Founding through WWII: 1942-1945
The 101st Airborne Division was activated on August 16, 1942, at Camp Claiborne, Louisiana, under the command of Major General William C. Lee. Initially, the division consisted of two glider infantry regiments (GIRs), the 327th and 401st, and one parachute infantry regiment, the 502nd. The division underwent rigorous training at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and later in England, preparing for Operation Overlord, the D-Day invasion of Normandy
On June 6, 1944, the 101st Airborne Division parachuted into Normandy, France, near Utah Beach, with the mission of securing key causeway bridges and clearing the way for the 1st and 4th Infantry Divisions. The 327th Glider Infantry Regiment, part of the 101st Airborne Division, landed on Utah Beach on D-Day+1 and moved to Carentan to cut off the fleeing Germans. Despite high casualties, the regiment successfully captured and held the highway bridge over the Vire-Taute Canal, blocking the eastern escape routes from Carentan
The 101st Airborne Division continued to play a crucial role in the European Theater of Operations, participating in Operation Market Garden in September 1944 and the Battle of the Bulge in December 1944. During the Battle of the Bulge, the 327th Glider Infantry Regiment, specifically the 1st Battalion (1-327), fought bravely in the defense of Bastogne, Belgium, earning the nickname "Bastogne Bulldogs." The regiment took heavy casualties but held their ground, capturing 750 prisoners and destroying 144 tanks and 105 other enemy vehicles.
The 101st Airborne Division's contributions during World War II were significant, and the division earned a reputation as one of the most feared and respected units in the Allied forces. The division's actions in Normandy, Holland, and the Battle of the Bulge were instrumental in the Allied victory. The 1-327 Infantry Regiment's bravery and sacrifice during the Battle of the Bulge were particularly noteworthy, earning the regiment a Presidential Unit Citation and other honors. The 101st Airborne Division was inactivated on November 30, 1945.