507th Parachute Infantry Regiment (United States)

507th Parachute Infantry Regiment 507th Infantry Regiment
Distinctive unit insignia of the 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment.
Active	1942–1945 1948–1949 1985–present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Army
Type	Airborne forces
Role	Parachute Infantry
Part of	United States Army Infantry School, Airborne and Ranger Training Brigade
Garrison/HQ	Fort Benning
Nickname(s)	"Raff's Ruffians"
Motto(s)	"Down to Earth"
Engagements	World War II
Commanders
Current commander	LTC Scott Brannon (1st Bn, 507th PIR; May 2016 until Present)
Notable commanders	COL Edson Raff
Insignia
Shoulder sleeve insignia worn by paratroopers of the 1st of the 507th PIR
Unit flash

The 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment (507th PIR), now the 507th Infantry Regiment, was an airborne infantry regiment of the United States Army. The regiment was initially assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division in World War II before transferring to the 17th Airborne Division. Now 1st Battalion, 507th Infantry Regiment is part of the United States Army Infantry School, subordinate to its Airborne and Ranger Training Brigade, responsible for the Army's Basic Airborne School, Jumpmaster School, Pathfinder School, and the "Silver Wings" Command Exhibition Parachute Team.

The 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment was initially formed at , Georgia on 20 July 1942, under command of Colonel George V. Millett. It would participate in three operations during World War II: D-Day, the Battle of the Bulge and Operation Varsity.

As part of the 2nd Airborne Brigade alongside a sister unit, the 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, the 507th PIR was assigned to the veteran 82nd "All American" Airborne Division, commanded Major General Matthew Ridgway, to replace the 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, which had suffered many casualties while serving, with distinction, in the fighting in Italy. The regiment arrived in the United Kingdom in late 1943, and began training and preparing for the invasion of Normandy, scheduled for the spring of 1944. Their D-Day objective during Mission Boston, part of the American airborne landings in Normandy, was to help secure the Merderet River crossings. Although their target was supposed to be in Drop Zone T, north of Amfreville, the confusion caused by clouds and flak resulted in a wide scattering of the unit. During this action, Private Joe Gandara earned the Medal of Honor for single-handedly attacking three German machine gun emplacements. Elements of the 3rd Battalion were involved in the Battle of Graignes. Colonel Millett, the regimental commander, was captured in Amfreville a few days after being deployed. Colonel Edson Raff, who had recently led the 509th Parachute Infantry Battalion, then took command of the regiment. The 507th PIR later became known as Raff's Ruffians. The 507th continued to fight in the Battle of Normandy, sustaining heavy casualties (losing almost 200 men in two days shortly before being withdrawn), before returning to England in July.