187th Infantry Regiment
| 187th Infantry Regiment | |
|---|---|
Coat of arms
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| Active | 1943–present |
| Country |
 United States
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| Branch |
 United States Army
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| Type | Light infantry |
| Role | Air assault |
| Size | Regiment |
| Garrison/HQ | Fort Campbell |
| Nickname(s) | Rakkasans |
| Motto(s) | Ne Desit Virtus ("Let Valor Not Fail") |
| Engagements | World War II Korean War Vietnam War 1958 Lebanon crisis War in Southwest Asia Afghanistan Campaign Iraq Campaign |
| Insignia | |
| Distinctive unit insignia |
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| Background trimming for 1st and 3rd Battalions |
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| U.S. Infantry Regiments | |
|---|---|
| Previous | Next |
| 186th Infantry Regiment | 188th Infantry Regiment |
The 187th Infantry Regiment (Rakkasans) is a regiment of the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) of the United States Army. The nickname "Rakkasans" is derived from the Japanese word for parachute (literally "umbrella for falling", 落下傘). The name was given to the 187th during its tour in occupied Japan following World War II. When a translator dealing with local Japanese dignitaries was trying to explain what their unit was trained to do (and not knowing the Japanese word for "airborne soldiers") he used the phrase "parachute-men" (literally "falling down umbrella men"), or rakkasan. Amused by the clumsy word, the locals began to call the troopers by that nickname; it soon stuck and became a point of pride for the unit. (Note that modern Japanese uses the English loanword パラシュート (parashūto) for parachute.)
As of 2012[update], the 1st and 3rd battalions are the only active elements of the regiment; they are assigned to the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division.
The regiment was originally constituted as the 187th Glider Infantry Regiment on 12 November 1942, and activated on 25 February 1943 at Camp Mackall, North Carolina. It was originally a two battalion glider regiment assigned to the 11th Airborne Division, the men of the 187th trained both as glider and parachute troops. They moved to Camp Polk on 9 January 1944 for glider training. The regiment staged at Camp Stoneman, California on 29 April 1944, and departed from the San Francisco Port of Embarkation on 6 May 1944.
The regiment arrived in New Guinea on 29 May 1944 and joined the New Guinea Campaign. The regiment departed New Guinea on 11 November 1944, and arrived on Leyte on 18 November 1944 to join the Leyte Campaign.
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