The 2nd Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment (2/504th PIR) is a distinguished unit of the 82nd Airborne Division, U.S. Army. Activated in 1942, the battalion first saw combat in North Africa, before participating in key operations in Sicily, Italy, and the D-Day landings in Normandy during World War II. The 2/504th earned a reputation for bravery and effectiveness, notably holding the line at Anzio and crossing the Waal River under heavy fire during Operation Market Garden. Since World War II, the battalion has deployed to conflicts and peacekeeping missions worldwide, maintaining its legacy as an elite airborne unit.