509th Parachute Infantry Regiment

• Constituted 14 March 1941 in the Army of the United States as the 504th Parachute Infantry Battalion, consisting of HHC and Companies A, B & C.
• Activated 5 October 1941 at Fort Benning, Georgia.
• Reorganized and redesignated 24 February 1942 as the 2d Battalion, 503d Parachute Infantry Regiment, consisting of HHC and Companies D, E, and F. Battalion deployed detached from the Regiment to England.
• 2/503 PIR arrived in England, and reorganized and redesignated 2 November 1942 as the 2d Battalion, 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment, consisting of HHC and Companies D, E, and F. Remainder of 503rd Parachute Infantry Regiment proceeded to Pacific Theater and separate Lineage with new 2nd Battalion.
• 2/509 PIR assaulted Oran and Youks-les-Bains Airfield in North Africa as part of Operation TORCH.
• TORCH assignment terminated, and unit attached to the 82nd Airborne Division on 15 November 1942.
• 2/509 PIR assaulted Sicily as part of Operation HUSKY on 9 July 1943.
• 2/509 PIR assaulted Salerno. Italy on 9 September 1943 as part of Operation Avalanche.
• 2/509 PIR parachuted onto Avellino on 14 September 1943. The unit was immediately engaged upon landing by German Forces, and was badly decimated. Unit was subsequently withdrawn from combat, and temporarily assigned as Security for Headquarters, 5th U.S. Army.
• 2/509 PIR located at Venafro, Italy, and reorganized and redesignated 10 December 1943 as the 509th Parachute Infantry Battalion, consisting of HHC and Companies A, B, and C.
• Battalion arrived in France on 15 August 1944, for the start of Operation Dragoon.
• Operation Dragoon finished successfully on 14 September 1944, and Battalion released for
• 509 PIB engaged in Rhineland Campaign on 5 September 1944.
• 509 PIB relieved from Rhineland Campaign, and assigned to the 101st Airborne Division on 18 November 1944.
• 509th Parachute Infantry Battalion relieved From assignment to 101st Airborne Division 18 December 1944 and prepared for unit disbandment and personnel and equipment reassignment.
• 509 PIB Disbanded 1 March 1945 in France, with personnel and equipment reassigned to the 82nd Airborne Division.