[{"id":261726502991,"handle":"555th-parachute-infantry-battalion","title":"555th Parachute Infantry Battalion","updated_at":"2025-09-09T07:06:21-04:00","body_html":"\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e555th Parachute Infantry Battalion\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, also known as the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e“Triple Nickles,”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e was the only all-Black airborne infantry unit in U.S. Army history. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe formation of the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e555th Parachute Infantry Battalion\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e at \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFort Benning, Georgia\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, in \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e1943\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e was a landmark moment in U.S. military history—and one that occurred against a backdrop of racial segregation, both in the Army and in American society. Activated on \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e19 December 1943\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, its roots trace back to a single company formed at Fort Benning. By \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e25 November 1944\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, it was reorganized into a full battalion at Camp Mackall, North Carolina, with Black officers and enlisted men—many drawn from the famed Buffalo Soldiers of the 92nd Infantry Division. Though World War II ended before they saw typical combat, they were instead tasked with \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOperation Firefly\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, parachuting into forest fires across the Pacific Northwest ignited by Japanese Fu-Go balloon bombs. Operating from Pendleton, Oregon, they conducted 28 fire jumps in 1945—earning the nickname “Smoke Jumpers”—and suffered a single fatality, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMedic PFC Malvin L. Brown\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, on \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e6 August 1945\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFollowing the war, the battalion returned to Fort Bragg and was attached to the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e82nd Airborne Division\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e. It was \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003einactivated 15 December 1947\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, with personnel forming the 3rd Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment—marking the first step toward integration in the Army, largely overseen by General \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eJames M. Gavin\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe 555th was formally disbanded on \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e22 August 1950\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, many former members went on to serve with distinction in Korea.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAmong its notable personnel were:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSgt. Clarence H. Beavers\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, one of the first volunteers and an Operation Firefly smoke jumper; he passed away in 2017 at age 96.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSgt. Joe Harris\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, believed to be the last surviving member of the 555th, who died in March 2025 at 108; he completed 72 jumps and later served in the U.S. Border Patrol, becoming a community icon.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eLt. Harry E. Sutton\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, who later fell heroically in Korea and was awarded the Silver Star during the Hungnam evacuation.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBradley Biggs\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, the battalion's commanding officer, whose leadership helped earn respect for Black paratroopers and facilitated their integration into the 82nd.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe legacy of the Triple Nickles is profound: their pioneering service under segregation, their valor in firefighting missions, and their exemplary integration into elite airborne forces laid crucial groundwork for the desegregation of the U.S. Army.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","published_at":"2021-06-27T17:09:19-04:00","sort_order":"alpha-asc","template_suffix":"","disjunctive":false,"rules":[{"column":"tag","relation":"equals","condition":"555PIB"}],"published_scope":"global","image":{"created_at":"2021-06-27T17:09:17-04:00","alt":null,"width":3812,"height":747,"src":"\/\/airborneapparelcompany.com\/cdn\/shop\/collections\/555.png?v=1704674126"}},{"id":407416570095,"handle":"breaking-starch","title":"Breaking Starch","updated_at":"2025-09-23T13:37:57-04:00","body_html":"Our newest additions.","published_at":"2023-02-01T09:55:24-05:00","sort_order":"best-selling","template_suffix":"","disjunctive":false,"rules":[{"column":"variant_price","relation":"greater_than","condition":".25"},{"column":"title","relation":"not_contains","condition":"Phantom"},{"column":"title","relation":"not_contains","condition":"Hechinger"},{"column":"title","relation":"not_contains","condition":"penguin"}],"published_scope":"global"},{"id":446323982575,"handle":"cherry-blast","title":"Cherry Blast!","updated_at":"2025-09-23T17:02:46-04:00","body_html":"\u003cp\u003eThe newest additions to our ever-growing collection of designs representing units of the 82nd Airborne and across the \u003cem\u003eAirborne Community\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e","published_at":"2024-09-30T15:52:57-04:00","sort_order":"created-desc","template_suffix":"","disjunctive":false,"rules":[{"column":"tag","relation":"equals","condition":"CHERRY"}],"published_scope":"global"},{"id":466947735791,"handle":"loddy-doddy-everybody","title":"Loddy-doddy-everybody","updated_at":"2025-09-23T13:37:57-04:00","body_html":"","published_at":"2025-04-13T16:57:59-04:00","sort_order":"best-selling","template_suffix":"","disjunctive":true,"rules":[{"column":"variant_price","relation":"greater_than","condition":".01"}],"published_scope":"global"},{"id":399380185327,"handle":"best-sellinng","title":"Our Best Selling Airborne Shirts","updated_at":"2025-09-23T13:33:55-04:00","body_html":"","published_at":"2022-07-21T18:28:17-04:00","sort_order":"best-selling","template_suffix":"","disjunctive":false,"rules":[{"column":"variant_price","relation":"greater_than","condition":"0"},{"column":"variant_inventory","relation":"greater_than","condition":"0"},{"column":"type","relation":"equals","condition":"T-Shirt"}],"published_scope":"global"},{"id":431055503599,"handle":"t-shirts","title":"T-Shirts","updated_at":"2025-09-23T07:05:19-04:00","body_html":"","published_at":"2024-05-15T07:47:40-04:00","sort_order":"alpha-asc","template_suffix":"","disjunctive":false,"rules":[{"column":"tag","relation":"equals","condition":"T-shirts"}],"published_scope":"global"}]
Everything we sell is produced in house, on demand to ensure quality and production flexibility. Production time for most orders is 2-3 business days. We post current production time at the top of each page on our website.
Production and shipping times are sometimes longer during the holidays and other traditionally busy times (I.e., leading up to All-American Week). But the majority of our orders arrive within 7 business days.
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