D co 2:505 PIR

• Origins: Delta Company, 2nd Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment (D Co, 2/505 PIR) is part of the 82nd Airborne Division, a storied U.S. Army airborne infantry division based at Fort Liberty (formerly Fort Bragg), North Carolina. • World War II Combat: The 505th PIR, including its D Company, made its first combat jump into Sicily on July 9, 1943, as part of Operation Husky—the first U.S. regimental-sized airborne assault in history. • D-Day Operations: On June 6, 1944, the 505th PIR was among the first Allied units to land in Normandy before dawn, with Delta Company paratroopers playing a crucial role in the capture of Sainte-Mère-Église, the first liberated town in France. • Combat Distinction: The 505th PIR is the only regiment in the 82nd Airborne Division awarded two Presidential Unit Citations for extraordinary heroism in Sicily and Normandy. • Operation Market Garden: During the largest airborne operation of WWII, D Co 2/505 PIR was instrumental in holding the Nijmegen Bridge, critical for the Allied advance into the Netherlands. • Battle of the Bulge: In December 1944, the 505th PIR was rapidly deployed to help stem the German offensive in the Ardennes, enduring fierce fighting and harsh winter conditions. • Vietnam and Cold War Deployments: Although the 505th PIR was not sent as a whole to Vietnam, its paratroopers, including many from Delta Company, served as advisors and on exchange programs during the Cold War. • Modern Deployments: D Co 2/505 PIR participated in Operation Just Cause (Panama, 1989), Desert Storm (1991), and sustained multiple deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan in the Global War on Terror. • Jumpmaster Legends: Delta Company has produced several renowned jumpmasters and pathfinders, whose innovations and training techniques have influenced airborne operations Army-wide. • Esprit de Corps: D Co, known as "Death Dealers" in some eras, maintains a fierce pride and camaraderie, with annual reunions and a strong veteran network preserving its legacy.