C 1:51 INF, B 2:503

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• Origins of C 1/51 INF: Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 51st Infantry (C 1/51 INF) traces its lineage back to World War II, originally constituted as part of the 51st Infantry Regiment in 1917.
• Vietnam War Service: The 1/51st Infantry was activated for service in Vietnam, providing security and conducting combat operations, often working alongside armored units.
• Cold War in Germany: During the Cold War, C 1/51 INF was stationed in Germany as part of the U.S. Army’s forward-deployed forces, tasked with defending against potential Warsaw Pact aggression.
• Defending the Fulda Gap: The 1/51 Infantry, including Charlie Company, played a key role in the defense of the Fulda Gap, a crucial invasion route into Western Europe.
• B 2/503 – The “Rock” of the 173rd: Bravo Company, 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry (B 2/503), known as “The Rock,” is part of the famed 173rd Airborne Brigade, renowned for airborne operations.
• Operation Hump (1965): B 2/503 INF participated in Operation Hump in Vietnam, where the battalion faced a much larger Viet Cong force. The action was later memorialized in song and medal citations.
• First Major Combat Jump since WWII: The 173rd Airborne Brigade, including elements of 2/503 INF, executed the first major U.S. combat parachute jump since World War II during Operation Junction City in 1967.
• Medal of Honor Recipients: Members of B 2/503 INF have been awarded the Medal of Honor, including SSG Lawrence Joel, the first living Black American to receive the award since the Spanish-American War.
• Modern Deployments: Both units, or their lineal descendants, have served in recent conflicts, including peacekeeping missions in the Balkans and combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
• Regimental Pride and Traditions: Both C 1/51 INF and B 2/503 INF are known for their strong esprit de corps, maintaining regimental traditions and reunions that connect past and present soldiers.