The 502nd Infantry Regiment, famously known as the "Strike" regiment and nicknamed the "Five-Oh-Deuce," is one of the most decorated and historically significant regiments in the U.S. Army, having been activated in 1941 to pioneer Parachute Infantry doctrine. As a core combat unit of the legendary 101st Airborne Division, the "Screaming Eagles," the 502nd PIR was critical to the success of D-Day in Normandy, made a vital combat jump during Operation Market Garden, and distinguished itself defending Bastogne in the Battle of the Bulge, earning two Presidential Unit Citations. The regiment later transitioned to the Air Assault role, fighting through twelve campaigns in the Vietnam War, and serving multiple combat rotations in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. Today, the regiment's lineage is maintained by the 1st Battalion (1-502nd IN) and the 2nd Battalion (2-502nd IN), both of which are ACTIVE Air Assault battalions assigned to the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) at Fort Campbell, Kentucky.
The 502nd Infantry Regiment began its life as an experimental unit dedicated to the revolutionary concept of parachute assault. It was first constituted on July 1, 1941, as the 502nd Parachute Infantry Battalion at Fort Benning, GA. Within a year, the unit was expanded and officially activated as the 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment (PIR) on March 2, 1942. In July 1942, the 502nd PIR was permanently assigned to the newly formed 101st Airborne Division and moved with the division to Fort Bragg, NC, to complete its rigorous training regimen.
World War II: The Black Heart Paratroopers
The regiment became one of the key components of the "Screaming Eagles" and was among the first American units to see combat on D-Day. On June 6, 1944, the 502nd PIR jumped into Normandy, tasked with securing two critical causeways leading inland from Utah Beach and neutralizing a German coastal artillery battery near Sainte-Martin-de-Varreville. The fierce, scattered fighting that followed its parachute drop earned the regiment its first Presidential Distinguished Unit Citation for its role in securing the western flank of the invasion force. It was during this period that the regimental practice of using a Black Heart symbol on helmets and uniforms for identification emerged, giving rise to one of its enduring nicknames.
The 502nd PIR participated in its second combat jump during Operation Market Garden in September 1944, landing near St. Oedenrode, Netherlands. The unit fought to secure vital bridges and a 15-mile stretch of the critical highway corridor, holding off heavy counterattacks in and around the town of Best, where Private Joe Mann earned the Medal of Honor for sacrificing his life by throwing himself onto an enemy grenade to save his comrades.
In December 1944, the 502nd was rushed to the defense of Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge. The regiment held a crucial sector on the northern perimeter against overwhelming German forces, enduring brutal cold and continuous enemy pressure for days, ensuring the successful defense of the strategic crossroads city. For its heroic actions in the Ardennes, the 502nd earned a second Presidential Distinguished Unit Citation. After the war, the 502nd PIR was inactivated in late 1945.
The Cold War and Vietnam
Following several post-war activations and reorganizations, elements of the regiment were reorganized in 1957 as Airborne Battle Groups. By the mid-1960s, the regiment's units were integral parts of the 101st Airborne Division as it transitioned into the Airmobile and later Air Assault roles.
The 1st Battalion (1-502nd IN) and 2nd Battalion (2-502nd IN) deployed to the Republic of Vietnam in 1965 and 1967, respectively, as part of the 101st Airborne Division's initial combat commitment. Operating as Airborne Infantry and then as Airmobile forces, the 502nd engaged in grueling jungle warfare, participating in numerous significant engagements including Operation Nevada Eagle, the Battle of Hamburger Hill (Ap Bia Mountain) in 1969, and extensive search and destroy missions throughout the war's 12 major campaigns. The regiment redeployed to Fort Campbell, Kentucky, with the rest of the division in 1972.
Modern Deployments and Current Status
In the decades that followed, the 502nd Infantry Regiment, with its battalions assigned to the 2nd Brigade Combat Team of the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), adopted the motto "Strike!" and became proficient in the rapid helicopter insertion tactics of the Air Assault mission.
The regiment served in the Sinai Peninsula as part of the Multinational Force and Observers (MFO) peacekeepers in the early 1980s. Following the 1990 Iraqi invasion of Kuwait, the 502nd deployed to Saudi Arabia for Operation Desert Shield and participated in the air assault into Iraq during Operation Desert Storm in 1991. The 502nd also supported various peacekeeping and stability operations throughout the 1990s in places like Haiti, Bosnia, and Kosovo.
In the Global War on Terror, the regiment again answered the call, deploying multiple times for sustained combat operations:
-
The 502nd's battalions served multiple tours in Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF), participating in the initial 2003 invasion, securing key objectives, and later conducting complex counter-insurgency operations in cities like Mosul, earning a Valorous Unit Award for actions during the invasion.
-
The regiment also deployed to Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) in Afghanistan, engaging in combat and counter-insurgency operations in the challenging terrain.
-
Most recently, the "Strike" Brigade has deployed in support of Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR) in Iraq.
The lineage of the 502nd Infantry Regiment remains ACTIVE and vibrant as a core component of the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault). The currently active battalions are:
-
1st Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment (1-502nd IN)
-
2nd Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment (2-502nd IN)
Both battalions are assigned to the 2nd Brigade Combat Team ("Strike"), 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), home-stationed at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, continuing the regiment's legacy as a rapid-deployment, combat-ready light infantry force.