506th Parachute Infantry Regiment
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment | |
|---|---|
 506th PIR Patch |
|
| Active | 1942–1945, 1948–1949, 1950–1953, 1956–1984, 1987— |
| Country | USA |
| Branch | Army |
| Type | Parachute Infantry |
| Nickname | Currahees |
| Motto | Currahee: Cherokee for "stands alone" |
| Battles/wars | Battle of Normandy, Battle of the Bulge, Operation Market Garden, Battle of Hamburger Hill, Battle of FSB Ripcord |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders |
Robert Sink, Andre Lucas (2nd Battalion) |
During World War II, the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment (506th PIR) was a regiment of the 101st Airborne Division of the United States Army. The book Band of Brothers by Stephen Ambrose tells the story of the 506th's Easy Company, and was the basis for the successful HBO television miniseries adaptation.
Contents |
[edit] History
[edit] World War II
The regiment was initially formed at Camp Toccoa, Georgia in 1942 where it earned its nickname, "the Currahees", after the Currahee Mountain they trained on inside the camp. The Cherokee word, which translates to "Stands Alone", also became the unit's motto. During World War II, the only commander of the regiment was Colonel Robert F. Sink. As such, the 506th was sometimes referred to as the "Five-Oh-Sink". On June 10th, 1942, the 506th became part of the 101st Airborne Division.
At the completion of their training at Camp Toccoa, the 2nd Battalion marched 118 miles to Atlanta, Georgia. This march was conducted over 75 hours and 15 minutes, with 33.5 hours being used for marching. Only 12 out of 556 enlisted men failed to complete the march. All 30 officers completed it, including their commander, Major Robert L. Strayer. Newspapers covered the march and many civilians turned out to cheer the men as they neared Five Points (Atlanta).
The 506th would participate in three major battles during the war: D-Day, Operation Market Garden, and the Battle of the Bulge.
[edit] D-Day: Operation Overlord
Like almost all paratroop units, the 506th was widely scattered during the Operation Chicago night drop on the morning of D-Day. The most famous action for the 506th on D-Day was the Brécourt Manor Assault. Although promised they would be in battle for just 3 days, the 506th did not return to England for 33 days, participating in the battle for Carentan. Of about 2000 men who jumped into France, 231 were killed in action, 183 were missing or POWs, and 569 were wounded — about 50% casualties for the Normandy campaign.
[edit] Post WWII
The 506th was de-activated in 1945, then re-activated as the 506th Airborne Infantry Regiment in 1948–1949, again in 1950–1953 and finally, in 1954 to train recruits. Despite the designation "Airborne Infantry" and its continuing assignment in the 101st Airborne Division, none of these troops received airborne training, nor was the "Airborne" rocker worn above the Divisional patch.
After re-activation in 1956, the 506th actually became an Airborne unit again. Just before the Cuban Missile Crisis, on October 1, 1962, the 506th was deployed to Oxford, Mississippi to assist to in restoring order after James Meredith arrived to integrate the University of Mississippi.
As part of the 101st Airborne Division's 3rd Brigade, 1st Battalion of the 506th was deployed to Vietnam, participating in the conflict from 1965 to 1971. 1/506th was recognized for its role at the Battle of Hamburger Hill, during the Tet Offensive, and together with 2/506th during the battle of FSB Ripcord. The unit was re-designated as Air mobile in 1969, then Air assault in 1974. During the Vietnam War, 5 soldiers from the 506th were awarded the Medal of Honor.
It was de-activated again in 1984, then re-activated to serve at Camp Greaves in the DMZ in Korea in 1987 a part of the 2nd Infantry Division.
In 2004, the 506th was reassigned from the DMZ to a tour in An Habbaniyah Iraq. Returning from this deployment in August 2005, their new home is now back in the 101st Airborne Division Fort Campbell, Kentucky.
The 506th last deployed to east Baghdad, and Southern Baghdad, under the command of the 4th Infantry Division as a part of Multinational Division - Baghdad. The unit, which began it's tour in Iraq just prior to Christmas 2005 has returned to Fort Campbell.
[edit] Notable members of the 506th
[edit] World War II
- Donald Burgett, of Company A, fought from Normandy to end of war. Wrote four books on his time in the company.
- Joseph Beyrle, of Company I, fought for US and Russian forces.
- Robert F. Sink, regimental commander for all of WWII.
- Easy Company (Band of Brothers)
- William "Wild Bill" Guarnere, a colorful noncom of Company E who maintains a website devoted to the history of the 506th.
- David Webster, a rifleman and diarist of Company E whose book "Parachute Infantry" deals in detail with the 506th.
- Richard Winters, a platoon and company leader of Company E, who has published a memoir of his war service ("Beyond Band of Brothers") and has also been the subject of a biography ("Biggest Brother").
[edit] Vietnam
- Andre Lucas, commanded the 2nd battalion in Vietnam during the battle of FSB Ripcord, killed in action, posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.
[edit] External links
[edit] References
- Donald Burgett (1999). The Road to Arnhem : A Screaming Eagle in Holland. Presidio Press. ISBN 0-89141-682-X.
- Stephen Ambrose (2001). Band of Brothers: E Company, 506th Regiment, 101st Airborne from Normandy to Hitler's Eagle's Nest. Simon & Schuster. ISBN 0-7432-1645-8.
- David Kenyon Webster (1994). Parachute Infantry: An American Paratrooper's Memoir of D-Day and the Fall of the Third Reich. Louisiana State University Press. ISBN 0-8071-1901-6.
- Keith W. Nolan (2000). Ripcord: Screaming Eagles Under Siege, Vietnam 1970. Presidio Press. ISBN 0-89141-642-0.
- Major General Benjamin L. Harrison. Hell On A Hill Top: America's Last Major Battle In Vietnam. iUniverse Press. (available from FSB Ripcord Association)
