History of the 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment
The creation of the 501st infantry regiment can be traced back to the 29th Infantry Regiment. From this regiment emerged a group of
volunteers called the Parachute Test Platoon, and this group became the Army's first regular all-parachute tactical outfit: The 501st Infantry Regiment. This newly formed regiment was under the command of Major William M. Miley, who would go on the command the 17th Airborne Division.The 501st infantry regimetn was
activated in Toccoa, GA on November 15, 1942 and was under the command of Colonel Howard R. Johnson. All of the members of the regiment
were volunteers, but only a tiny portion of them were actually qualified jumpers during training at Toccoa. Once training in Toccoa was finished, they moved to
Ft. Benning to jump train members who were not previously qualified. After this session of training finished the regiment was assigned to the Airborne Command
at Camp MacKall, NC which acted as their homebase during prolonged maneuvers in North Carolina, Tennessee, and Louisiana. In January, 1944 the regiment was
deployed to England, permanently attached to the 101st Airborne Division.
volunteers called the Parachute Test Platoon, and this group became the Army's first regular all-parachute tactical outfit: The 501st Infantry Regiment. This newly formed regiment was under the command of Major William M. Miley, who would go on the command the 17th Airborne Division.The 501st infantry regimetn was
activated in Toccoa, GA on November 15, 1942 and was under the command of Colonel Howard R. Johnson. All of the members of the regiment
were volunteers, but only a tiny portion of them were actually qualified jumpers during training at Toccoa. Once training in Toccoa was finished, they moved to
Ft. Benning to jump train members who were not previously qualified. After this session of training finished the regiment was assigned to the Airborne Command
at Camp MacKall, NC which acted as their homebase during prolonged maneuvers in North Carolina, Tennessee, and Louisiana. In January, 1944 the regiment was
deployed to England, permanently attached to the 101st Airborne Division.