551st parachute infantry battalion

551ST PARACHUTE INFANTRY BATTALION
2SAS: Bill Stirling and the forgotten SAS unit of World War II
2SAS: Bill Stirling and the forgotten SAS unit of World War II
By Gavin Mortimer
Beyond the Chindwin
Beyond the Chindwin
By Bernard Fergusson
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. 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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  2. 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...

  3. 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...

  4. 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...

  5. 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

  6. 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...

  7. 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...

  8. 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...

  9. 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...

  10. 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

  11. 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

  12. 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...

  13. US PARAS Clark, John L.

    SURNAMEClark FORENAMEJohn L. UNIT551 Parachute Infantry Bn (Company A) RANKPrivate NUMBER DATE OF DEATH1945 AGE GRAVESITE ADDITIONAL INFORMATIONKIA Belgium transferred to 504 PIR no trace in records

  14. US PARAS Black, Sidney Richard, Jr.

    SURNAME Black FORENAME Sidney Richard, Jr. UNIT 551 Parachute Infantry Bn (Company A) RANK Private First Class NUMBER 18116471 DATE OF DEATH 8th June 1946 AGE 25 GRAVESITE High Island Cemetery, High Island, Texas, USA ADDITIONAL INFORMATION born 26.01.1921 Jennings...

  15. US PARAS Billman, Lewis Richard

    SURNAME Billman FORENAME Lewis Richard UNIT 551 Parachute Infantry Bn (Company B) RANK Technician Fifth Class NUMBER 35392487 DATE OF DEATH 21st August 1944 AGE 23 GRAVESITE Rhone American Cemetery, Draguignan, France Plot D Row 11 Grave 5 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION from Stark...

  16. US PARAS Bejma, Frank Joseph

    SURNAME Bejma FORENAME Frank Joseph UNIT 551 Parachute Infantry Bn (HQ) RANK Private First Class NUMBER 36250841 DATE OF DEATH 8th January 1945 AGE 23 GRAVESITE Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery, Belgium Plot D Row 12 Grave 43 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION from Milwaukee County...

  17. US PARAS Beauchaine, Arthur E.,Jr

    SURNAME Beauchaine FORENAME Arthur E.,Jr UNIT 551 Parachute Infantry Bn (Service Company) RANK Technician Fifth Class NUMBER 11039984 DATE OF DEATH 3rd January 1945 AGE 24 GRAVESITE Penacook Calvary Cemetery, Penacook, New Hampshire, USA ADDITIONAL INFORMATION from...

  18. US PARAS Banks, Wilbur M.

    SURNAME Banks FORENAME Wilbur M. UNIT 551 Parachute Infantry Bn (Company A) RANK Staff Sergeant NUMBER 39836011 DATE OF DEATH 3rd January 1945 AGE 29 GRAVESITE Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery, Belgium Plot F Row 9 Grave 46 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION from Solano, California...

  19. US PARAS Banks, Ray

    SURNAME Banks FORENAME Ray UNIT 551 Parachute Infantry Bn (Company C) RANK Corporal NUMBER 6953527 DATE OF DEATH 3rd January 1945 AGE 21 GRAVESITE Fort Smith National Cemetery, Fort Smith, Sebastian County, Arkansas Section 4 Site 2251 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION from Braden...

  20. US PARAS Anderson, Robert Egnar

    SURNAME Anderson FORENAME Robert Egnar UNIT 551 Parachute Infantry Bn (Company A) RANK Sergeant NUMBER 39024770 DATE OF DEATH 3rd January 1945 AGE 33 GRAVESITE Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery, Belgium Plot F Row 1 Grave 44 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION from Alameda, California...
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