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In what year did the US Army establish the Paratrooper Division?

1942. This was a brand new concept that the US Army tried, and it became very successful. Most of the men wanted to go into war fighting with the best, and the 506 was the answer.

What company sustained one of the highest casualty rates of the war?

Easy. Everytime an advance took place, it seemed the Company that was turned to most was Easy. Of course, always being on the front lines, you're going to have high casualties. Easy sustained 150 percent casualties by the end of the war - that is the number of casualties was 1.5 times the original size of the company.

What magazine ran a story on paratroopers?

Life. The article about paratroopers in "Life" magazine was one of the main reasons why civilians joined the Airborne.

What percentage of recruits actually made the Airborne?

10%. Paratroopers went through some of the most vigorous and difficult training in the war. Paratroopers were among the elite soldiers in the war.

During training, the soldiers had to do a number of drills including hikes. What was the longest hike?

118 Miles & 3 Days. This march set a world record for march endurance, which was previously set by the Japenese. Colonel Sink wanted to beat that record. Since 2nd Battallion had the best training, Dog, Easy and Fox Company marched to Atlanta.

When and where was Easy Company formed?

July 1942 & Camp Toccoa, Georgia. The 101st Airborne was formed in July of 1942, along with its nine companies, Able through Idle. The 101st called Camp Toccoa home for over a year during basic training.

What does the Indian word "Currahee" mean?

We stand alone together & We stand alone. This is the motto of the 101st Airborne.

What is the hardest part of parachuting?

Landing on the ground. Landing can be difficult depending on the speed and height of the plane. On D-Day, alot of Paratroopers received injuries because the C-47's were flying at 150 mph and were a lot closer to the ground than they should have been.

You were required to do 7 jumps to become a qualified paratrooper.

f. You were only required to do 5 jumps to become a qualified paratrooper.

When did Easy company board a ship bound for England?

Sept 3, 1943. This would be the last time most of the men from Easy Company would see the United States for over two years. Some men returned early if they had a serious injury or earned enough points by the end of the war in Europe. The rest had to wait until the war in the Pacific was over.

How long was the training that the initial men of Easy Company went through?

15 months. All of this basic training was done at Camp Toccoa. They later moved to Fort Benning for combat training.

The trip across the Atlantic took 12 days.

t. The soldiers had the most horrible condition on the boats. The ship that was meant to carry 1,000, was carrying 5,000 soldiers. They were stuck in cramped, smelly holes, many soldiers sleeping on the cold steel of the ship.

How many paratroopers took part in the D-Day invasion?

13,400. 13,400 paratroopers dropped from the skies on D-Day, taking part in the largest military operation at that point. In terms of paratrooper divisions involved, Operation Market Garden was even larger.

At what speed did Winters say the planes were going when they dropped?

150 mph. At this speed, most of the paratroopers lost weapons, ammo, and the famous leg beg. The landing was also a lot more difficult.

What direction was Utah beach from where Easy landed in Normandy?

East. Most of the paratroopers dropped were not close to their objectives, some miles off of the DZ. They managed to re-group and mount an attack on numerous fixed positions in Normandy.