The 509th started out in early 1941 as the experimental 504th Parachute Battalion at Fort Benning, Georgia. Later, the unit was renamed the 503d, and they were the first US airborne unit to ship to England, early in 1942, and were assigned to the British 1st Airborne Division for more training. In late 1942, the unit was renamed as the 509th Parachute Infantry Battalion, and would remain an independent unit throughout the war, since it was never attached to one of the US airborne divisions.
WWII battles
The 509th carried out the first US combat drop during the invasion of North Africa. The transport planes flew all the way from English airfields to the African coast. This first operation was a fiasco, with the planes widely scattered. Some later, smaller jumps during the campaign were more effective.
Later, the 509th saw many more combat jumps in the Italy and Southern France. After landing, they were often used as elite mountain infantry in the Italian mountains and French Alps. Paul B. Huff, a member of the 509th, was the first American Paratrooper awarded the Medal of Honor on 29 February 1944 for action at Anzio, Italy.
During the Battle of the Bulge, the 509th went in with about 700 men to counter-attack the Germans. The war ended for the 509th at the end of January 1945 near Sankt Vith, with only about 50 survivors. At this time, the 509th was disbanded, and the men left were used as replacements for the 82d Airborne Division.
Post-WWII
The unit changed sizes and missions several times after WWII, remaining on deployment to bases in Europe. In 1975, C Company was assigned to as an Airborne/Pathfinder unit to support the United States Army Aviation Center at Fort Rucker, Alabama. This company was the only component of the unit, from 1983 to 1987, when 3 companies were added to serve as the OPFOR at the Joint Readiness Training Center at Fort Chaffee, Arkansas. In 1993, the 509th Infantry moved with the Joint Readiness Training Center to Fort Polk, Louisiana. Since mid-2004, the 509th has been deployed to Iraq. When the airborne battalion (1-501st) at Fort Richardson, Alaska was expanded into a brigade (4th Brigade, 25th Infantry Regiment) 3rd battalion of the 509th was reconstituted and assigned to Fort Richardson.
Lineage
Constituted 14 March 1941 in the Army of the United States as the 504th Parachute Battalion
Activated 5 October 1941 at Fort Benning, Georgia
Reorganized and redesignated 24 February 1942 as the 2d Battalion, 503d Parachute Infantry
Reorganized and redesignated 2 November 1942 as the 2d Battalion, 509th Parachute Infantry
Reorganized and redesignated 10 December 1943 as the 509th Parachute Infantry Battalion
Disbanded 1 March 1945 in France
Reconstituted 12 May 1947 in the Regular Army as the 509th Parachute Infantry Battalion
Reorganized and redesignated 1 April 1963 as the 509th Infantry, a parent regiment under the Combat Arms Regimental System
Withdrawn 16 January 1986 from the Combat Arms Regimental System and reorganized under the United States Army Regimental System
Transferred 2 October 1988 to the United States Army Training and Doctrine Command
Withdrawn 31 May 1993 from the United States Army Training and Doctrine Command
