Download - 1h Parachute Infantry Regiment
The 5081h Parachute Infantry Regiment
By
MSG Kenith W. Cooper
SGM Alfredo Albizu
Leadership L06
3 March 2006
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MILITARY HISTORY BRIEF OUTLINE
The 5081h Parachute Infantry Regiment
I. Introduction.
l. Good morning SGM Albizu and fellow classmates ofL06, I am MSG Kenith W.
Cooper.
2. Today I will conduct an infonnation briefing on The 5081h PIR. (WWII Medal of
Honor Recipient). This briefing is unclassified.
3. The purpose of this briefing is to infonn you of the actions of the 5081h PIR during
WWII.
II. Body.
1. Activation of the 5081h PIR
2. Combat operations during WWII
3. Medal of Honor Recipients
4. The 5081h PIR Current status
III. Closing
l. Summary
2. Questions
3. Concluding statement
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The 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment
The 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment (PIR) History is one to remember. Some
people may ask what the 508th PIR (Red Devil) is and why is it important? A brief look
back into time will answer these questions.
The 508th PIR was activated on February 1942 under the command of Lieutenant
Colonel (LTC) Roy E. Lindquist at Camp Blanding, Florida. LTC Lindquist commanded
the 508th PIR throughout its participation during World War II (WWII). He tumed over
command to LTC Holmes in December 1945.
The Red Devils conducted basic training at Camp Blanding until 5 February 1943. At
this time the Red Devils were relocated to Fort Benning, Georgia to conduct Basic
Airbome training. Once the Red Devils completed this phase of training they were
moved to Camp Mackall, North Carolina on 25 March 1943. The Red Devils continued
to conduct advance and specialized training until 19 December 1943 .
The Red Devils had s short stay at Camp Shanks, New York (20-29 December 1943).
This was the Red Devils last stop before heading off to Europe. On 29 December 1943
the Red Devils boarded the U.S. Anny ship James Parker bound for Northen1 Ireland.
The Red Devils arrived at Belfast, Ireland on 8 January 1944. The stay in lreland was
brief, for on 13 March 1944 the 508th PIR moved to Wollaton Park, England located on
the outskirts of Nottingham, England. This was the 508 th PIR home base and rear
detachment until the end of the war.
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In May 1944 the 508tl1 PIR became part of the 821ld Airborne (ABN) Division (DIV).
The 821ld was also known as the All Americans and America's Guard of Honor. The Red
Devils began training in preparation for its mission in the invasion of Europe. The field
training exercises, parachute jumps, and live fires exercises kept the Red Devils busy and
ready for combat.
The Red Devils wait for combat was soon over as the unit Commander informed their
troopers that the invasion was immanent. A short while later the Red Devi Is moved to a
departure airfield in Folkingham, England. At the airfield the troopers received necessary
equipment and detailed planning started to insure that everyone knew the Drop Zone
(DZ), objectives, and password.
The 508tl1 PIR reinforced with Bravo Company 307tl1 Airbon1e Engineer, mission was
to destroy the bridges over the Douve River and establish a secure bridgehead up to Le
Hameau-Renouf. On 5 June 1944 the Red Devils began its phase of the D-Day invasion.
By 0215 hours on 6 June 1944 the initial elements of the 821ld ABN DIY landed on
French soil.
During the Airborne Assault on NOlmandy, clouds and heavy anti-aircraft fire broke
up the flight formations and many planes went off course. Consequently the Pathfinders
were unable to mark the drop zone. This caused many pilots to tum on the jump lights
after they had overshot the DZ. The Red Devil became spread out all over the Normandy
countryside. The heavily loaded paratroopers landed in swamps along the river. The Red
Devils scrambled to organize small fighting units.
Unable to assemble enough troopers to occupy the west bank of the Douve River, the
Red Devils secured the main railroad from Cherbourg to Caretan. The railroad sat on
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high ground, which was an easy recognizable terrain feature. The Red Devils organized
into small units began the difficult task of securing the bridge over the Douve River.
The 5081h PIR fought fiercely for 33 days after jumping into Normandy. The Red Devils
stopped the reinforcements of the Axis Forces who defended the French coast.
The Red Devils returned to England on 13 July 1944. During the Nornlandy invasion
the 5081h PIR suffered many casulties 1061 out of 2056, of these casualties 307 were
Killed-In-Action (KIA). The stay in England was brief, as the Red Devils began
preparations for Operation Market Garden.
The intent of Operation Market Garden was to secure a bridgehead across the Rhine
River in Holland. The 5081h PIR executed a combat jump into Holland as part of
Operation Market Garden. Initially there was little resistance, however heavy fighting
began and lasted for days.
Near Voxhill, Holland First Sergeant Leonard A. Funk Jr., Company C, led a three
man assault against a German 20mm FLAK Battery. The 20mm FLAK guns took aim at
the American Gliders preventing them from landing. 1SG Funk secured the 20mm
FLAK guns killing approximately twenty members of the gun crew. Once the 20mm
guns were silenced the American Gliders were now able to land and provide
reinforcements to the paratroopers on ground. Because of 1SG Funks actions he received
the Distinguished Service Cross.
The Red Devils eventually took control of Groesbeck-Nijmegan. They secured
Highway K, which prevented the Germans from bringing in reinforcements. This also
cut off the enemies escape route. While occupying Groesbeck-Nijmegan the Red Devils
repelled a major enemy offensive. The Red Devils captured 483 enemy prisoners. The
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Red Devils losses were 139 KIA, 479 WIA and one Red Devil was captured. Relieffor
the Red Devils came on 10 November 1944, by a British Brigade.
By 16 December the 82nd ABN DIY was engaged in the Battle of the Bulge. On 19
December 1944 the Red Devils secured a position to counter the Gennans advance. The
Red Devils held this position until they were relieved on 24 January 1945. The needed
break was short, as the Red Devils were back in action on 26 January 1945.
First Sergeant Leonard A. Funk Jf., distinguished himself for his actions on 29
January 1945 near Holzheim, Belgium. ISG Funk was the only Medal of Honor
Recipient from the 50S th PIR during WWII. His Medal of Honor Citation reads as
follows: "Rank and Organization: First Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company C, 50Sth
Parachute Infantry, S2d Airborne Division. Place and date: Holzheim, Belgium, 29
January 1945. Entered service at: Wilkinsburg, PA: ISG Funk distinguished himselfby
gallant, intrepid actions against the enemy. After advancing 15 miles in a driving
snowstorm, the American force prepared to attack through waist-deep drifts. The
company executive officer became a casualty, and 1 SG Funk immediately assumed his
duties, forming headquarters soldiers into a combat unit for an assault in the face of direct
artillery shelling and harassing fire from the right flank. Under his skillful and
courageous leadership, this miscellaneous group and the 3d Platoon attacked 15 houses,
cleared them, and took 30 prisoners without suffering a casualty. The fierce drive of
Company C quickly overran Holzheim, netting some SO prisoners, who were placed
under a 4-man guard, all that could be spared, while the rest of the under strength unit
went about mopping up isolated points of resistance. An enemy patrol, by means of a
ruse, succeeded in capturing the guards and freeing the prisoners, and had begun
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preparations to attack Company C from the rear when 1SG Funk walked around the
building and into their midst. He was ordered to surrender by a Gern1an officer who
pushed a machine pistol into his stomach. Although overwhelmingly outnumbered and
facing almost certain death, lSG Funk, pretending to comply with the order, began
slowly to unsling his sub machine gun from his shoulder and then, with lightning motion,
brought the muzzle into line and riddled the Gennan officer. He tun1ed upon the other
GenTIans, firing and shouting to the other Americans to seize the enemy's weapons. In
the ensuing fight 21 Gennans were killed, many wounded, and the remainder captured.
lSG Funk's bold action and heroic disregard for his own safety were directly responsible
for the recapture of a vastly superior enemy force, which, if allowed to remain free , could
have taken the widespread units of Company C by surprise and endangered the entire
attack plan".
The 508th PIR was removed from attachment to the 821ld ABN DIY on 5 April 1945.
The Red Devils were placed under the control of the First Allied Airborne Anny until
May 1945. At this time the 5081h PIR was moved to Frankfurt, Gennany and performed
occupation duty and served as guard to General Eisenhower's SHAEF Headquarters.
The 508th PIR stayed in Frankfurt until November 1946. They were than relocated to
Camp Kilmer, New Jersey and deactivated on 25 November 1946.
The 508th was reactivated on 16 April 1951 as the 508th Airborne (ABN) Infantry
(INF) at Ft. Bragg, North Carolina. First Sergeant Leonard A. Funk Jr. (WWII Medal of
Honor Recipient) and Brigadier General Roy E. Lindquist participated in the reactivation
ceremony. The 508th ABN INF eventually moved to FT. Campbell, Kentucky and once
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again after six years was deactivated on 27 March 1957. In 1962 the 5081h was
reorganized under the Combat Arms Regimental system and renamed the 5081h Infantry.
In 1996 the 5081h was reactivated as the 1I5081h Airborne Battalion Combat Team
(ABCT) stationed in Vicenza, Italy. The 5081h ABCT is part of the 173rd Airborne
Brigade, which was reactivated in 2000. The 5081h ABCT conducted a combat jump into
Northenl Iraq in March 2003. The 5081h PIR has served in Iraq and Afghanistan since the
Global War on Terrorism (GWOT) began. As of January 2006 the 508th was reactivated
as the Fourth Brigade Combat Team 82nd ABN DIV.
The Red Devils throughout its history has proven itself countless times. From WWII
to the GWOT when the Red Devils were call the mission was executed above and beyond
the standards. I've served in this unit and am humbled by what it has accomplished. The
Red Devils lived by the Warrior Ethos during WWII and continue to do so today.