506th Parachute Infantry Regiment
Encyclopedia
The 506th Infantry Regiment is a unit assigned to the 4th Brigade Combat Team
(BCT) of the 101st Airborne Division
. During World War II
, the unit was designated the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment (506th PIR).
In recent times, the regiment gained widespread recognition by virtue of the 2001 HBO miniseries Band of Brothers.
, Georgia
in 1942 where it earned its nickname, "Currahees", after Currahee Mountain which is located inside the boundaries of the camp. The Cherokee
word, which translates to "Stand Alone", also became the unit's motto. Members of the unit also wear the spade (♠) symbol on the helmet outer and the Screaming Eagle badge (indicating membership of the 101st) on the left sleeve. 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 10, 1942, the 506th became part of the 101st Airborne Division.
At the completion of their training at Camp Toccoa, Col. Sink read an article in Reader's Digest
about how a unit in the Japanese Army
broke the world record for marching. Col. Sink thought his men could do better than that, and as a result, the 2nd Battalion
marched 118 miles (189.9 km) 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, then-Major
Robert L. Strayer. Newspapers covered the march and many civilians turned out to cheer the men as they neared Five Points
.
The 506th would participate in three major battles during the war: D-Day, Operation Market Garden
, and the Battle of the Bulge
. (They would have participated in Operation Varsity
, which would have been three combat jumps, but SHAEF decided to use the 17th Airborne instead.)
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.
, Operation Market was composed of American units (101st Airborne Division
, the 82nd Airborne Division, and the IX Troop Carrier Command
), British units (1st Airborne Division) and Polish units (1st Independent Parachute Brigade). The airborne units were dropped near several key bridges along the axis of advance of the ground forces, Operation Garden, with the objective of capturing the bridges intact in order to allow a deep penetration into German occupied Holland
and to capture the key bridge crossing the Rhine river at Arnhem
.
The 101st Airborne was assigned five bridges just north of the German defensive lines northwest of Eindhoven. The parachute drop was in daylight resulting in well targeted and controlled drops into the designated drop zones. The 101st captured all but one bridge, the one at Son which was destroyed with explosives by the German defenders as the airborne units approached the bridge. The ground forces of XXX Corps linked up with elements of the 101st Airborne on the second day of operations but the advance of the ground forces was further delayed while engineers erected a Bailey Bridge
at Son
replacing the destroyed bridge. XXX Corps then continued its advance into the 82nd Airborne area of operations where it was halted just shy of Arnhem due to German counter attacks along the length of the deep penetration.
The 101st Airborne continued to support XXX Corps advance during the remainder of Operation Market Garden with several running battles over the next several days.
in December, 1944-January, 1945. While resting and refitting in France
after Operation Market Garden
, General Eisenhower
called upon the 101st Airborne on December 16 to be moved into the Belgian town of Bastogne
by December 18, so that the Germans would not gain access to its important crossroads. The short notice of a move left the unit short of food, ammunition, arms, men, and winter clothing. The unit, along with the rest of the 101st Airborne, was encircled immediately. The 506th was sent to the eastern section of the siege. During the siege, there were reports of problems with tying in the gap in between the 501st PIR and the 506th. To stall the Germans so that the defense could be set up, the first battalion of the 506th (along with Team Desobry from the 10th Armored Division) was sent out to combat and slow down the Germans in the towns of Noville and Foy
. One third (about 200 men) of the battalion was destroyed, but in the process had taken out 30 enemy tanks and inflicted 500-1000 casualties. The battalion was put into reserve and the 2nd and 3rd battalions were put on the lines. A supply drop on December 22 helped to some extent. After the Third Army broke the encirclement, the 506th stayed on the line and spearheaded the entire offensive by liberating Foy and Noville in January, until being transferred to Haguenau
. They were pulled off the line in late February 1945.
and the capture of Berchtesgaden
, then took up occupational duties in Zell am See
, Austria. The 506th began training to be redeployed to the Pacific theater
but the war ended in August 1945.
, none of these troops received airborne training, nor was the "Airborne" tab worn above the Divisional patch.
The colors of the 101st were reactivated as a combat division in 1956 under the Pentomic
structure, which eliminated infantry regiments and battalions in favor of five battle groups per division. The colors of Company A, 504AIR were reactivated as HHC
, 1st Airborne Battle Group, 506th Infantry, the only active element of the 506th. Just before the Cuban Missile Crisis
, on October 1, 1962, 1-506th was deployed to Oxford, Mississippi
to assist in restoring order after James Meredith
arrived to integrate the University of Mississippi
.
structure was abandoned in 1964 in favor of brigades and battalions, and the 1st ABG, 506th Infantry was reorganized and redesignated as 1st Battalion (Airborne), 506th Infantry. Additionally, the lineage of Co. B, 506AIR was reactivated as HHC, 2nd Battalion (Airborne), 506th Infantry. Both battalions were part of the 3rd Brigade, 101st Airborne Division, which was deployed to Vietnam
from late 1967 to 1971. 1-506th was recognized for its role during the Tet Offensive in early 1968 and the Battle of Hamburger Hill
in May 1969 together with 2-506th, during the battle of FSB Ripcord.
On 1 April 1967 the colors of the former Company C, 506AIR were reactivated at Fort Campbell
as HHC, 3rd Battalion, 506th Infantry. Assigned to the 1st Brigade, it served in Vietnam and was inactivated at Fort Campbell on 31 July 1972.
The division, to include the battalions of the 506th, was reorganized as Airmobile
in 1968, later renamed Air Assault
in 1974. During the Vietnam War
, five soldiers from the 506th were awarded the Medal of Honor
.
When the 101st was reformed in 1972 at Fort Campbell, (after its return from Vietnam), the first battalion was the only active unit of the regiment. 1/506th was part of the 2nd brigade. The battalion deployed to various training missions across the United States. In 1980, for example, deployments included Ft.Drum, New York, Camp Grayling, Michigan and Ft. Polk, LA. In addition, C company was detached to the 1st battalion, 502nd Infantry, in September to "round out" that unit when it deployed to the Sinai for peacekeeping duties. (This unit was the first U.S. forces deployed to the middle east since the end of World War II). Its colors were inactivated on 5 June 1984 when all of the infantry battalions of the brigade were reflagged as elements of the 502nd Infantry. The battalion was reactivated on 16 March 1987 as part of the 2nd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division in Korea, by reflagging an existing infantry battalion at Camp Greaves. It was later reorganized as an Air Assault battalion.
, Iraq
. Instead of returning to Korea, the 2nd Brigade relocated to the United States in August 2005, and the battalion's colors were returned to the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) at Fort Campbell as the division reorganized to include a 4th Brigade Combat Team. This reorganization also led to the reactivation of 2-506th as an additional component of the same brigade, and shortly thereafter the division returned to Iraq.
The first battalion (1-506) deployed to Ramadi
, Al-Anbar Province, Iraq
, from November 2005 until November 2006 under Lieutenant Colonel Ronald P. Clark. HHC (Hellcats), A Co. (Able), C Co. (Gunfighters), D Co. (Death Dealers) and elements of E Co. 801st BSB (Wrench) occupied Camp Corregidor, the main FOB
. A Co., C Co. and D Co. were tasked with missions, mounted in M1114 HMMWV's and on foot in the "Mulaab" District of Ramadi. Alpha company occupied the Combat Outpost, which shared the facility with the HHC
medical aid station (Voodoo), elements of E Co. 801st BSB (Wrench), and a platoon of Sappers from C Co. 876 En Bn out of 2nd Brigade, 28th Division, Pennsylvania National Guard. A Co. was tasked with operations ranging from the North of FOB Corregidor to the Euphrates
River. B Co. (Outlaw), was posted 7 kilometers to the East of the Corregidor FOB at OP Trotter, with a separate mission of protecting the most vulnerable part of the MSR (Main Supply Route) leading into Ramadi, and the occupation of "OP Graveyard", an isolated and abandoned cemetery to the south of the MSR. Time
magazine described Ramadi during this time as "The Most Dangerous Place." During this time, Forward Observers from Task Force 1-506 claimed the honor of the first use of a GMLRS (Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System) in combat.
The second battalion (2-506) deployed to Forward Operating Base Falcon
in South Baghdad, cross attached to 4th Brigade, 4th Infantry Division from November 2005 until November 2006 under Lieutenant Colonel Gregory Butts. During the Baghdad clearance operations that set the stage for the Iraq War troop surge of 2007
under General David Petraeus
, the 2nd Battalion, 506th Infantry conducted the first deliberate clear-hold-build operation in the Doura Market as part of Operation Together Forward II under Multi-National Division - Baghdad (MND-B). Careful examination of their TTPs (Techniques, Tactics, and Procedures) for this combined, joint operation with the Iraqi National Police and Iraqi Police
resulted in the emulation of their tactics for similar operations across Baghdad for the next six months, a temporary measure until surge forces could arrive and set up Joint Security Stations (JSS).
Information about current activity (including the recent deployment to Afghanistan in 2010-2011) can be found at the active duty website of the 101st Airborne Division's 4th Brigade Combat Team http://www.campbell.army.mil/units/101st/4BCT/Pages/4thBCT.aspx and on the website of the 506th Airborne Infantry Association (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/506th_airborne_infantry_regiment_association)
Brigade combat team
The brigade combat team is the basic deployable unit of maneuver in the US Army. A brigade combat team consists of one combat arms branch maneuver brigade, and its attached support and fire units. A brigade combat team is generally commanded by a colonel , but in rare instances it is commanded by...
(BCT) of the 101st Airborne Division
101st Airborne Division
The 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...
. 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...
, the unit was designated the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment (506th PIR).
In recent times, the regiment gained widespread recognition by virtue of the 2001 HBO miniseries Band of Brothers.
World War II
The regiment was initially formed at Camp ToccoaCamp Toccoa
Camp Toccoa was a United States Army paratrooper training camp during World War II west of Toccoa, Georgia. It was first planned in 1938, constructed by the Georgia National Guard and the Works Projects Administration beginning 17 January 1940, and was dedicated 14 December 1940. The U.S. Army...
, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
in 1942 where it earned its nickname, "Currahees", after Currahee Mountain which is located inside the boundaries of the camp. The Cherokee
Cherokee
The Cherokee are a Native American people historically settled in the Southeastern United States . Linguistically, they are part of the Iroquoian language family...
word, which translates to "Stand Alone", also became the unit's motto. Members of the unit also wear the spade (♠) symbol on the helmet outer and the Screaming Eagle badge (indicating membership of the 101st) on the left sleeve. During World War II, the only commander
Commander
Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval...
of the regiment was Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
Robert F. Sink. As such, the 506th was sometimes referred to as the "Five-Oh-Sink". On June 10, 1942, the 506th became part of the 101st Airborne Division.
At the completion of their training at Camp Toccoa, Col. Sink read an article in Reader's Digest
Reader's Digest
Reader's Digest is a general interest family magazine, published ten times annually. Formerly based in Chappaqua, New York, its headquarters is now in New York City. It was founded in 1922, by DeWitt Wallace and Lila Bell Wallace...
about how a unit in the Japanese Army
Imperial Japanese Army
-Foundation:During the Meiji Restoration, the military forces loyal to the Emperor were samurai drawn primarily from the loyalist feudal domains of Satsuma and Chōshū...
broke the world record for marching. Col. Sink thought his men could do better than that, and as a result, the 2nd Battalion
Battalion
A battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel...
marched 118 miles (189.9 km) to Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
. 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, then-Major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
Robert L. Strayer. Newspapers covered the march and many civilians turned out to cheer the men as they neared Five Points
Five Points (Atlanta)
Five Points is a district of Atlanta, Georgia, United States, the primary reference for the downtown area. The name refers to the convergence of Marietta Street, Edgewood Avenue, Decatur Street, and two legs of Peachtree Street Five Points is a district of Atlanta, Georgia, United States, the...
.
The 506th would participate in three major battles during the war: D-Day, Operation Market Garden
Operation Market Garden
Operation Market Garden was an unsuccessful Allied military operation, fought in the Netherlands and Germany in the Second World War. It was the largest airborne operation up to that time....
, and 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...
. (They would have participated in Operation Varsity
Operation Varsity
Operation Varsity was a successful joint American–British airborne operation that took place toward the end of World War II...
, which would have been three combat jumps, but SHAEF decided to use the 17th Airborne instead.)
D-Day: Operation Overlord
Like almost all paratroop units, the 506th was widely scattered during the Operation ChicagoOperation Chicago
Mission Chicago was a pre-dawn glider-borne combat assault in the American airborne landings in Normandy, made by elements of the U.S. 101st Airborne Division on the early morning of June 6, 1944. It was part of Operation Neptune, the assault portion of the Allied invasion of France, Operation...
night drop on the morning of D-Day. The most famous action for the 506th on D-Day was the Brécourt Manor Assault
Brécourt Manor Assault
The Brécourt Manor Assault during the U.S. parachute assault of the Normandy Invasion of World War II is often cited as a classic example of small-unit tactics and leadership in overcoming a larger enemy force.-Objective:...
. 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
Carentan
Carentan is a small rural town near the north-eastern base of the French Cotentin Peninsula in Normandy in north-western France near the port city of Cherbourg-Octeville. Carentan has a population somewhat over 6,000 and is now administratively organized as a commune in the Manche department...
. 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.
Operation Market Garden
The airborne component of Operation Market GardenOperation Market Garden
Operation Market Garden was an unsuccessful Allied military operation, fought in the Netherlands and Germany in the Second World War. It was the largest airborne operation up to that time....
, Operation Market was composed of American units (101st Airborne Division
101st Airborne Division
The 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...
, the 82nd Airborne Division, and the IX Troop Carrier Command
IX Troop Carrier Command
The IX Troop Carrier Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the Ninth Air Force, based at Greenville Army Air Base, South Carolina. It was inactivated on 31 March 1946...
), British units (1st Airborne Division) and Polish units (1st Independent Parachute Brigade). The airborne units were dropped near several key bridges along the axis of advance of the ground forces, Operation Garden, with the objective of capturing the bridges intact in order to allow a deep penetration into German occupied Holland
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
and to capture the key bridge crossing the Rhine river at Arnhem
Arnhem
Arnhem is a city and municipality, situated in the eastern part of the Netherlands. It is the capital of the province of Gelderland and located near the river Nederrijn as well as near the St. Jansbeek, which was the source of the city's development. Arnhem has 146,095 residents as one of the...
.
The 101st Airborne was assigned five bridges just north of the German defensive lines northwest of Eindhoven. The parachute drop was in daylight resulting in well targeted and controlled drops into the designated drop zones. The 101st captured all but one bridge, the one at Son which was destroyed with explosives by the German defenders as the airborne units approached the bridge. The ground forces of XXX Corps linked up with elements of the 101st Airborne on the second day of operations but the advance of the ground forces was further delayed while engineers erected a Bailey Bridge
Bailey bridge
The Bailey bridge is a type of portable, pre-fabricated, truss bridge. It was developed by the British during World War II for military use and saw extensive use by both British and the American military engineering units....
at Son
Son en Breugel
Son en Breugel is a municipality in the southern Netherlands just outside of Eindhoven. 15,204 lived in this municipality as of June 1, 2005. Son en Breugel is 26,67 km² . Son en Breugel used to be two different towns 'Son' and 'Breugel'. The border between these towns is made by the stream...
replacing the destroyed bridge. XXX Corps then continued its advance into the 82nd Airborne area of operations where it was halted just shy of Arnhem due to German counter attacks along the length of the deep penetration.
The 101st Airborne continued to support XXX Corps advance during the remainder of Operation Market Garden with several running battles over the next several days.
The Battle of the Bulge
The unit was directly involved in the Battle of the BulgeBattle 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...
in December, 1944-January, 1945. While resting and refitting in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
after Operation Market Garden
Operation Market Garden
Operation Market Garden was an unsuccessful Allied military operation, fought in the Netherlands and Germany in the Second World War. It was the largest airborne operation up to that time....
, General Eisenhower
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army...
called upon the 101st Airborne on December 16 to be moved into the Belgian town of Bastogne
Bastogne
Bastogne Luxembourgish: Baaschtnech) is a Walloon municipality of Belgium located in the province of Luxembourg in the Ardennes. The municipality of Bastogne includes the old communes of Longvilly, Noville, Villers-la-Bonne-Eau, and Wardin...
by December 18, so that the Germans would not gain access to its important crossroads. The short notice of a move left the unit short of food, ammunition, arms, men, and winter clothing. The unit, along with the rest of the 101st Airborne, was encircled immediately. The 506th was sent to the eastern section of the siege. During the siege, there were reports of problems with tying in the gap in between the 501st PIR and the 506th. To stall the Germans so that the defense could be set up, the first battalion of the 506th (along with Team Desobry from the 10th Armored Division) was sent out to combat and slow down the Germans in the towns of Noville and Foy
Foy, Belgium
Foy is a village in Belgium, near Bastogne.-Battle of the Bulge:In World War II, Foy was occupied by German forces during the Battle of the Bulge. The American 101st Airborne Division held the Bois Jacques just outside of town. After being relieved by George S. Patton's Third Army, the 101st retook...
. One third (about 200 men) of the battalion was destroyed, but in the process had taken out 30 enemy tanks and inflicted 500-1000 casualties. The battalion was put into reserve and the 2nd and 3rd battalions were put on the lines. A supply drop on December 22 helped to some extent. After the Third Army broke the encirclement, the 506th stayed on the line and spearheaded the entire offensive by liberating Foy and Noville in January, until being transferred to Haguenau
Haguenau
-Economy:The town has a well balanced economy. Centuries of troubled history in the buffer lands between France and Germany have bequeathed to Haguenau a rich historical and cultural heritage which supports a lively tourist trade. There is also a thriving light manufacturing sector centred on the...
. They were pulled off the line in late February 1945.
The rest of the war
The unit was put back on the line on April 2, and continued for the rest of the war, taking light casualties. It assisted in the encirclement of the Ruhr PocketRuhr Pocket
The Ruhr Pocket was a battle of encirclement that took place in late March and early April 1945, near the end of World War II, in the Ruhr Area of Germany. For all intents and purposes, it marked the end of major organized resistance on Nazi Germany's Western Front, as more than 300,000 troops were...
and the capture of Berchtesgaden
Berchtesgaden
Berchtesgaden is a municipality in the German Bavarian Alps. It is located in the south district of Berchtesgadener Land in Bavaria, near the border with Austria, some 30 km south of Salzburg and 180 km southeast of Munich...
, then took up occupational duties in Zell am See
Zell am See
Zell am See is the capital city of the Zell am See district in the Austrian state of Salzburg. The city has about 10,000 inhabitants.Zell am See is a tourist destination and a transportation hub for the region...
, Austria. The 506th began training to be redeployed to the Pacific theater
Pacific Ocean theater of World War II
The Pacific Ocean theatre was one of four major naval theatres of war of World War II, which pitted the forces of Japan against those of the United States, the British Commonwealth, the Netherlands and France....
but the war ended in August 1945.
Post WWII
The 506th was inactivated 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 Division101st Airborne Division
The 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...
, none of these troops received airborne training, nor was the "Airborne" tab worn above the Divisional patch.
The colors of the 101st were reactivated as a combat division in 1956 under the Pentomic
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....
structure, which eliminated infantry regiments and battalions in favor of five battle groups per division. The colors of Company A, 504AIR were reactivated as HHC
Headquarters and Headquarters Company
In United States Army units, a headquarters and headquarters company is a company sized military unit, found at the battalion level and higher. In identifying a specific headquarters unit, it is usually referred to by its abbreviation as an HHC...
, 1st Airborne Battle Group, 506th Infantry, the only active element of the 506th. Just before the Cuban Missile Crisis
Cuban Missile Crisis
The Cuban Missile Crisis was a confrontation among the Soviet Union, Cuba and the United States in October 1962, during the Cold War...
, on October 1, 1962, 1-506th was deployed to Oxford, Mississippi
Oxford, Mississippi
Oxford is a city in, and the county seat of, Lafayette County, Mississippi, United States. Founded in 1835, it was named after the British university city of Oxford in hopes of having the state university located there, which it did successfully attract....
to assist in restoring order after James Meredith
James Meredith
James H. Meredith is an American civil rights movement figure, a writer, and a political adviser. In 1962, he was the first African American student admitted to the segregated University of Mississippi, an event that was a flashpoint in the American civil rights movement. Motivated by President...
arrived to integrate the University of Mississippi
University of Mississippi
The University of Mississippi, also known as Ole Miss, is a public, coeducational research university located in Oxford, Mississippi. Founded in 1844, the school is composed of the main campus in Oxford, four branch campuses located in Booneville, Grenada, Tupelo, and Southaven as well as the...
.
Vietnam
The PentomicPentomic
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....
structure was abandoned in 1964 in favor of brigades and battalions, and the 1st ABG, 506th Infantry was reorganized and redesignated as 1st Battalion (Airborne), 506th Infantry. Additionally, the lineage of Co. B, 506AIR was reactivated as HHC, 2nd Battalion (Airborne), 506th Infantry. Both battalions were part of the 3rd Brigade, 101st Airborne Division, which was deployed to Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
from late 1967 to 1971. 1-506th was recognized for its role during the Tet Offensive in early 1968 and the Battle of Hamburger Hill
Battle of Hamburger Hill
The Battle of Hamburger Hill was a battle of the Vietnam War which was fought by the United States and South Vietnam against North Vietnamese forces from May 10–20, 1969. Although the heavily fortified Hill 937 was of little strategic value, U.S. command ordered its capture by a frontal assault,...
in May 1969 together with 2-506th, during the battle of FSB Ripcord.
On 1 April 1967 the colors of the former Company C, 506AIR were reactivated at Fort Campbell
Fort Campbell
Fort Campbell is a United States Army installation located astraddle the Kentucky-Tennessee border between Hopkinsville, Kentucky, and Clarksville, Tennessee...
as HHC, 3rd Battalion, 506th Infantry. Assigned to the 1st Brigade, it served in Vietnam and was inactivated at Fort Campbell on 31 July 1972.
The division, to include the battalions of the 506th, was reorganized as Airmobile
Air assault
Air assault is the movement of ground-based military forces by vertical take-off and landing aircraft—such as the helicopter—to seize and hold key terrain which has not been fully secured, and to directly engage enemy forces...
in 1968, later renamed Air Assault
Air assault
Air assault is the movement of ground-based military forces by vertical take-off and landing aircraft—such as the helicopter—to seize and hold key terrain which has not been fully secured, and to directly engage enemy forces...
in 1974. During the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
, five soldiers from the 506th were 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...
.
When the 101st was reformed in 1972 at Fort Campbell, (after its return from Vietnam), the first battalion was the only active unit of the regiment. 1/506th was part of the 2nd brigade. The battalion deployed to various training missions across the United States. In 1980, for example, deployments included Ft.Drum, New York, Camp Grayling, Michigan and Ft. Polk, LA. In addition, C company was detached to the 1st battalion, 502nd Infantry, in September to "round out" that unit when it deployed to the Sinai for peacekeeping duties. (This unit was the first U.S. forces deployed to the middle east since the end of World War II). Its colors were inactivated on 5 June 1984 when all of the infantry battalions of the brigade were reflagged as elements of the 502nd Infantry. The battalion was reactivated on 16 March 1987 as part of the 2nd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division in Korea, by reflagging an existing infantry battalion at Camp Greaves. It was later reorganized as an Air Assault battalion.
Iraq
In 2004, 1-506th was deployed from Korea to HabbaniyahHabbaniyah
Al Habbaniyah or Habbaniya is a city in Al-Anbar Province, in central Iraq.-References:...
, Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
. Instead of returning to Korea, the 2nd Brigade relocated to the United States in August 2005, and the battalion's colors were returned to the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) at Fort Campbell as the division reorganized to include a 4th Brigade Combat Team. This reorganization also led to the reactivation of 2-506th as an additional component of the same brigade, and shortly thereafter the division returned to Iraq.
The first battalion (1-506) deployed to Ramadi
Ramadi
Ramadi is a city in central Iraq, about west of Baghdad. It is the capital of Al Anbar Governorate.-History:Ramadi is located in a fertile, irrigated, alluvial plain.The Ottoman Empire founded Ramadi in 1869...
, Al-Anbar Province, Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
, from November 2005 until November 2006 under Lieutenant Colonel Ronald P. Clark. HHC (Hellcats), A Co. (Able), C Co. (Gunfighters), D Co. (Death Dealers) and elements of E Co. 801st BSB (Wrench) occupied Camp Corregidor, the main FOB
Forward Operating Base
A forward operating base is any secured forward military position, commonly a military base, that is used to support tactical operations. A FOB may or may not contain an airfield, hospital, or other facilities. The base may be used for an extended period of time. FOBs are traditionally supported...
. A Co., C Co. and D Co. were tasked with missions, mounted in M1114 HMMWV's and on foot in the "Mulaab" District of Ramadi. Alpha company occupied the Combat Outpost, which shared the facility with the HHC
Headquarters and Headquarters Company
In United States Army units, a headquarters and headquarters company is a company sized military unit, found at the battalion level and higher. In identifying a specific headquarters unit, it is usually referred to by its abbreviation as an HHC...
medical aid station (Voodoo), elements of E Co. 801st BSB (Wrench), and a platoon of Sappers from C Co. 876 En Bn out of 2nd Brigade, 28th Division, Pennsylvania National Guard. A Co. was tasked with operations ranging from the North of FOB Corregidor to the Euphrates
Euphrates
The Euphrates is the longest and one of the most historically important rivers of Western Asia. Together with the Tigris, it is one of the two defining rivers of Mesopotamia...
River. B Co. (Outlaw), was posted 7 kilometers to the East of the Corregidor FOB at OP Trotter, with a separate mission of protecting the most vulnerable part of the MSR (Main Supply Route) leading into Ramadi, and the occupation of "OP Graveyard", an isolated and abandoned cemetery to the south of the MSR. Time
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
magazine described Ramadi during this time as "The Most Dangerous Place." During this time, Forward Observers from Task Force 1-506 claimed the honor of the first use of a GMLRS (Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System) in combat.
The second battalion (2-506) deployed to Forward Operating Base Falcon
Forward Operating Base Falcon
Forward Operating Base Falcon, referred to by some media sources as Camp Falcon, is a United States military forward operating base in Iraq a short distance outside of Baghdad, some south of the Green Zone. For a time it was designated as "Camp Ferrin-Huggins"...
in South Baghdad, cross attached to 4th Brigade, 4th Infantry Division from November 2005 until November 2006 under Lieutenant Colonel Gregory Butts. During the Baghdad clearance operations that set the stage for the Iraq War troop surge of 2007
Iraq War troop surge of 2007
In the context of the Iraq War, the surge refers to United States President George W. Bush's 2007 increase in the number of American troops in order to provide security to Baghdad and Al Anbar Province....
under General David Petraeus
David Petraeus
David Howell Petraeus is the current Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, sworn in on September 6, 2011. Prior to his assuming the directorship of the CIA, Petraeus was a four-star general serving over 37 years in the United States Army. His last assignments in the Army were as commander...
, the 2nd Battalion, 506th Infantry conducted the first deliberate clear-hold-build operation in the Doura Market as part of Operation Together Forward II under Multi-National Division - Baghdad (MND-B). Careful examination of their TTPs (Techniques, Tactics, and Procedures) for this combined, joint operation with the Iraqi National Police and Iraqi Police
Iraqi Police
The Iraqi Police Service are the uniformed Territorial police force responsible for the enforcement of civil law within Iraq.The current organisation, structure and recruitment practice was guided by the Coalition Provisional Authority following the 2003 invasion of Iraq...
resulted in the emulation of their tactics for similar operations across Baghdad for the next six months, a temporary measure until surge forces could arrive and set up Joint Security Stations (JSS).
Afghanistan
As of early 2008 the 4th Brigade Combat Team (BCT), 101st Airborne Division (the 1-506th and 2-506th being part of that brigade), deployed in Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. 1st Battalion was deployed to the Ghazni, Wardak, and Western Paktika Provinces with the exception of Alpha (Able) Company who were split in half (1st,2nd platoon) along with a platoon from Delta (Dog) Company to assist a team from 10th Special Forces Group in the Northern province of Kapisa in the outpost FOB Kutchsbach for the first 6 months of the deployment. After completing their mission in establishing a safe area of operation in the Tagab valley and large compound to support a battalion of French Forces the units rejoined their companies that where scattered in the other provinces. Much of the fighting was with insurgents that have attempted to interdict the main highway that runs from Kabul in the north to Kandahar in the south. One 3 man team known as the Shamsheer team ,part of the OCCP was widely used in collecting intel, finding high valued targets and locating caches with the Afghan soldiers that Cpt. Threadcraft, Sgt. Beard and, Spc. Bruins trained. The 2nd Battalion was deployed primarily in the Khost regions, with elements serving in eastern Paktika and Kandahar provinces. The 2nd Battalions Delta Company ("Dog Company"), served in some of the most brutal fire fights of the deployment, losing 7 soldiers during rotation. The 506th returned to Ft. Campbell in March 2009.Information about current activity (including the recent deployment to Afghanistan in 2010-2011) can be found at the active duty website of the 101st Airborne Division's 4th Brigade Combat Team http://www.campbell.army.mil/units/101st/4BCT/Pages/4thBCT.aspx and on the website of the 506th Airborne Infantry Association (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/506th_airborne_infantry_regiment_association)
World War II
- Donald BurgettDonald BurgettDonald R. Burgett is a writer and a former World War II paratrooper. He was among the Airborne troopers who landed in Normandy early on the morning of D-Day. He was a member of the 101st Airborne Division, , and the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment...
, of Company A, fought from Normandy to the end of the war. He wrote four books on his time in the company. - Sergeant Joseph BeyrleJoseph BeyrleJoseph R. Beyrle is thought to be the only American soldier to have served with both the United States Army and the Soviet Army in World War II. Born in Muskegon, Michigan, Beyrle graduated from high school in 1942 with the promise of a scholarship to the University of Notre Dame, but enlisted in...
, of Company I, fought for US and Russian forces. - Colonel Robert F. Sink, regimental commander for all of WWII.
- Lieutenant Colonel Robert Lee WolvertonRobert Lee WolvertonLt. Col. Robert Lee Wolverton was the commander of the American 3rd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne, from 1942 until his death on D-Day, June 6, 1944, during World War II ....
, commanding officer 3rd battalion - Easy CompanyE Company, 506th Infantry Regiment (United States)Easy Company, 2nd Battalion of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division, the "Screaming Eagles", is one of the most well-known companies in the United States Army. Their experiences in World War II are the subject of the HBO miniseries Band of Brothers based on the book...
- First Lieutenant Lynn "Buck" Compton, officer with Company E during WWII and chief prosecutor in the case of Sirhan SirhanSirhan SirhanSirhan Bishara Sirhan is a Jordanian citizen who was convicted for the assassination of United States Senator Robert F. Kennedy. He is serving a life sentence at Pleasant Valley State Prison in Coalinga, California.Sirhan was a Christian Arab born in Jerusalem who strongly opposed Israel...
. He has published a book called "Call of Duty: My Life before, during and after the Band of BrothersCall of Duty (Compton's Book)Call Of Duty: My life before, during, and after the Band of Brothers is the title of Lt. Lynn "Buck" Compton's memoirs. Buck was made famous by the popular HBO World War II miniseries, "Band of Brothers", by the book of the same title by historian Stephen Ambrose, and his involvement in Sirhan...
". - Staff Sergeant William "Wild Bill" GuarnereWilliam GuarnereStaff Sergeant William J. Guarnere was a non-commissioned officer with Easy Company, 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, in the 101st Airborne Division of the United States Army during World War II. Guarnere was portrayed in the HBO miniseries Band of Brothers by Frank John Hughes...
, a colorful noncomNon-commissioned officerA non-commissioned officer , called a sub-officer in some countries, is a military officer who has not been given a commission...
of Company E who maintains a website devoted to the history of the 506th. - Second Lieutenant Carwood LiptonCarwood LiptonSecond Lieutenant Clifford Carwood Lipton was a commissioned officer with Easy Company, 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, in the 101st Airborne Division during World War II. Lipton was portrayed in the HBO miniseries Band of Brothers by Donnie Wahlberg...
, company first sergeant, later promoted to 2nd Lieutenant via battlefield commission. - Technical Sergeant Donald MalarkeyDonald MalarkeyTechnical Sergeant Donald G. Malarkey is a former non-commissioned officer with Easy Company, 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, in the 101st Airborne Division of the United States Army during World War II...
, non-commissioned officer, served in Easy Company for the entire war. He has published a book called "Easy Company Soldier". - Captain Lewis Nixon, intelligence officer and close friend of Major Richard Winters
- Lieutenant Colonel Herbert Sobel, initial commanding officer.
- Lieutenant Colonel Ronald SpeirsRonald SpeirsLieutenant Colonel Ronald C. Speirs was a United States Army officer who served in the U.S. 101st Airborne Division during World War II. He was initially a platoon leader in Company either "C" or "B" of the 2nd Battalion of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment...
, took command of Company E during their assault on Foy, Belgium in January 1945. Final commanding officer. Went on to become commandant of Spandau PrisonSpandau PrisonSpandau Prison was a prison situated in the borough of Spandau in western Berlin, constructed in 1876 and demolished in 1987 after the death of its last prisoner, Rudolf Hess, to prevent it from becoming a neo-Nazi shrine. The prison was near, though not part of, the Renaissance-era Spandau Citadel...
. - Private First Class David WebsterDavid Kenyon Webster-External links:*...
, a rifleman and diarist of Company E whose book "Parachute Infantry" deals in detail with the 506th. - Major Richard WintersRichard WintersMajor Richard "Dick" D. Winters was a United States Army officer and decorated war veteran. He commanded Company "E", 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, during World War II....
, started out as a platoon leader in Company E. Was made company commander when the commander's plane was shot down on D-Day. He was made 2nd Battalion Executive Officer at the end of Operation Market Garden in October 1944. Ended the war as commander of 2nd Battalion. He published a memoir of his war service ("Beyond Band of Brothers") and has also been the subject of a biography ("Biggest Brother").
- First Lieutenant Lynn "Buck" Compton, officer with Company E during WWII and chief prosecutor in the case of Sirhan Sirhan
Vietnam
- Lieutenant Colonel Andre LucasAndre LucasLieutenant Colonel Andre Cavaro Lucas was killed in action on while serving as the commanding officer, 2nd Battalion, 506th Infantry, 101st Airborne Division, United States Army, at Fire Support Base Ripcord, Thua Thien Province, South Vietnam.He was born in Washington D.C...
, commanded the 2nd Battalion in VietnamVietnamVietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
during the battle of FSB Ripcord, killed in actionKilled in actionKilled in action is a casualty classification generally used by militaries to describe the deaths of their own forces at the hands of hostile forces. The United States Department of Defense, for example, says that those declared KIA need not have fired their weapons but have been killed due to...
, posthumously awarded the Medal of HonorMedal of HonorThe 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...
. - Specialist 4 Gordon Roberts awarded the Medal of HonorMedal of HonorThe 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...
. - Sgt. Leslie Halasz Sabo, killed during Operation Binh Tay I, under consideration for the Medal of HonorMedal of HonorThe 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...
. In April, 2010, U.S. Rep. Jason AltmireJason AltmireJason Altmire is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2007. He is a member of the Democratic Party.-Early life and education:...
announced that the U.S. Department of Defense recommended Sabo for the Medal of Honor, which then went to President Barack ObamaBarack ObamaBarack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
for final approval.
In popular culture
- The book Band of Brothers tells the story of Easy CompanyEasy Company (Band of Brothers)Easy Company, 2nd Battalion of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division, the "Screaming Eagles", is one of the most well-known companies in the United States Army. Their experiences in World War II are the subject of the HBO miniseries Band of Brothers based on the book...
, and was the basis of a successful TV miniseries, aired on HBO.
- In the film Saving Private RyanSaving Private RyanSaving Private Ryan is a 1998 American war film set during the invasion of Normandy in World War II. It was directed by Steven Spielberg, with a screenplay by Robert Rodat. The film is notable for the intensity of its opening 27 minutes, which depicts the Omaha Beach assault of June 6, 1944....
, the titular Pvt. James Francis Ryan of Iowa state he was assigned to Baker Company (B Co.) 1-506th. Captain Miller also encountered 506th Pathfinders early on in the movie during the search for Pvt. Ryan.
- In the video game Call of Duty, the player character in the American campaign is depicted as a soldier from the 506th as denoted by the Poker Spade insignia on his M1 helmetM1 HelmetThe M1 helmet is a combat helmet that was used by the American military from World War II until it was succeeded by the PASGT helmet beginning in 1985. For over forty years, the M1 was standard issue for the U.S...
.
- in the film Saints and SoldiersSaints and SoldiersSaints and Soldiers is a 2003 drama-war film featuring Corbin Allred, Alexander Niver, Kirby Heyborne, Lawrence Bagby and Peter Holden.It is based loosely around events taking place shortly after the Malmedy massacre during the Battle of the Bulge where several US soldiers and a downed British...
the characters are from the 506th Infantry Regiment, as depicted by the black Spade on their helmets.
- In the Tom ClancyTom ClancyThomas Leo "Tom" Clancy, Jr. is an American author, best known for his technically detailed espionage, military science, and techno thriller storylines set during and in the aftermath of the Cold War, along with video games on which he did not work, but which bear his name for licensing and...
novel Without RemorseWithout RemorseWithout Remorse is a thriller novel published in 1993 by Tom Clancy and is a part of the Jack Ryan universe series. While not the first novel of the series to be published, it is first in plot chronology. The main setting of the book is set during the Vietnam War, in the American city of Baltimore...
, Emmet Ryan, father of Jack Ryan, claimed to have jumped on D-Day with "E 2-506th".
- In the Company of HeroesCompany of HeroesCompany of Heroes is a real-time strategy computer game developed by Relic Entertainment. It was released on September 12, 2006, and was the first title to make use of the Games for Windows label. A standalone expansion, Opposing Fronts, was released on September 25, 2007. A second standalone...
computer game, the player controls paratroopers from 506th's Fox Company in some of the main campaign missions.