503rd Infantry Regiment (United States)
| 503rd Parachute Infantry Regiment 503rd Airborne Infantry Regiment 503rd Infantry Regiment |
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|---|---|
Coat of arms
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| Active | 1941–1945 1951–1984 1986–present |
| Country |
 United States
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| Branch |
 United States Army
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| Type | Airborne forces |
| Role | Parachute infantry |
| Size | Regiment |
| Nickname(s) | The Rock |
| Engagements |
World War II Vietnam War Afghanistan Operation Iraqi Freedom |
| Decorations | Presidential Unit Citation |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders |
George M. Jones |
| Insignia | |
| Distinctive unit insignia |
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| Unit flash of 1st Battalion |
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| Unit flash of 2nd Battalion |
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| U.S. Infantry Regiments | |
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| Previous | Next |
| 502nd Infantry Regiment | 504th Infantry Regiment |
The 503rd Infantry Regiment, formerly the 503rd Parachute Infantry Regiment (PIR) and the 503rd Airborne Infantry Regiment (AIR), is an airborne forces infantry regiment of the United States Army. The regiment served as an independent regiment in the Pacific War during World War II; at Fort Campbell, Kentucky; in Okinawa, Japan; and in Germany. Regimental elements have been assigned to the 2nd Infantry Division, the 11th Airborne Division, the 24th Infantry Division, the 82nd Airborne Division, and the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team. Regimental elements have participated in campaigns in the Vietnam War, Operation Enduring Freedom–Afghanistan, and Operation Iraqi Freedom. The regiment claims 15 Medal of Honor recipients: two from World War II, 10 from Vietnam, and three from Afghanistan. A parent regiment under the U.S. Army Regimental System. The regiment's 1st and 2nd Battalions are active, assigned to the 173rd Airborne Brigade, based in Vicenza, Italy.
On 14 February 1942, just two months after the American entry into World War II, the 503rd Parachute Infantry Regiment was formed, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel William M. "Bud" Miley. The regiment's 1st and 2nd Battalions were formed at Fort Benning, Georgia, from the 503rd and 504th Parachute Battalions, respectively. En route to Australia, the 503rd picked up a third battalion in Panama, where they had been undergoing jungle training. Unlike many other airborne units, which were deployed in the European Theater of Operations (ETO), the 503rd was the first airborne regiment to fight in the Pacific, and as an independent unit.
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