101st Airborne Division | |
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The shoulder sleeve insignia of the 101st Airborne Division.
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Active | 1918 1921–42 1942–45 1948–49 1950–56 1956–present |
Country | United States of America |
Branch | United States Army |
Type | Light infantry |
Role |
Air assault Combat aviation Foreign internal defense Counter-terrorism |
Size | Division |
Part of | XVIII Airborne Corps |
Headquarters | Fort Campbell, Kentucky, U.S. |
Nickname(s) | "Screaming Eagles" (special designation) |
Motto(s) | Rendezvous With Destiny |
Color of Beret | Black |
Mascot(s) | Bald eagle (Old Abe) |
Engagements |
Korean War |
Website | Official Website |
Commanders | |
Commander | MG Andrew P. Poppas |
Command Sergeant Major | CSM Todd W. Sims |
Insignia | |
Combat service identification badge | |
Distinctive unit insignia of Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion | |
Flag |
Korean War
Vietnam War
Persian Gulf War
Global War on Terrorism
The 101st Airborne Division ("Screaming Eagles") is an elite modular specialized light infantry division of the United States Army trained for air assault operations. It is the most potent and tactically mobile of the U.S. Army's divisions, and has been referred to as "the tip of the spear." The 101st Airborne at a moment's notice is able to plan, coordinate, and execute brigade-size air assault operations capable of seizing key terrain in support of operational objectives, and is capable of working in austere environments with limited or degraded infrastructure. These particular operations are conducted by highly mobile teams covering extensive distances and engaging enemy forces behind enemy lines. Its unique battlefield mobility and high level of training have kept the Division in the vanguard of America's land combat forces in recent conflicts. More recently, the 101st Airborne has been performing foreign internal defense and counter-terrorism operations within Iraq and Afghanistan.
The 101st Airborne Division has a nearly century-long history. During World War II, it was renowned for its role in Operation Overlord (the D-Day landings and airborne landings on 6 June 1944, in Normandy, France), Operation Market Garden, the liberation of the Netherlands and, perhaps most famously, its action during the Battle of the Bulge around the city of Bastogne, Belgium. During the Vietnam War, the 101st Airborne Division fought in several major campaigns and battles including the Battle of Hamburger Hill in May 1969.