HHC 3rd Bde 101st AirBorne Division

• Distinctive Unit: HHC (Headquarters and Headquarters Company), 3rd Brigade, 101st Airborne Division is known as "Rakkasan" – a nickname derived from the Japanese word for parachute, which was adopted during the occupation of Japan after World War II. • Vietnam War Heroics: During the Vietnam War, the 3rd Brigade, including HHC, played a major role in the Battle of Hamburger Hill (Hill 937) in May 1969, one of the most intense and controversial battles of the conflict. • Air Assault Pioneers: The 101st Airborne Division, including its 3rd Brigade and HHC, is renowned for transitioning from traditional parachute operations to becoming the U.S. Army’s first Air Assault Division, specializing in helicopter-borne operations. • Operation Desert Storm: HHC 3rd Brigade was part of the famous "left hook" maneuver that helped encircle and defeat Iraqi forces during the Gulf War in 1991. • Decorations: The unit and its subordinates have earned numerous awards, including Presidential Unit Citations and Valorous Unit Awards for actions in World War II, Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan. • World War II Origins: The 3rd Brigade traces its lineage back to the original 187th Glider Infantry Regiment, which fought in the Pacific Theater and later became part of the 101st Airborne. • Peacekeeping in the Balkans: HHC 3rd Bde took part in peacekeeping deployments to Bosnia and Kosovo in the late 1990s and early 2000s, helping stabilize the region after the Yugoslav Wars. • Operation Iraqi Freedom: The brigade, with HHC at its core, participated in the 2003 invasion of Iraq and subsequent occupation, leading operations in Mosul and other key areas. • Afghanistan Deployments: HHC 3rd Bde 101st Airborne took part in multiple deployments to Afghanistan, playing crucial roles in counterinsurgency and nation-building efforts. • Cultural Legacy: The Rakkasan crest and motto, "Ne Desit Virtus" ("Let Valor Not Fail"), are widely recognized symbols of the unit’s courage and dedication, proudly worn by HHC soldiers past and present.