506th Infantry going "home"

[Frisbee]

The 506th Infantry

This had been rumored for awhile but now its official … the 1st Battalion 506th Infantry (Air Assault) will be reassigned to the 101st Airborne Division and the 2nd Battalion 506th Infantry reactivated. Both battalions are to be a part of the new 4th Brigade Combat Team of the 101st Airborne Division.

The 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment had been a part of the 101st Airborne Division during WW II. The 506th PIR was the focus of the HBO mini-series A Band Of Brothers. In 1964 the 1st and 2nd Battalions were designated the 506th Airborne Infantry with the 3rd Battalion added in 1967. In 1968 the 101st Airborne Division changed from an Airborne (all paratrooper) division to the new Airmobile concept pioneered in combat by the 1st Air Cavalry Division. These two Airmobile divisions were the forerunners of the modern Air Assault concept. In 1972, after the 101st Airborne Division was withdrawn from Vietnam, all the 506th units were deactivated except the 1st Battalion and then in 1984 the 1st Battalion was released from the 101st Airborne Division and also deactivated. In 1987 the 1st Battalion 506th Infantry was assigned to the 2nd Infantry Division and activated in Korea. The 1st Battalion 506th Infantry is currently deployed in Iraq.

This news does this old warriors heart a world of good for the Currahees of the 506th Infantry are back where they belong with the Screaming Eagles of the 101st Airborne Division.

Currahee

New designations set for 101st units
By: Chief of Staff of the Army Gen. Peter Schoomaker released the new unit designations for the 101st Airborne Division June 28:

1st Brigade Combat Team: 1st Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment 2nd Bn., 327th Inf. Rgt. 1st Bn., 32nd Cavalry Regiment 2nd Bn., 320th Field Artillery Rgt. 426th Forward Support Battalion 1st Bn., 101st Brigade Troop Bn.

2nd Brigade Combat Team: 1st Bn., 502nd Infantry Regiment 2nd Bn., 502nd Inf. Rgt. 1st Bn., 75th Cav. Rgt. 1st Bn.,320th FA 526th Forward Support Bn. 2nd Bn., 101st BTB

3rd Brigade Combat Team: 1st Bn., 187th Infantry Regiment 3rd Bn., 187th Inf. Rgt. 1st Bn., 33rd Cav. Rgt. 3rd Bn., 320th FA 626th Forward Support Bn. 3rd Bn., 101st BTB

4th Brigade Combat Team: 1st Bn., 506th Infantry Regiment 2nd Bn., 506th Inf. Rgt. 1st Bn., 61st Cav. Rgt.
4th Bn., 320th FA 801st Forward Support Bn. 4th Bn., 101st BTB

101st Aviation Brigade: 1st Bn., 101st Aviation Regiment 5th Bn., 101st Avn. Rgt. 6th Bn., 101st Avn. Rgt. 2nd Bn., 17th Cav. Rgt. 96th Aviation Support Battalion
159th Aviation Brigade: 3rd Bn., 101st Avn. Rgt. 4th Bn., 101st Avn. Rgt. 7th Bn., 101st Avn. Rgt. 7th Bn., 17th Cav. Rgt. 563rd Aviation Support Bn.

 

[Frisco-Kid]

Thanks for the update, Bill. This is good news. It's a shame that the 506th was taken from the division to begin with. Way too much history as a whole to be sending PIR's to other units.

Like yourself, I have always been very proud to have been a Screaming Eagle. Thanks again, Bro.

 

[Frisbee]

Yes Tom it is good news. The 506th's legacy, honors and most of it’s lineage is with the 101st Airborne Division. Go figure the Army’s way of thinking that brought the 1/506 to the 2nd ID and Korea but when the Army announced that it was reorganizing it’s divisions into four BCT’s, the former and current commanders of the 101st made it very clear to the DoD that they wanted the 506th back for the 4th BCT. I’m glad the Pentagon listened, for once.