History
The 101st Airborne Division was activated on 15 August 1942, as a brand new tactical unit. The division was formed as Airborne division unlike 82nd division, which was redesignated from infantry to airborne division. Both divisions formed first american airborne divisions. Regiments were assigned to the divisions in random way.
In September 1942 both divisions were moved to Fort Bragg, where began airborne training. In the beginning military training was very chaotic. Officers, who trained their subordinates, were learning new things literally day before other soldiers. During training new regiments were attached. The first was 502nd PIR (Parachute Infantry Regiment). Two other regiments began glider training. One of them was 327th GIR (Glider Infantry Regiment) which soon became part of 101st. After that 377th PFAB (Parachute Field Artillery Battalion) and 321st (PFAB) were attached to the division.
In June of 1943, division received the second PIR, the 506th. In September 1943, 101st division moved to England, where 501st PIR was attached. On 6 June 1944 101st division made first combat jump during operation Overlord. In July 1944 division was withdrawn from Normandy and moved again to England, where was waiting for next operation. During the rest of the summer, the Allied airborne forces prepared several operations, but only on 17 September 1944 division made second combat jump during Operation Market-Garden in Holland.
In November 1944 the Screaming Eagles were moved from the front line in Holland to France. In December another Parachute Field Artillery Battalion was attached to the division, the 463rd. Couple days later division went overland to Bastogne to help with defending from German counteroffensive in Ardennes. Screaming Eagles were surrounded by enemy. At that time conditions were very hard. Without ammunition, medical supplies and winter uniforms, soldiers were fighting till end of Februar 1945. After that division was withdrawn to France in order to reorganize and then at the end of March 1945 101st moved to Germany. In the last months of war division liberated couple concentration camps, fought in Bavaria and captured Obersalzberg with Hitler's mountain residence.
In May 1945, after German capitulation, the division went to Austria, where served as occupation forces. After that were moved to France to begin training for the invasion of Japan. These plans were canceled after the Japanese surrender. The end of war caused deactivation of 101st division on 30 November 1945.
