A while back we shared with you a photo series that the Old Time Design Company did in commemoration of the British paratroopers at Arnhem during Operation Market-Garden. Recently they turned their attention to a study of the formation and equipping of Britain parachute troops during the early years of the war… Part I – […]
In honor of National Airborne Day yesterday, and to give credit where it’s due to these other pioneers and unsung heroes… The 555th Parachute Infantry Battalion was nicknamed “Triple Nickles” because of its numerical designation and because 17 of its original 24 “colored test platoon” were from the 92nd Infantry (“Buffalo Soldiers”) Division of the […]
22nd June 1940: The Formation of Airborne Forces. On the 22nd June 1940, Winston Churchill sent a letter to General Ismay requesting a corps of at least 5000 airborne troops. Churchill had been impressed by the successes of German parachute and glider-borne troops in securing vital objectives ahead of the armoured ‘Blitzkrieg’ that had steamrolled […]
The Maroon Beret The 82d Airborne Division’s iconic maroon beret dates back to World War II and, like many other berets in the U.S. Army, is a tribute to the British Forces. The maroon beret was originally given to the U.S. Army’s 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment by their British counterparts, in addition to an honorary […]