| 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment | |
|---|---|
325th Infantry Regiment coat of arms |
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| Active | 5 August 1917- |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | U.S. Army |
| Part of | 82nd Airborne Division |
| Garrison/HQ | Fort Bragg |
| Nickname | Falcons |
| Motto | Let's Go |
| Engagements | World War I World War II Armed Forces Expeditions - Panama Iraq Campaign |
| Insignia | |
| Distinctive Unit Insignia | |
| U.S. Infantry Regiments | |
|---|---|
| Previous | Next |
| 317th Infantry Regiment | 327th Infantry Regiment |
The 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment is a unit of the 82nd Airborne Division. Its subordinate units currently constitute the 2nd Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division.
Contents |
The 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment deploys anywhere in the world, within 18 hours of notification.
The Regiment conducts forced entry parachute assaults to seize and retain a defended airfield or other asset, then builds up combat power in order to control land, people, and resources.
Constituted 5 August 1917 in the National Army as Company A, 325th Infantry, an element of the 82d Division
Organized 1 September 1917 at Camp Gordon, Georgia.
Demobilized 18 May 1919 at Camp Upton, New York State.
Reconstituted 24 June 1921 in the Organized Reserves as Company A, 325th Infantry, an element of the 82d Division (later redesignated as the 82d Airborne Division)
Organized in January 1922 at Columbus, Georgia.
Ordered into active military service 25 March 1942 and reorganized at Camp Claiborne, Louisiana.
Reorganized and redesignated 15 August 1942 as Company A, 325th Glider Infantry
Reorganized and redesignated 15 December 1947 as Company A, 325th Infantry
(Organized Reserves redesignated 25 March 1948 as the Organized Reserve Corps.)
Withdrawn 15 November 1948 from the Organized Reserve Corps and allotted to the Regular Army
Reorganized and redesignated 15 December 1948 as Company A, 325th Airborne Infantry
Reorganized and redesignated 1 September 1957 as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Airborne Battle Group, 325th Infantry, and remained assigned to the 82d Airborne Division (organic elements concurrently constituted and activated).
Reorganized and redesignated 25 May 1964 as the 325th Infantry
The Regiment returned to the All American Division on December 15, 1948 and was redesignated this time the 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment. On May 1, 1965, the 325th deployed to the revolution torn Dominican Republic as part of Operation Power Pack. Sent with the mission of relieving marines and evacuating civilians, the Regiment swept from the airfield at San Isidro into the capital city of Santo Domingo, neutralizing communist-backed rebel forces. By the end of May, all resistance had crumbled and the Regiment began peace keeping and Civil Affairs operations.
On 26 October 1983, as part of Operation Urgent Fury, the 325th Regiment spearheaded the All American Division's assault on the communist dominated island of Grenada. Landing at Point Salines Airfield, the 2nd and 3rd Battalions in conjunction with other U.S. Forces overwhelmed all resistance within three days. One hundred thirty eight students were rescued. During this operation, Bravo Company, Second Battalion was given the mission to assault an area known as Little Havanna. The Commander of Bravo Company, Captain Michael Ritz, decided to conduct a recon prior to the assault. At 0430 on 26 October, Captain Ritz and his recon patrol were ambushed. Captain Ritz was killed but the rest of his patrol, although wounded, survived. Bravo Company soon discovered large caches of weapons and equipment.
In December 1989, the 4th Battalion "Gold Falcons" attached to the 1st Brigade, conducted a night parachute assault onto Torrijos International Airport in the Republic of Panama, during Operation Just Cause. The Gold Falcons' assault on critical objectives assisted U.S. Forces in reestablishing the legitimate democratic government in Panama. This operation represented the first combat parachute assault since World War II. The Battalion was to jump, assemble, and perform a helicopter assault to Fort Cimmarron to secure the garrison. While this was taking place, Delta Company was tasked to stay behind and secure another airport within Panama City.
In August 1990, the 325th was called on to spearhead the deployment of U.S. Forces to the Persian Gulf in response to the Iraqi Invasion of Kuwait. In a speech on August 8, President George Bush told the nation, "A Line in the Sand has been drawn," and the first U.S. Forces were being deployed to the Middle East. Those initial Forces were the 82nd Airborne Division's Ready Brigade, the 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment. Their mission was to secure Dahran International Airport and the Port of Al Jubayl, Saudi Arabia for the buildup of U.S. Forces that would follow. While reinforcements streamed into the country, the 325th along with the remainder of the 82nd Airborne Division conducted the most intensive combat trainup in the unit's history. In mid-January, after the Air War had begun, the 82nd Airborne Division displaced nearly 650 miles to the northwest near the Iraqi border in preparation for the commencement of the ground war. On February 22, elements of the Division along with soldiers of the 6th French Light Armored Division (with 2/325 attached) began their drive into Iraq. Division soldiers were responsible for the capture of several thousand Iraqi soldiers and the destruction of massive amounts of enemy weapons, equipment, and ammunition. The Division is credited with playing a major role in the highly successful 100 hour ground war. The first Division elements began redeploying to Fort Bragg on March 7, and by early April the redeployment of the Division was complete.
When America was attacked on Sept. 11, 2001, President George W. Bush called upon the American military to fight global terrorism. The Falcon Brigade’s role in the Global War on Terror began with the invasion of Iraq.
On March 28, 2003, the Regiment was called on to spearhead the 82nd’s assault into Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. During the initial invasion, the Regiment was ordered to attack into the town of As Samawah to seize four critical bridges over the Euphrates River. Paratroopers from the 325th AIR distinguished themselves with extraordinary heroism and gallantry during this action, and the Regiment was later awarded the Presidential Unit Citation. The Regiment later fought at Ad Diwaniyah, Ar Ramadi, Habbaniyah, Fallujah, and Baghdad. After the Iraqi Army capitulated in May 2003, the 325th AIR remained in Baghdad to conduct combat and support and stability operations. Missions continued until February 2004, when, after almost a year of sustained combat operations, the Regiment returned home to Fort Bragg.
In December 2004, the 2nd and 3rd Battalions of the 325th deployed to Iraq to provide a safe and secure environment for the country’s first-ever free national elections. Thanks in part to the efforts of 2nd Brigade paratroopers, more than eight million Iraqis were able to cast their first meaningful ballots.
In July 2005, the Red Falcons of 1st Battalion deployed to Afghanistan in support of the Afghanistan national parliamentary elections. Despite having only a battalion of troops to secure an area the size of Vermont, the Red Falcons’ dedication and relentless pursuit of the Taliban insurgents allowed violence-free elections to take place.
In September 2005, only six months after the end of their last deployment to OIF, the 2nd Battalion White Falcons returned to Iraq once more to provide contingency support in Tal’ Afar during the Iraqi National Elections. Their successes during the five-month deployment were commended by the President and recognized widely by the national media.
In January 2006, the 325th AIR underwent one of the most momentous restructurings in its history. As part of the army-wide transformation program, the Regiment was reorganized into a modular structure to become the 2nd Brigade Combat Team. As part of the restructuring, the Brigade lost one infantry battalion – the 3-325 – while gaining an artillery battalion, a mounted reconnaissance and surveillance squadron, a support battalion, and a special troops battalion containing signal, MI, MP, and engineer companies.
A year later, in January 2007, the Falcons were given another critically important mission: to spearhead the “Surge” of U.S. Forces into Iraq to restore security to the capital of Baghdad.
With violence in Iraq escalating out of control, the President on January 10 announced a new strategy for victory involving an increase of forces and a new emphasis on counter-insurgency tactics. The unit he turned to first to execute the strategy was the 2nd BCT. Within a week of receiving orders, the Brigade had 3,000 troops, 300 vehicles, and thousands of pieces of equipment on the way to Iraq.
Over the next 15 months, the Falcon Paratroopers moved into small outposts throughout the city and waged an aggressive campaign against Al Qaeda terrorists, Sunni insurgents, Shiite militias, and other elements committed to destroying the fragile Iraqi democracy. At the same time, they devoted thousands of hours of labor and millions of dollars to rebuilding and infrastructure projects. By Christmas of 2007, violence in the Falcon AO had declined by 95%, and violence throughout all of Iraq was down steeply. The Falcons had helped the Surge succeed beyond even the most optimistic expectations. The Regiment redeployed to Fort Bragg in March 2008, to a well-deserved hero’s welcome.
In 2009, the 2nd BCT will assume the mantle of the GRF – the Global Response Force. Just as they have for the past 90 years, the paratroopers of the 2nd BCT, 325th AIR will be ready to answer the nation’s call anytime, anyplace.
World War I: St. Mihiel; Meuse-Argonne; Lorraine 1918
World War II: Sicily; Naples-Foggia; Normandy (with arrowhead); Rhineland (with arrowhead); Ardennes-Alsace; Central Europe
Armed Forces Expeditions: Dominican Republic; Grenada; Panama (with arrowhead)
Southwest Asia: Defense of Saudi Arabia; Liberation and Defense of Kuwait; Cease-Fire
War on Terrorism: Campaigns to be determined
This article incorporates public domain material from the United States Army Center of Military History document "325th Infantry Lineage and Honors".