been a pathfinder presence at Fort Rucker for 15 years. Even if the 5th Infantry Detachment had not existed, the Army would not have reduced the strength of its only forward-deployed Airborne battalion in Europe when sufficient manning was available in CONUS
Conus
Conus is a large genus of small to large predatory sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs, with the common names of cone snails, cone shells or cones. This genus is placed in the subfamily Coninae within the family Conidae. Geologically speaking, the genus is known from the Eocene to the Recent ...
. Additionally, the organization and manning of a line Airborne infantry company is different from that of a pathfinder company conducting training support.
The size of C-509th varied depending upon funding and mission requirements. For example, documents on file at the United States Army Center of Military History in Washington, DC, indicate that when the company was activated in 1975 by replacing the 5th Infantry Detachment, it was authorized 4 officers and 108 enlisted soldiers. Documents dated 22 September 1987 show the unit as still having 4 officers authorized but only 77 enlisted soldiers.
In 1983, 1-509th in Italy was reflagged as 4-325th to align it with elements of the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg under an Army-wide combat arms battalion rotation program.
The lineage of 1-509th was reactivated provisionally in 1987 to serve as the OPFOR at the Joint Readiness Training Center at Fort Chaffee
Fort Chaffee
Fort Chaffee Maneuver Training Center is in the northwest Arkansas region adjacent to the city of Fort Smith, located one mile southeast of Fort Smith Regional Airport. The Arkansas River flows eastward along the northern border of the post. Interstate 40 is five miles to the north on the...
, Arkansas. The unit was activated at Little Rock Air Force Base
Little Rock Air Force Base
Little Rock Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located approximately northeast of Little Rock, Arkansas.-Overview:...
in a formal ceremony on May 21, 1988. The unit was stationed at LRAFB because it provided modern quarters and facilities that Ft. Chaffee lacked, and deployed on a per-rotation basis to Ft. Chaffee. The unit served and serves as the opposing force for American and Allied light infantry. In June 1993, 1-509th moved along with the Joint Readiness Training Center to Fort Polk
Fort Polk
Fort Polk is a United States Army installation located in Vernon Parish, approximately 7 miles east of Leesville, Louisiana and 20 miles north of DeRidder, Louisiana....
, Louisiana. After moving to Fort Polk
Fort Polk
Fort Polk is a United States Army installation located in Vernon Parish, approximately 7 miles east of Leesville, Louisiana and 20 miles north of DeRidder, Louisiana....
, 1/509 Abn has become the elite urban fighting training unit that it has been over the years in guerilla warfare.
On 31 May 1993, the separate C-509th at Fort Rucker was reflagged as A-511th, reactivating the colors of a unit that had served with the long-inactive 11th Airborne Division and the short-lived (1963–65) 11th Air Assault Division (Test). The era of a pathfinder unit at Fort Rucker ended on 31 October 1995 when A-511th was inactivated to meet budget cut ceilings.
In May 2004 Alpha and Bravo companies of the 1st Battalion, 509th Infantry at Fort Polk deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom II. In Iraq they conducted combat patrols in and around the Baghdad area. Alpha and Bravo companies returned in March 2005. During the deployment, Delta Troop and HHC continued to support JRTC exercises.
War on Terror
In mid-2004, 1-509th deployed to Iraq2003 invasion of Iraq
The 2003 invasion of Iraq , was the start of the conflict known as the Iraq War, or Operation Iraqi Freedom, in which a combined force of troops from the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Poland invaded Iraq and toppled the regime of Saddam Hussein in 21 days of major combat operations...
.
With the expansion of the Airborne force from a single battalion (1-501st) at Fort Richardson, Alaska to a brigade (4th Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division), the lineage of 3-509th was reactivated on 16 September 2005 as 3-509th and assigned to Fort Richardson. The battalion deployed with the 4th BCT in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in October 2006. The following is a media release from 10 November 2007, dealing with the battalion's work during OIF:
Significant Events
- Constituted 14 March 1941 in the Army of the United StatesArmy of the United StatesThe Army of the United States is the official name for the conscription force of the United States Army that may be raised at the discretion of the United States Congress in the event of the United States entering into a major armed conflict...
as the 504th Parachute Infantry Battalion, consisting of HHC and Companies A, B & C. - Activated 5 October 1941 at Fort BenningFort BenningFort Benning is a United States Army post located southeast of the city of Columbus in Muscogee and Chattahoochee counties in Georgia and Russell County, Alabama...
, Georgia - Reorganized and redesignated 24 February 1942 as the 2d Battalion, 503d Parachute Infantry Regiment, consisting of HHC and Companies D, E, and F. Battalion Deployed detached from the Regiment to England.
- 2/503 PIR arrived in England, and Reorganized and redesignated 2 November 1942 as the 2d Battalion, 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment, consisting of HHC and Companies D, E, and F. Remainder of 503rd Parachute Infantry Regiment proceeded to Pacific Theater and separate Lineage with new 2nd Battalion.
- 2/509 PIR Assaulted OranOranOran is a major city on the northwestern Mediterranean coast of Algeria, and the second largest city of the country.It is the capital of the Oran Province . The city has a population of 759,645 , while the metropolitan area has a population of approximately 1,500,000, making it the second largest...
and Youks-les-Bains AirfieldYouks-les-Bains AirfieldYouks-les-Bains Airfield is an abandoned military airfield in Algeria, located about 20 km northwest of Tebessa. The airfield today consists of several agricultural fields, with the faint remains of its main runway, parts of a taxiway and a few aircraft dispersal hardstands visible in aerial...
in North Africa as part of Operation TORCHOperation TorchOperation Torch was the British-American invasion of French North Africa in World War II during the North African Campaign, started on 8 November 1942....
. - TORCH assignment terminated, and unit attached to the 82nd Airborne Division on 15 November 1942.
- 2/509 PIR Assaulted SicilySicilySicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
as part of Operation HUSKY on 9 July 1943. - 2/509 PIR Assaulted SalernoSalernoSalerno is a city and comune in Campania and is the capital of the province of the same name. It is located on the Gulf of Salerno on the Tyrrhenian Sea....
. Italy on 9 September 1943 as part of Operation Avalanche. - 2/509 PIR Parachuted onto AvellinoAvellinoAvellino is a town and comune, capital of the province of Avellino in the Campania region of southern Italy. It is situated in a plain surrounded by mountains 42 km north-east of Naples and is an important hub on the road from Salerno to Benevento.-History:Before the Roman conquest, the...
on 14 September 1943. The unit was immediately engaged upon landing by German Forces, and was badly decimated. Unit was subsequently withdrawn from Combat, and temporarily assigned as Security for Headquarters, 5th U.S. Army - 2/509 PIR located at VenafroVenafroVenafro is a comune in the province of Isernia, region of Molise, Italy. It has a population of around 12,000, having expanded quickly in the post-war period.-Geography:...
, Italy, and Reorganized and redesignated 10 December 1943 as the 509th Parachute Infantry Battalion, consisting of HHC and Companies A, B, and C. - Battalion arrived in France on 15 August 1944, for the start of Operation DragoonOperation DragoonOperation Dragoon was the Allied invasion of southern France on August 15, 1944, during World War II. The invasion was initiated via a parachute drop by the 1st Airborne Task Force, followed by an amphibious assault by elements of the U.S. Seventh Army, followed a day later by a force made up...
. - Operation DragoonOperation DragoonOperation Dragoon was the Allied invasion of southern France on August 15, 1944, during World War II. The invasion was initiated via a parachute drop by the 1st Airborne Task Force, followed by an amphibious assault by elements of the U.S. Seventh Army, followed a day later by a force made up...
finished successfully on 14 September 1944, and Battalion released for - 509 PIB engaged in RhinelandRhinelandHistorically, the Rhinelands refers to a loosely-defined region embracing the land on either bank of the River Rhine in central Europe....
Campaign on 5 September 1944. - 509 PIB relieved from Rhineland Campaign, and assigned to the 101st Airborne Division101st Airborne DivisionThe 101st Airborne Division—the "Screaming Eagles"—is a U.S. Army modular light infantry division trained for air assault operations. During World War II, it was renowned for its role in Operation Overlord, the D-Day landings on 6 June 1944, in Normandy, France, Operation Market Garden, the...
on 18 November 1944. - 509th Parachute Infantry Battalion Relieved From Assignment to 101st Airborne Division 18 December 1944 and prepared for unit disbandment and personnel and equipment reassignment.
- 509 PIB Disbanded 1 March 1945 in France, with Personnel and Equipment reassigned to the 82nd Airborne Division.
- Unit Reconstituted 12 May 1947 in the Regular Army as the 509th Parachute Infantry Battalion
- Reorganized and redesignated 1 April 1963 as the 509th Infantry, a parent regiment under the Combat Arms Regimental System. 509th Infantry assigned to the 8th Infantry Division and was activated same date in Germany.
- 3-509th Infantry Organic elements constituted 15 January 1972
- 3-509th Infantry activated 15 January 1973 in Germany
- 2-509th Infantry and 3-509th Infantry inactivated 31 August 1973 in Germany and relieved from assignment to the 8th Infantry Division
- 1-509th Infantry relieved 1 September 1973 from assignment to the 8th Infantry Division
- Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3rd Battalion, 509th Infantry redesignated 1 July 1975 as Company C, 509th Infantry and activated at Fort RuckerFort RuckerFort Rucker is a U.S. Army post located mostly in Dale County, Alabama, United States. It was named for a Civil War officer, Confederate General Edmund Rucker. The post is the primary flight training base for Army Aviation and is home to the United States Army Aviation Center of Excellence and...
, Alabama. - 1-509th Infantry inactivated 1 July 1983 in Italy.
- 509th Infantry withdrawn 16 January 1986 from the Combat Arms Regimental System and reorganized under the United States Army Regimental System
- Headquarters, 509th Infantry transferred 18 December 1987 to the United States Army Training and Doctrine CommandUnited States Army Training and Doctrine CommandEstablished 1 July 1973, the United States Army Training and Doctrine Command is an army command of the United States Army headquartered at Fort Eustis, Virginia. It is charged with overseeing training of Army forces, the development of operational doctrine, and the development and procurement of...
, and activated at Little Rock Air Force BaseLittle Rock Air Force BaseLittle Rock Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located approximately northeast of Little Rock, Arkansas.-Overview:...
, Arkansas - C-509th Infantry transferred 2 October 1988 to the United States Army Training and Doctrine Command and reorganized at Fort RuckerFort RuckerFort Rucker is a U.S. Army post located mostly in Dale County, Alabama, United States. It was named for a Civil War officer, Confederate General Edmund Rucker. The post is the primary flight training base for Army Aviation and is home to the United States Army Aviation Center of Excellence and...
, AlabamaAlabamaAlabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
.- 509th Infantry transferred same date to the United States Army Training and Doctrine Command
- 1-509th Infantry activated 21 May 1988 at Little Rock Air Force BaseLittle Rock Air Force BaseLittle Rock Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located approximately northeast of Little Rock, Arkansas.-Overview:...
, Arkansas - 1-509th Infantry inactivated 31 May 1993 at Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas, and Withdrawn from the United States Army Training and Doctrine Command.
- C-509th Infantry inactivated same date at Fort Rucker, Alabama, and withdrawn form the United States Army Training and Doctrine Command
- 1-509th Infantry activated 15 January 1994 at Fort PolkFort PolkFort Polk is a United States Army installation located in Vernon Parish, approximately 7 miles east of Leesville, Louisiana and 20 miles north of DeRidder, Louisiana....
, LouisianaLouisianaLouisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
. - A CO and B CO 1-509th Infantry Deployed in June 2004 in support of OIF to Baghdad, Iraq. The two airborne infantry companies were attached to 2nd Brigade, 10th Mountain Division. A CO was attached to 2-14 IN and B CO was attached to 4-31 IN. Both Companies returned from combat in March 2005.
- C-509th Infantry redesignated 10 December 2004 as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3rd Battalion, 509th Infantry.
- HHC, 3-509th Infantry Regiment assigned 16 September 2005 to the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, and activated at Fort Richardson, Alaska
Lineage
509th Infantry Regiment http://www.history.army.mil/html/forcestruc/lineages/branches/inf/0509in.htmOfficial Website: http://www.jrtc-polk.army.mil/OPFOR/
- 2D Battalion (Inactive)
Campaign Participation Credit
- World War II:
- Algeria-French Morocco (with arrowheadArrowhead deviceThe Arrowhead device is a decoration of the United States Army which is issued as an attachment to certain service medals. The Arrowhead device is awarded to any service member who participates in an amphibious assault, a combat parachute drop, a helicopter assault landing, or a combat glider...
); - Tunisia (with arrowhead);
- Naples-Foggia (with arrowhead);
- Anzio (with arrowhead);
- Rome-Arno;
- Southern France (with arrowhead);
- Rhineland;
- Ardennes-Alsace
- Algeria-French Morocco (with arrowhead
- Global War on Terror:
-
- Operation Iraqi Freedom V
Decorations
- Presidential Unit CitationPresidential Unit Citation (US)The Presidential Unit Citation, originally called the Distinguished Unit Citation, is awarded to units of the Armed Forces of the United States and allies for extraordinary heroism in action against an armed enemy on or after 7 December 1941...
for LIEGE, BELGIUMLiège (province)Liège is the easternmost province of Belgium and belongs to the Walloon Region. It is an area of French and German ethnicity. It borders on the Netherlands, Germany, Luxembourg, and in Belgium the provinces of Luxembourg, Namur, Walloon Brabant , and those of Flemish Brabant and Limburg . Its... - Presidential Unit Citation for CARANO, ITALYOperation ShingleOperation Shingle , during the Italian Campaign of World War II, was an Allied amphibious landing against Axis forces in the area of Anzio and Nettuno, Italy. The operation was commanded by Major General John P. Lucas and was intended to outflank German forces of the Winter Line and enable an...
- Superior Unit AwardSuperior Unit AwardThe Superior Unit Award is a decoration of the United States Army which is awarded in peacetime to any unit of the Army which displays outstanding meritorious performance of a difficult and challenging mission carried out under extraordinary circumstances....
for 1993–1994 - Superior Unit AwardSuperior Unit AwardThe Superior Unit Award is a decoration of the United States Army which is awarded in peacetime to any unit of the Army which displays outstanding meritorious performance of a difficult and challenging mission carried out under extraordinary circumstances....
for Operation Iraqi Freedom 2.5 - Valorous Unit AwardValorous Unit AwardThe Valorous Unit Award is the second highest unit decoration which may be bestowed upon a U.S. Army unit and is considered the unit equivalent of the Silver Star...
for Operation Iraqi Freedom 5 - French Croix de Guerre with Silver Star, World War II for MUY EN PROVENCE
- Cited in the Order of the Day of the Belgian Army for action in the ARDENNESBattle of the BulgeThe Battle of the Bulge was a major German offensive , launched toward the end of World War II through the densely forested Ardennes mountain region of Wallonia in Belgium, hence its French name , and France and...
- Cited in the Order of the Day of the Belgian Army for action at ST. VITHSankt VithSt. Vith is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Liège, and in the German speaking community in Belgium. It was named after Saint Vitus....
- Personnel authorized to wear the insignia of the French 3d Zouaves Regiment
External links
- Veterans' Home Page
- U.S. Airborne website data
- Lineage of the 509th Infantry from the U. S. Army Center of Military History plus the 1st Battalion, 509th Infantry http://www.history.army.mil/html/forcestruc/lineages/branches/inf/0509in001bn.htm and the 3rd Battalion, 509th Infantry http://www.history.army.mil/html/forcestruc/lineages/branches/inf/0509in003bn.htm