US AIRBORNE

The 541st Parachute Infantry Regiment was activated on August 12, 1943, at Fort Moore, Georgia, under the command of Colonel Ducat M. McEntee and his executive officer, Major Harley N. Trice. The unit was composed of men who had already completed basic training and infantry training but had not yet attended parachute school. The men who made up the unit were of high quality, all having performed excellently on their Army entrance exams; all were volunteers. One of the original members of the unit was the famous author of the 101st Airborne, Donald R. Burgett, who later participated in every battle of World War II with Company A of the 506th PIR. Burgett’s first impressions of the 541st were meeting the instructors of the parachute school who would guide them through the four-week program. After a five-mile run and a full morning of calisthenics, some men began to drop out.

The men completed parachute school as a unit, but not without losses. A plane carrying parachutists in training crashed in a ball of fire, killing all aboard. Others, including Private Burgett, suffered jump-related injuries that paused their training until they recovered enough to resume. After their recovery, they rejoined the unit, which moved to Camp Mackall after finishing parachute school.

By the end of December 1943, the Army high command had become disenchanted with the idea of airborne troops, to the point of considering dissolving existing airborne divisions in favor of independent battalions, which could be attached to regular divisions for sabotage and deception operations. The 82nd Airborne Division had jumped into Sicily by this time, and a combination of poor drops and friendly fire had raised concerns about the feasibility of large-scale airborne drops. General Dwight D. Eisenhower, later Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Forces, famously said, "I do not believe in airborne divisions..."

To decide whether to maintain or dissolve airborne units, a two-week exercise was organized to assess the fate of airborne troops, known as the Knollwood maneuvers. By then, the 541st was part of the strategic reserve stationed in the United States. The regiment was selected, along with the 11th and 17th Airborne Divisions, to participate in the maneuvers. The future of airborne troops rested on the shoulders of these men, and they approached the task with determination to preserve their branch of service.

Despite terrible weather, the maneuvers were a resounding success, and the future of airborne troops was secured. The 541st distinguished itself particularly, receiving excellent ratings and making a good impression.

However, despite their good performance and being clearly ready for deployment overseas, the men of the 541st remained in reserve, watching their counterparts from the 11th and 17th Airborne Divisions be deployed overseas. To add to their disappointment, the 541st was tasked with providing replacements for the 101st and 82nd Airborne Divisions overseas. As a result, many original members of the 541st were present to participate in the Normandy landings.

After the Knollwood maneuvers ended, training continued for the 541st. A new group of men arrived to replace those lost to the units abroad, and the regiment began a 13-week training cycle in airborne infantry.

The regiment moved between Fort Moore and Camp Mackall, demonstrating airborne tactics to dignitaries, developing new tactics and techniques, and providing cadres for new airborne units being created, such as the 13th Airborne Division.

Then, in July 1945, the regiment was alerted for a move to the Pacific theater, awaiting assignment to the 11th Airborne Division.

The regiment arrived in Manila, Philippines, waiting to be attached to the 11th Airborne Division, which was preparing to jump on Japan. However, to the great disappointment of the men of the 541st, the regiment was deactivated and absorbed into the ranks of the 11th Airborne Division. The 541st, after three years of dedication and waiting, no longer existed.

Soon after, the atomic bomb was dropped, and World War II ended. The 11th Airborne Division went to mainland Japan as an occupation force, taking the men of the former 541st PIR with them.