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| Category: Army
History/WW2 |
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503rd Parachute Regiment, US
Army in WW2 |
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The WW2 patch of the 503rd
Parachute Infantry Regiment. Worn
from: Late 1943 - December
1945 (Unauthorized). The design is a caricature of an angry wild cat
rapidly descending toward its target. Campaigns:
World War II (New Guinea, Leyte, Luzon, Southern Philippines). Decorations:
Distinguished Unit Citation (streamer embroidered Corregidor) and
Philippine Presidential Unit Citation (streamer embroidered 17 October
1944 - 4 July 1945). |
Worn
from: Feb 45 - Dec 1945. Approved for local wear only. The design
incorporates the unit's motto, "The Rock," which refers to its
airborne drop on the island of Corregidor. |
The current 503rd patch |
| The 503d Parachute
Infantry Battalion, one of the original formations of the
expanding U.S. Army Airborne forces, was activated and organized in
August 1941. On 24 February 1942, the 503d Parachute Infantry Regiment
was formed. The Regiments 1st and 2nd Battalions were formed at Fort
Benning, GA, from the 503d and 504th Parachute Battalions, respectively.
Shortly thereafter, the Regiment was deployed as an independent
parachute regiment to join General MacArthur's forces in the South
Pacific theater.
After several months of preparation,
the 503d Parachute Infantry Regiment assaulted Corregidor Island, the
Philippines, for which the unit was awarded a Presidential Unit
Citation.
The two other airborne operations
included an assault on the Japanese-held Nadzab airstrip, New Guinea, 5
September 1943, and Kamiri Airfield on Noemfoor Island off the coast of
Dutch New Guinea, 3 July 1944.
Inactivated at Camp Anza, CA, in
December 1945. it was reactivated and redesignated as Company B, 503d
Airborne Infantry in February 1951 and assigned to the 11th Airborne
Division at Fort Campbell, KY. |
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Atherton Tableland, Qld. 1943-07-02.
Colonel Hensler, 503rd United States
Parachute Unit.
AWM photo 053736 |
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Original unauthorised
WW2 arm patch |
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Nadzab, New Guinea. 1943-09-05.
US C47 aircraft flying in over the
Nadzab drop zone behind a smoke screen laid down by A20 (BOSTON)
aircraft during the assault delivering men of the 503rd Parachute Infantry
Regiment. |
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| One
Battalion is jumping from the transport aircraft in the foreground and
another can be seen in the left background ringed by smoke. A Detachment
of the 2/4th Field Regiment also jumped with eight of their short
25 pounders to provide artillery support. (Donor L. Waterhouse) |
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Markham
Valley, New Guinea. 1943-09-05.
Screened by dense smoke, paratroopers of 503 US Paratroop Infantry
Regiment and Gunners of 2/4th Australian Field Regiment with their 25
pounders land unopposed at Nadzab, during the advance of 7th Australian
Division on Lae. |
| Noemfoor Island, Dutch New Guinea.
1944-07-03.
RAAF and American aerodrome
construction workers look on while paratroops of the 503rd Parachute
Regiment. US Army glide to earth on Kamiri airstrip. |
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