513th Parachute Infantry Regiment (United States)
| 513th Parachute Infantry Regiment | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1942-12-26 - 1945-09-14. |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | United States Army |
| Type | Parachute Infantry |
| Engagements |
World War II *Battle of the Bulge *Operation Varsity |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | Colonel James W. Coutts |
| U.S. Infantry Regiments | |
|---|---|
| Previous | Next |
| 511th Parachute Infantry Regiment | 514th Infantry Regiment |
Raised during World War II, the 513th Parachute Infantry Regiment (513th PIR) was an airborne, specifically a parachute infantry, regiment of the 17th Airborne Division of the United States Army. The regiment participated in the latter stages of the Battle of the Bulge in January 1945 and parachuted into Germany in Operation Varsity in March in the largest airborne drop of the war.
History
The regiment was constituted on December 26, 1942 and assigned to the 13th Airborne Division. It moved from Fort Benning to Fort Bragg before being assigned to Camp Mackall, North Carolina in January 1944, but was transferred to the Tennessee Maneuver Area and assigned to the 17th Airborne Division in March 1944.
The 513th was not sent overseas until after D-Day and was still in training in England during Operation Market Garden. During the crisis of the Battle of the Bulge, the division was flown into Reims, France and moved by truck into southern Belgium. In January 1945, the Regiment was sent into the assault on Flamierge. During this fight, Staff Sergeant I.S. "Izzy" Jachman raced through heavy fire, picked up a bazooka from a fallen comrade and drove off two tanks, damaging one. His Medal of Honor citation concludes, "S/Sgt. Jachman's heroic action, in which he suffered fatal wounds, disrupted the entire enemy attack, reflecting the highest credit upon himself and the parachute infantry."[1] Another Medal of Honor recipient from this regiment was Private First Class Stuart S. Stryker.
After the conclusion of the Ardennes campaign, the division was withdrawn in preparation for Operation Varsity. The regiment dropped with the rest of the division into Germany near Wesel in its only combat drop. In April 1945, units of the 513th were carried into action around Munster by British tanks from the Guards Armoured Division.
After conducting occupation duty the 513th returned to the United States on 1945-09-14 and inactivated on the same date at Camp Myles Standish, Mass.
Notable members of the 513th
- Staff Sergeant Isadore S. Jachman, who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for actions during the battle for Flamierge, Belgium.[2]
- Private First Class Stuart S. Stryker, who was also posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions at Wesel, Germany, during Operation Varsity.
- Dallas police officer, J. D. Tippit, who was shot and killed while trying to apprehend Lee Harvey Oswald.