3rd Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment
| 3rd Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1943–present |
| Country | United States |
| Allegiance | United States of America |
| Branch | United States Army |
| Garrison/HQ | Fort Campbell |
| Nickname(s) | "Iron Rakkasans" |
| Engagements |
World War II Korean War Vietnam War War in Southwest Asia Afghanistan Campaign Iraq Campaign |
| Insignia | |
| 187th Infantry distinctive unit insignia |  |
The 3rd Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment, also known as the Iron Rakkasans, is a battalion of the US Army 187th Infantry Regiment. The battalion was activated on 25 February 1943, and first saw action in the Pacific Theater of the Second World War, during the battle to regain US control of the Philippines. Troops from the battalion then served in the four-year occupation of Japan, where they earned their nickname "Rakkasans" (meaning "falling down umbrellas"), before stationing in Fort Campbell, Kentucky. The battalion served in the Korean War from 1950 as the 187th Airborne Regimental Combat Team and participated in 12 major missions during the Vietnam War, emerging from that conflict as the US’s most highly decorated airborne battalion. In the 1990s the battalion served in Iraq as part of Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm, then in the first decade of the 21st century in Afghanistan and again in Iraq as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The battalion has received numerous awards and commendations, including six Presidential Unit Citations and four Valorous Unit Awards.
The 3rd Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment was activated on 25 February 1943 at Camp Mackall, North Carolina as part of the 187th Glider Infantry Regiment. In March 1944, the Battalion deployed to the Pacific Theater as part of the 11th Airborne Division. After six months of training in New Guinea, the 187th was committed to combat in Leyte in the campaign to regain control of the Philippine Islands. In the subsequent fighting the unit repelled and destroyed a 500-man Japanese parachute assault and earned the battalion’s first Presidential Unit Citation (Army). It also participated in an amphibious assault on southern Luzon, forced a Japanese retreat at the battle of Tagatay Ridge, and pierced the Genko defensive line during the attack on Manila. For its actions during World War II, the Iron Rakkasans received three campaign streamers.
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