Scions of the 17th Airborne

The 513th Parachute Infantry Regiment was activated on 26 December 1942 at Fort Benning, and attached to the 13th Airborne 13 August 1943. On 10 March 1944 the Regiment was formally assigned to the 17th Airborne. After completing basic training, specialist training, and a variety of training maneuvers, the unit left with the Division for England on 20 August, 1944.

When the 513th arrived in England, the Regiment was sent to Camp Chisledon, the 17th Airborne Division staging area, on 28 August, 1944. Flight and tactical training continued and night maneuvers were added to the training schedule. They remained in England until leaving for France in late December.

As part of the Division, the 513th engaged in the Ardennes, Rhineland, and Central Europe Campaigns. During the Battle of the Bulge, the 1st Battalion reached Cochleval but was pinned down by heavy machine gun and mortar fusillades. When two German tanks broke out of the dense fog and threatened to overrun the 513th's positions, Staff Sergeant Isadore S "Izzy" Jachman recovered a bazooka from a fallen comrade and single-handedly engaged the two Panzers.  He knocked one out and caused the other to fall back, at the cost of his own life. For his actions on that day S/Sgt Jachman was awarded the Medal of Honor.

In the heavy fighting after landing during Operation Varsity, PFC Stuart S. Stryker saw his unit's exposed position and ran to a forward position. He found his platoon leader and platoon sergeant dead. He rallied his fellow paratroopers in a wild rush toward the enemy positions. Just short of the enemy positions he was caught in a line of machine gun fire and killed. The remainder of his platoon overtook the enemy position, capturing two hundred Germans and freeing three captured American bomber pilots. For this heroic action PFC Stryker was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.

Military government duties began 12 April, and active contact with the enemy ceased 18 April 1945. The division came under the XXII Corps on 24 April. It continued its occupation duties until 15 June, 1945 when it returned to France for redeployment. Many troopers were then transferred to the 82nd and 101st Airborne and for occupation duty in Berlin and Austria. Others joined the 13th Airborne Division, which returned to the US to be readied for the Pacific. The remainder of the division was deactivated on 15 September, 1945 at Camp Miles Standish, Massachusetts.