A Brief of History of the 82nd Airborne Division

The origins of the 82nd Airborne Division of thegroup to come into Naples, Italy. To recognize their
United States Army go back to the time of Worldcontribution, the United States and French
War I when the 82nd was Infantry and use ofgovernments awarded the Division the Presidential
paratroopers in battle was 25 years and anotherUnit Citation, the Fourrangere of the Croix de Guerre,
world war in the future. The 82nd Infantry Divisionand two Croix de Guerre.
was activated in August 1917 at Camp Gordon,In September 1944, the 82nd was part of the
Georgia. During World War I, the division wascampaign known as Operation Market Garden in
employed in three major World War I campaigns.Holland. After 56 days of combat, the Division
The division counted among its troopscaptured and secured the bridges over the Maas and
representatives from every state in the Union andWaal Rivers. Finally, in December 1944, the 82nd was
became known as "All Americans". The insignia of thesent to fight in Belgium's Ardennes Forest during the
82nd Division is a dark blue circle on a square redBattle of the Bulge. By the time World War II ended,
field. On the blue circle, two white A's appear side by2000 troops of the division had been killed in battle
side.and an additional 6000 had been wounded. They had
On March 25, 1942, the 82nd Infantry Division wasfought six campaigns over 442 days.
activated to fight under the commandership ofSince World War II, the 82nd Airborne Division has
General Omar Bradley in World War II. On August 15,been sent on other missions. It was deployed to the
1942, the 82nd was restructured to form the 82ndDominican Republic during that nation's civil war as
Airborne, the first airborne division in the Unitedpart of Operation Powerpack. The Division served for
States Army. Their superb training had prepared22 months from January 1968 in Vietnam. During the
them to be chosen for this honor. The day after this1970's, the Division was sent to Korea, Turkey, and
activation, the paratroopers with the 82nd AirborneGreece. In 1983, the 82nd participated in Operation
were divided up between the 82nd and the 101stUrgent Fury in Grenada and in 1988, Operation Golden
Airborne Divisions. A blue crest with the wordPheasant which drove the Sandinista troops from
"Airborne" in white letters was added above theHonduras and back to Nicaragua. In December 1989,
82nd Division insignia.during Operation Just Cause, the 82nd Airborne
In October 1942, the base home of the 82ndsecured Panama's Torrijos International Airport.
Airborne Division changed to Fort Bragg, NorthIn the last two decades, the 82nd Airborne Division
Carolina. The first mission the division was assignedhas been deployed to Kuwait (August 1990) in
was the invasion of Sicily. On July 9, 1943,Operation Desert Shield, to Kosovo in the Balkans
paratroopers dropped onto the island but were(summer 1999), to Afghanistan in Operation Enduring
scattered over a wide area by an evening storm.Freedom and to Iraq for Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Despite this, the Division gained 150 miles in five days.The 82nd Airborne Division has truly earned the right
As the Division took the island of Sicily, 23,000to be called "America's Guard of Honor", a nickname
enemy soldiers were captured.it was given in 1945 after the honorable service
On June 5, 1944, the 82nd Airborne was the firstrendered during World War II. Among the
sent into the Battle of Normandy. For 33 straightdistinguished members of the 82nd Airborne were
days of battle, the Division had no replacements andSenator Strom Thurmond and Representative Patrick
no relief but did not surrender any ground taken byMurphy.
the Allied forces. The 82nd was the first combat