551st parachute infantry battalion

551ST PARACHUTE INFANTRY BATTALION
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551ST PARACHUTE INFANTRY BATTALION
26th November 1942 - 27th January 1945

The 551st Parachute Infantry Battalion (551st PIB) was, for many years, a little-recognized airborne forces unit of the United States Army, raised during World War II, that fought in the Battle of the Bulge. Originally commissioned to take the French Caribbean island of Martinique, they were shipped instead to Western Europe. With an initial strength of 800 officers and enlisted men, the remaining 250 members of the Battalion were ordered on 7 January 1945 to attack the Belgian village of Rochelinval over open ground and without artillery support. During the successful assault the unit lost more than half its remaining men. The Battalion was inactivated on 27 January 1945 and the remaining 110 survivors were absorbed into the 82nd Airborne Division. Virtually nothing of the unit's history was known to the American public until the 1990s when renewed interest prompted its veterans to seek recognition for their costly success at Rochelinval. The battalion was awarded a Presidential Unit Citation in 2001 recognizing its accomplishment.

Killed in action : 66
Distinguished Service Cross : 2
Silver Star : 1
Bronze Star : 1
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  1. Lewis W. Owen

    Lewis W. Owen

    Lewis Willard Owen 20403277 born 12.04.1921 Lawrenceville, Virginia, USA father John A. Owen mother Annie E. (nee Daniel) 2 years high school civil occupation Attendants, filling stations and parking lots single without dependents upon enlistment 16.09.1940 entered service Warrenton, North...
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  2. Richard Wells Durkee

    Richard Wells Durkee

    Richard Wells Durkee born 14.09.1918, Hornell, New York, USA father Leonard Livingston Durkee (1882-1923) mother Anna Marie (nee Eckert) Durkee (1884-1965) brother Lawrence Lavelle (KIA 05.10.1944 501 PIR - See Roll of Honour) 4 years high school single without dependents upon enlistment...
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  3. US PARAS Petty, Ishneal Henry

    SURNAME Petty FORENAME Ishneal Henry UNIT 551 Parachute Infantry Bn (Company C) RANK Private NUMBER 20526809 DATE OF DEATH 16th February 1944 AGE 23 GRAVESITE Shiloh United Methodist Church Cemetery,Woodlawn,Carroll County,Virginia ADDITIONAL INFORMATION from...

  4. US PARAS McGrotty, Kenneth D.

    SURNAME McGrotty FORENAME Kenneth D. UNIT 551 Parachute Infantry Bn (HQ) RANK Private First Class NUMBER 39091998 DATE OF DEATH 16th February 1944 AGE 26 GRAVESITE Siskiyou Memorial Park,Medford,Jackson County,Oregon ADDITIONAL INFORMATION from Jackson County,Oregon born...

  5. US PARAS Ferguson, Shelly Claud,Jr

    SURNAME Ferguson FORENAME Shelly Claud,Jr UNIT 551 Parachute Infantry Bn (Company C) RANK Private First Class NUMBER 14108079 DATE OF DEATH 16th February 1944 AGE 18 GRAVESITE Hatchett Cemetery,Limestone County,Alabama ADDITIONAL INFORMATION from Limestone County,Alabama...

  6. US PARAS Fields, Warren B.

    SURNAME Fields FORENAME Warren B. UNIT 551 Parachute Infantry Bn RANK Private NUMBER 36566508 DATE OF DEATH 21st August 1944 AGE GRAVESITE Rhone American Cemetery,Draguignan,France Plot B Row 7 Grave 1 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION from Wayne County,Michigan KIA South France

  7. US PARAS Whalen, William Edward

    SURNAME Whalen FORENAME William Edward UNIT 551 Parachute Infantry Bn (Company C) RANK Private NUMBER 33293477 DATE OF DEATH 3rd January 1945 AGE GRAVESITE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION from Dravosburg, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania 21.08.1944 WIA Cannes, France award Bronze...

  8. US PARAS Stankus, Lawrence C.

    SURNAME Stankus FORENAME Lawrence C. UNIT 551 Parachute Infantry Bn (Company A) RANK Sergeant NUMBER 15078527 DATE OF DEATH 31st July 1944 AGE 23 GRAVESITE Sicily-Rome American Cemetery,Nettuno,Italy Plot J Row 1 Grave 11 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION from Thomas,Randolph...

  9. US PARAS Smith, David W.

    SURNAME Smith FORENAME David W. UNIT 551 Parachute Infantry Bn (Company B) RANK Sergeant NUMBER 7080650 DATE OF DEATH 24th September 1944 AGE 21 GRAVESITE Greenhills Memorial Park,Troy,Pike County,Alabama ADDITIONAL INFORMATION from Troy,Pike County,Alabama born 6.7.1923...

  10. US PARAS Sepulveda, Ramon M.

    SURNAME Sepulveda FORENAME Ramon M. UNIT 551 Parachute Infantry Bn (Company B) RANK Private NUMBER 36383866 DATE OF DEATH 21st August 1944 AGE GRAVESITE Rhone American Cemetery,Draguignan,France Plot B Row 10 Grave 6 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION from Cook County,Illinois KIA...

  11. US PARAS Peabody, Rushton, Jr

    SURNAME Peabody FORENAME Rushton, Jr UNIT 551 Parachute Infantry Bn (Company A) RANK First Lieutenant NUMBER 0-1040794 DATE OF DEATH 1st October 1944 AGE 33 GRAVESITE Rhone American Cemetery, Draguignan, France Plot B Row 9 Grave 18 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION from Bergen...

  12. US PARAS Parks, Leon W.

    SURNAME Parks FORENAME Leon W. UNIT 551 Parachute Infantry Bn (Company B) RANK Private NUMBER 32938245 DATE OF DEATH 21st August 1944 AGE 19 GRAVESITE Rhone American Cemetery,Draguignan,France Plot A Row 1 Grave 9 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION from Mexico,Oswego County,New York...

  13. US PARAS O'Doherty, Robert B.

    SURNAME O'Doherty FORENAME Robert B. UNIT 551 Parachute Infantry Bn (Company C) RANK Private First Class NUMBER 32975683 DATE OF DEATH 8th January 1945 AGE GRAVESITE Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery,Belgium Plot C Row 15 Grave 54 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION from New York,New...

  14. US PARAS Jensen, George William

    SURNAME Jensen FORENAME George William UNIT 551 Parachute Infantry Bn RANK Private First Class NUMBER 35578145 DATE OF DEATH 2nd October 1944 AGE 21 GRAVESITE Rhone American Cemetery, Draguignan, France Plot B Row 6 Grave 3 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION from Lake County, Indiana...

  15. US PARAS Gates, William H.

    SURNAME Gates FORENAME William H. UNIT 551 Parachute Infantry Bn (HQ) RANK Private NUMBER 6939871 DATE OF DEATH 21st August 1944 AGE GRAVESITE Rhone American Cemetery,Draguignan,France Plot A Row 11 Grave 3 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION from Benton County,Minnesota KIA South France

  16. US PARAS Fletcher, Andrew H.,Sr

    SURNAME Fletcher FORENAME Andrew H.,Sr UNIT 551 Parachute Infantry Bn (Company C) RANK Private NUMBER 15115975 DATE OF DEATH 7th January 1945 AGE 26 GRAVESITE Grafton National Cemetery, Grafton, Taylor County, West Virginia Section B Site 1608 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION from...

  17. US PARAS Edgerly, Joseph A.

    SURNAME Edgerly FORENAME Joseph A. UNIT 551 Parachute Infantry Bn (Company B) RANK Private First Class NUMBER 16097920 DATE OF DEATH 4th November 1944 AGE 20 GRAVESITE Rhone American Cemetery, Draguignan, France Plot C Row 7 Grave 17 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION from...

  18. US PARAS Dennis, William E.

    SURNAME Dennis FORENAME William E. UNIT 551 Parachute Infantry Bn (Company B) RANK Private First Class NUMBER 15115562 DATE OF DEATH 21st August 1944 AGE GRAVESITE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION from Dearborn County,Indiana KIA South France

  19. US PARAS Deming, James W.

    SURNAME Deming FORENAME James W. UNIT 551 Parachute Infantry Bn (Company B) RANK Technician Fifth Class NUMBER 12216229 DATE OF DEATH 21st August 1944 AGE GRAVESITE Rhone American Cemetery,Draguignan,France Plot B Row 4 Grave 1 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION from Otsego...

  20. US PARAS Couch, Kimber

    SURNAME Couch FORENAME Kimber UNIT 551 Parachute Infantry Bn (Company C) RANK Private NUMBER 35682895 DATE OF DEATH 3rd January 1945 AGE 22 GRAVESITE Mill Springs National Cemetery,Nancy,Pulaski County,Kentucky Section A Site 787 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION from Perry...
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