Why would anyone jump out of a perfectly good airplane? Militarily speaking, there are several good reasons! During World War II, the extra pay of 50 dollars a month was an incentive for some. Others were attracted to the challenge of it all. Tactically, it was a way to get behind enemy lines. But how did it all start? The idea of having troops parachuting into action has been around longer than you think. Surprisingly, even Ben Franklin envisioned the usefulness of soldiers descending from the skies before it was possible, asking “Where is the prince who can afford to cover his country with troops for its defense, as that 10,000 men descending from the clouds, might not, in many places, do an infinite deal of mischief before a force could be brought together to repel them?”[i]

During World War I, Colonel William “Billy” Mitchell was the air component advisor to General Pershing. Mitchell had been unsuccessful in developing a parachute for pilots but was not deterred. He pushed the idea of dropping soldiers equipped with parachutes for rear attacks behind German positions, and General Pershing actually approved the concept, giving Mitchell the green light to pursue planning for this radical tactic during a time of such fledgling air capabilities. The war, however, ended before the project got off the ground[ii].

By the time Germany invaded Poland in 1939, Russia, Italy, France, and Germany had already established jump schools, with the Russians being the first to organize a mass military jump[iii]. The United States would eventually follow, and on August 16, 1940, the U.S. Army’s Parachute Test Platoon, led by Lt. William Ryder, made its first jump. The Airborne in the United States military was now a reality[iv].

Eventually, two airborne divisions would gain particular notoriety: the 82nd Airborne Division and the 101st Airborne Division. Anyone interested in World War II history is aware of their existence and contributions to Allied victory, and even today many who are not necessarily World War II aficionados know about these two units. For many years after the war, the 82nd was the only active airborne division in the United States Army until 2022 when U.S. Army Alaska was redesignated the 11th Airborne Division (the 11th had conducted airborne operations in the Pacific theater during World War II). The 101st is particularly well known for its role in the Battle of the Bulge, as well as through the popularity of the HBO series “Band of Brothers”. Today the 101st maintains the familiar “Airborne” tab on their uniforms for traditional purposes, although they are officially an “Air Assault” unit.

However, if you visit any World War II museum, visit an internet site dedicated to World War II veterans, or do some general military research, you’ll discover that these two airborne units were not always alone. You’ll find the 517th Parachute Infantry Regiment with its unofficial patch featuring a steely-eyed buzzard, talons at the ready, descending from the skies with a parachute. Maybe you’ll see the insignia of the 509th Parachute Infantry Battalion with the war cry “Geronimo!” inscribed underneath, or the “GOYAs” of the 551st Parachute Infantry Battalion (and why did they call themselves that?!)

Image

Did you know…?

The 509th participated in five combat jumps during World War II – more than both the 82nd Airborne Division and the 101st Airborne Division.

The 517th’s only combat jump was for the liberation of Southern France but during its short existence (1943-1945), fought in Italy, France, the Battle of the Bulge, and the Battle of the Hurtgen Forest.

The first mission of the 551st was to invade the island of…Martinique?!