509th Infantry Regiment (United States)

509th Parachute Infantry Regiment 509th Infantry Regiment
509th Infantry Regiment coat of arms
Active	1942–45 1947-present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Army
Type	Airborne forces
Size	Two battalions
Part of	Joint Readiness Training Center and 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division
Garrison/HQ	Fort Polk, Louisiana and Fort Richardson, Alaska
Nickname(s)	The Gingerbread Men, Geronimo, "G" Man
Motto(s)	All the Way / Geronimo
Colors	Black and gold
Engagements	World War II North Africa Campaign (WWII) Italy Southern France Battle of the Bulge Iraq Campaign
Commanders
Current commander	LTC Curtis Rowland Jr.
Notable commanders	Edson Raff Doyle Yardley William P. Yarborough
Insignia
Distinctive unit insignia
Unit beret flashes for 1st and 3rd Battalions

World War II

The 509th Infantry Regiment is an airborne infantry regiment of the United States Army. Previously titled the 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment (509th PIR) was the first parachute infantry unit of the U.S. Army to make a combat jump during World War II. Currently its 1st and 3rd battalions are active. The 1st Battalion serves as the Opposing Force (OPFOR) at the Army's Joint Readiness Training Center at Fort Polk, Louisiana. The 3rd Battalion is assigned to the 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division, at Fort Richardson, Alaska.

With the advent of World War II, the United States Armed Forces foresaw a need for highly mobile units that the Allies could quickly insert into the theater of battle. The 509th PIR was originally constituted on 14 March 1941 as the 504th Parachute Battalion and activated on 5 October 1941 at Fort Benning, Georgia. The 503rd and 504th Parachute Infantry Battalions were joined together to form the 503rd Parachute Infantry Regiment on 24 February 1942 at Fort Bragg, NC. The 504th PIB was reorganized and redesignated as the 2nd Battalion, 503rd Parachute Infantry Regiment, and its Companies A, B, and C were redesignated as Companies D, E, and F, respectively, of the 503rd PIR.

In June 1942, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Edson Duncan Raff, the 2nd Battalion, 503rd PIR was detached from the 503rd PIR and sailed to Scotland, becoming the first American parachute unit to go overseas in World War II. It was attached to the British 1st Airborne Division for training, which included mass tactical jumps from C-47 aircraft at 350 feet, extensive night training, and speed marching for 10 miles to and from the training area daily; and on one occasion, marching 32 miles in 11 hours. In summer 1942, Allied forces were completing the task of planning Operation Torch, the invasion of North Africa, with the 2nd Battalion, 503rd PIR scheduled to take the lead and make the first combat jump.