Answer Initially, the 101st Airborne Division had 8,596 man strength. The airborne Division was smaller than an infantry division, which had approximately 15,000 men. The Airborne Division had 3 Regiments made up of 3 battalions consisting of 3 companies. The infantry had 3 regiments divided into 3 battalions of 4 companies Later in the war, the Airborne Divisions were increased to four three-battalion regiments and had an assigned strength of well over 12,335.
The typical airborne division in WW2 was smaller than the infantry division and had around 9,000 men when fully equipped. However, due to high casualty rate, the 101st Airborne Division had many replacements during its time in combat. I don't know the exact number of men who served in the 101 ABD but it could easily be double that or 18,000 men.
After the 101st was formed, only the toughest men were allowed to serve. The Division needed men that could survive being dropped from an airplane behind enemy lines and still fight and win. Only 1 in 3 men passed the selection criteria to serve in the 101st which included a 140 mile foot march in 3 days and rigorous airborne training.
The men of the 101st Abn (Ambl) Div. took Hamburger Hill in May 1969. The 173rd Abn fought at Dak To in November 1967.
This was the VC's first large scale engagement with helicopter borne combat troops, which occurred in 1962. Helicopter warfare WAS NEW to the world. Airborne Infantrymen (paratroopers) were born during WWII, the US Army experimented with the new concept of "Airmobile" (helicopter borne) Infantrymen during the early stages of the Vietnam War. By the time of the Ia Drang Battle in 1965 (see film: "We Were Soldiers...), the doctrine of Airmobile Divisions were now validated, and the US Army's 1st Cavalry Division became the 1st Air Cavalry Division. Later, the 101st Airborne Division would become the 101st Airborne (Airmobile) Division. The 101st Airborne was allowed to retain it's "Airborne" tab (above the shoulder patch Eagle's head), instead of replacing it with the "Airmobile" tab. In 1962, the communists learned how to determine how many choppers were enroute to their position, by the sound of the engines; they learned that if air activity was high over a certain area (aerial reconnaissance), then to be prepared for an air assault within that area. They learned that choppers can return machingun fire, and where those weapons can be positioned on the helicopter. They learned that if obstacles are placed on the LZ (Landing Zone) then the birds MUST disembark their infantrymen from the "hover" (without touching the ground). For anti-aircraft gunners, they learned some idea, about how long a helicopter would stay in the kill zone, while disembarking it's men.
If you are referring to the flight manifests for each aircraft then yes, there is a list of the men from the 82nd & 101st Airborne Divisions that landed in Holland on Sept. 17, 1944. Richard V. Horrell WW 2 Connections.com
The order of battle of invasion troops for OLYMPIC/MAJESTIC were 14 Divisions: 10 Army Infantry, 1 Airborne and 3 USMC equal 450,000 combat and support troops staged at Okinawa.United States U.S. Sixth Army Yakushima and Koshikijima Islands - 40th Infantry Division (22,000 men)Tanegashima - 158th Infantry Regiment (7,600 men)Miyazaki - U.S. I Corps (95,000 men): 25th Infantry Division, 33d Infantry Division, 41st Infantry DivisionAriake - U.S. XI Corps (113,000 men): 1st Cavalry Division, 43d Infantry Division, Americal Division, 112th Cavalry RegimentKushikino - U.S. V Amphib Corps (99,000 men): 2nd Marine Div., 3d Marine Division, 5th Marine Division6th Army reserves - U.S. IX Corps (79,000 men): 77th Infantry Division, 81st Infantry Division, 98th Infantry Division;11th Airborne Division (15,000 men)
screaming eagles
The 101st Airborne Division ("Screaming Eagles") is an elite modular specialized light infantry division.It began in WW2. At first, it was an "experimental unit" with predictions of up to 80% of the men could die (but that many did not die).
After the 101st was formed, only the toughest men were allowed to serve. The Division needed men that could survive being dropped from an airplane behind enemy lines and still fight and win. Only 1 in 3 men passed the selection criteria to serve in the 101st which included a 140 mile foot march in 3 days and rigorous airborne training.
H-hour was the name given to the airborne assault in the Battle of Normandy. It included the American 101st Airborne Division and 82nd Airborne Division With the British 6th Airborne Division. This took place about three hours before the main beach landings on the Normandy. The Airborne invasion consisted of over 50,000 men and around 1,200 planes and gliders. The combined assault of British and American Airborne and glider divisions would surprise the German defenders and cause enough havoc to make the beach landings go more smoothly.
I can't seem to find a total for both 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions."By the end of the day, the 101st Airborne Division had assembled only 2,500 of the 6,600 men who had dropped during the morning hours."Quoted from page 288 of US Army's History of WW2 volume entitled "Cross-Channel Attack".From Service of Supply Militaria & Reproductions-For D-Day, the US airborne divisions landed 3 parachute infantry regiments (PIR) with about 11,000 (TO&E 11,432) troopers in each division. That is for both the 82nd and the 101st. This figure includes all attached units, glider, artillery, and parachute infantry, plus medical, headquarters, etc.http://www.serviceofsupply.com
The 82nd Airborne Division was a paratrooper division and therefore it was smaller than the typical Infantry Division. A paratrooper division were authorized to have about 9,000 men in its organization whereas an Infantry Division had 15,000 men. An airborne division had 9 companies in each of the three regiments whereas the infantry division had 12 companies in each of its regiments.
The Band of Brothers are the men from easy company 2nd battalionor 101st airborne division assigned to the 506th parachute infantry regiment.They fought in the great from 1942 to 1945 they were the best. They fought through the whole war until the end that's how the band of brothers are.
The men of the 101st Abn (Ambl) Div. took Hamburger Hill in May 1969. The 173rd Abn fought at Dak To in November 1967.
"Rakkasan" is, when loosely translated from Japanese to English; Paratrooper or Parachute. The 187th Airborne REGIMENT fought originally as part of the 11th Airborne Division during WW2 in the Pacific. Intercepted Japanese radio transmissions during WW2 indicated that "Rakkasans" were paratroopers; the men of the 187th Regiment liked the name, and adapted it as their "nickname." When the 187th Regiment deployed to Vietnam, they were part of the 101st Airborne Division. It was the 187th that took the brunt of the fight for Hamburger Hill in 1969. the 187th Airborne Regt. Combat Team was relieved from the 11th Airborne Division in 1950 and deployed to Korea. In 1951 there was a 3 day pass prize for the best patch submitted by members of the 187th (in Beppu, Japan) That is how the patch of the 187th Airborne RCT originated. I might add that I did NOT win the 3 day pass for best shoulder patch design for the 187th Airborne RCT............
Contrary to popular error, the 101st does not sing "Blood Upon the Risers", which is a stupid song anyway. The 101st song is called "Rendezvous with Destiny". The current, and correct lyrics are as follows:We have a Rendezvous with Destiny!Our Strength and Spirit strike the SparkThat will always make Men Free!Assault right down from the Skies of Blue!Keep your Eyes on the Job to be done!We're the Soldiers of the 101st!We'll Fight till the Battles won!The original lyrics (Pre-Desert Storm) were:We have a Rendezvous with Destiny!Our Strength and Spirit strike the SparkThat will always make Men Free!Jump right down from the Skies of Blue!Keep your Eyes on the Job to be done!We're the Men of the 101st!We'll Fight till the Battles won!There are many Airborne songs and songs about the 101st, but this is the official Division Song, sung at all formal military functions such as Changes of Command ceremonies, Retirments, WLC graduations, etc.
This was the VC's first large scale engagement with helicopter borne combat troops, which occurred in 1962. Helicopter warfare WAS NEW to the world. Airborne Infantrymen (paratroopers) were born during WWII, the US Army experimented with the new concept of "Airmobile" (helicopter borne) Infantrymen during the early stages of the Vietnam War. By the time of the Ia Drang Battle in 1965 (see film: "We Were Soldiers...), the doctrine of Airmobile Divisions were now validated, and the US Army's 1st Cavalry Division became the 1st Air Cavalry Division. Later, the 101st Airborne Division would become the 101st Airborne (Airmobile) Division. The 101st Airborne was allowed to retain it's "Airborne" tab (above the shoulder patch Eagle's head), instead of replacing it with the "Airmobile" tab. In 1962, the communists learned how to determine how many choppers were enroute to their position, by the sound of the engines; they learned that if air activity was high over a certain area (aerial reconnaissance), then to be prepared for an air assault within that area. They learned that choppers can return machingun fire, and where those weapons can be positioned on the helicopter. They learned that if obstacles are placed on the LZ (Landing Zone) then the birds MUST disembark their infantrymen from the "hover" (without touching the ground). For anti-aircraft gunners, they learned some idea, about how long a helicopter would stay in the kill zone, while disembarking it's men.
If you are referring to the flight manifests for each aircraft then yes, there is a list of the men from the 82nd & 101st Airborne Divisions that landed in Holland on Sept. 17, 1944. Richard V. Horrell WW 2 Connections.com