GARRISON OPERATIONS
While the 101st Airborne Division makes up the majority of personnel assigned to Fort Campbell, a key staff of Soldiers, civilians and contractors also serve to continue to insure the success of the mission on the "home front." Fort Campbell strives to provide world class services and facilities to support Soldiers and their Families while they selflessly devote themselves to preserving freedom. The installation strives to enhance support to expeditionary forces and Fort Campbell Power Projection Capabilities; sustain, transform and modernize the installation; enhance the well-being of the military community; transform business processes to become effective, efficient and equitable; and to develop and sustain an innovative, highly capable, mission-focused workforce. Fort Campbell is where Soldiers, Civilians, Retirees, Veterans, Family members and supportive local communities work together to achieve higher standards of excellence.

The 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault)
The 101st Airborne Division consists of a unit of employment and seven brigades—four infantry brigade combat teams, two aviation brigades and a sustainment brigade.

First Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) "Bastogne"
The "Always First" brigade began soon after its inception in August 1917. Constituted as the 327th Infantry Regiment, the unit fought with distinction throughout World War I—to include the Meuse-Argonne Campaign. By World War II, the 327th was designated as a Glider Infantry Regiment for the 101st Airborne Division, and they participated in Operation Overlord and Operation Market-Garden. The 327th also played a key role in Bastogne by halting the massive Ardennes offensive. In the 1960s, 1st Brigade was the first 101st Airborne Division unit to deploy to Vietnam, where the 327th participated in more than 40 combat operations throughout the campaign. During Operation Desert Storm, the 327th Infantry Regiment was again "Always First" as it led the 101st Airborne Division into Iraq during the largest and longest air assault in history up until that point. In February 2003, the regiment deployed to the Middle East in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom with the 101st Airborne Division. Upon their redeployment to Fort Campbell, the "Always First" brigade underwent a transformation.

The newly formed 1st brigade Combat Team deployed again to Iraq in support of Operation Iraq Freedom in fall 2005 and again in September 2007. While deployed, Bastogne Soldiers improved security conditions within their assigned area of operations as well as trained Iraqi security forces.

First Brigade Combat Team Units:
HHC 1st Brigade Combat Team
1st Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment
2nd Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment
1st Battalion, 32nd Cavalry Regiment
2nd Battalion, 320th Field Artillery Regiment
426th Brigade Support Battalion
1st Special Troops Battalion
Second Brigade Combat Team, 101st

Airborne Division (Air Assault) "Strike"
The 2nd Brigade Combat Team was constituted as the 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment in February 1942. Originally activated at Fort Benning, Ga., the unit was assigned to the 101st Airborne Division in August 1942. The 502nd deployed to England in 1943 and participated in the Normandy invasion on June 6, 1944. The 3rd Battalion mounted a memorable bayonet charge at Carentan and the regiment won a Presidential Unit Citation for its D-Day actions. The unit also participated in the airborne invasion of Holland and fought in the Battle of the Bulge. The 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment was deactivated after the war.

In 1948, the 502nd Infantry Regiment was re-designated as the 502nd Airborne Infantry Regiment. It was activated at Camp Breckinridge, Ky., functioning there and at Fort Jackson, S.C., as a training regiment until 1956. The unit moved to Fort Campbell as a line regiment in the 101st Airborne Division in 1957. While there, it was again re-designated, this time as the 502nd Infantry Regiment.

In 1965, 2nd Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment deployed to Vietnam with 1st Brigade.

They were joined by 1st Battalion two years later. The two battalions participated in 15 Vietnam campaigns.

The 502nd Infantry Regiment was reorganized in June 1984 with first, second and third battalions assigned to 2nd Brigade, 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell and the fourth, fifth and sixth battalions assigned to the Berlin Brigade, West Berlin, Germany.

Elements of 2nd Brigade deployed to Saudi Arabia in 1990. The following year, 2nd Brigade participated in the largest helicopter air assault in military history to seize Forward Operating Base Cobra. In 1994, the regiment deployed to the Republic of Panama in support of Operation Safe Passage—the repatriation of Cuban refugees.

In 2001, 2nd Brigade deployed to Kosovo and Macedonia where they participated in a highly successful Kosovo Forces rotation. In February 2003, the regiment deployed to the Middle East in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom with the 101st Airborne Division. It returned a year later having led the division through the key battles of An Najef, south Al Hillah, Karbala, southern Baghdad, Mahmoudia and Mosul. It also completed the two longest air assaults in division history.

While deployed, the 502nd was instrumental in rebuilding the city of Mosul, Iraq. They formed a city council and held the first free elections in the country since the fall of the regime. Over the subsequent nine months, the regiment rebuilt the city's hospitals, schools and water system. It also built from scratch, a regional police force that became the model for the rest of the country. Under the watchful eye of the Soldiers from the 502nd, former Iraqi military personnel were paid for their service and the new Iraqi Dinar was introduced. Above all, the regiment fostered a secure environment that allowed the citizens of Mosul to live in a free and safe city which became a beacon of hope throughout Iraq.

Upon their redeployment to Fort Campbell, the 502nd underwent a transformation. The newly formed 2nd Brigade Combat Team deployed again to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in fall 2005. While deployed, the Soldiers of the 502nd continued to improve security conditions within their assigned area of operations as well as train Iraqi security forces.

Strike Soldiers once again deployed in support of the Global War on Terror in late 2007. Third Brigade Combat Team (3BCT), 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) "Rakkasan" The 187th infantry regiment, from which the Rakkasans draw their history and lineage, was constituted on Nov. 12 1942, at Camp Mackall, N.C. On Feb. 25, 1943, it was activated and designated as a Glider Infantry Regiment (GIR) assigned to the 11th Airborne Division.

The first mission of the 187th GIR was to convince the War Department that an airborne division could fly over water at night, drop with minimal casualties, and wage sustained combat operations while being resupplied entirely by air. The mission was deemed a success on Dec. 6, 1943, as the landings were perfectly executed and the objective taken. The success of the Knollwood Maneuvers proved the effectiveness of the airborne division concept and compelled the war department to create other airborne divisions.

In May 1944, the regiment deployed to the southwest pacific and was attacked by the Japanese 3rd Parachute Regiment on Dec. 6, 1944. The 187th repelled the enemy force and, three months later, seized Lipa Airfield on Luzon. The 187th fought continuously until January 1945, and suffered heavy casualties while taking Purple Heart Hill. On Aug. 30, 1945, at 1 a.m., the first planes carrying 187th Soldiers left for Atsugi Airfield. This was a momentous occasion, as the 187th would be the first American as well as foreign troops to enter Japan in more than 2,000 years. While serving as part of the American Occupation Force and conducting training jumps, it was the Japanese who gave the paratroopers of the 187th Infantry Regiment the nickname "Rakkasan," loosely translated as "falling umbrella."

On Aug. 27, 1950, the 187th Airborne Infantry Regiment was reorganized and re-designated as the 187th Airborne Regimental Combat Team. In September 1950, elements of the 187th exploited the success of the Inchon landings, clearing the Kimpo Peninsula between the Han River and the Yellow Sea. In the months that followed, the unit defeated an enemy force of more than 3,000 soldiers, performed a textbook parachute assault and heavy drop at Sukchon-Sunchon, and defeated the Chinese in the Battle of Wonju. The Rakkasans again performed another record-breaking airborne operation into the Munsan-ni Valley, fighting battles at Inje, Kumwha, Wonton-ni and quelled prison-camp riots at Koje-do.

The Rakkasans' successes in Korea changed the face of airborne warfare and revitalized interest in the use of paratroopers. It also convinced the Pentagon to reactivate XVIII Airborne Corps at Fort Bragg, N.C.

On Dec. 13, 1967, 3rd Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment, assigned to the 3rd Brigade of the 101st Airborne Division, reported for duty in the Republic of Vietnam. The Rakkasans were called upon to perform many hazardous operations against "hot spots" of enemy activity throughout every corps area in the Vietnam Theater and became known as the "nomad" unit. Though not the only battle of their service in Vietnam, it was the Rakkasans that defeated the first line Vietnamese army forces in the battle for Hamburger Hill, Don Ap Bia.

In September 1990, the Rakkasans deployed to Saudi Arabia in support of Operation Desert Shield. In February 1991, 1st Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment air assaulted into Objective Weber and captured more than 400 Iraqi soldiers. However, it was on Feb. 25, 1991, the 48th anniversary of the regiment, that the Rakkasans conducted the largest and deepest air assault operation of its time—striking 155 miles behind enemy lines into the Euphrates River valley. This action led to the timely defeat of Iraqi forces and helped ensure a total Allied victory. In 2002, as part of the ongoing war on terrorism, the Rakkasans were deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF). They conducted operations against the Taliban forces and were instrumental in liberating the nation from Muslim extremists. The Rakkasans took part in numerous missions in Afghanistan, to include fighting in the Shah-I-Kot mountain region of eastern Afghanistan known as Operation Anaconda.

In 2003, only months after their return, the Soldiers of the 187th Infantry were sent back to Southwest Asia to defeat Saddam Hussein and free the Iraqi people from his dictatorial form of government. Throughout Operation Iraqi Freedom, the Rakkasans conducted several air assaults as well as ground attack convoys (GAC), they secured numerous forward area refueling points (FARP) in central Iraq and they participated in the liberation of Saddam Hussein International Airport. In the post-war phase, the Rakkasans conducted operations against guerrilla forces along the Syrian border and in the Tikrit triangle region of Iraq.

In early 2004, the 187th returned to Fort Campbell for little more than a year. During that time it was reorganized under Army transformation and became the 3rd Brigade Combat Team (BCT). The newly independent 3BCT also prepared for another deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, departing for Iraq in September 2005 for OIF rotation 05-07, serving in the Salah Ad Din Province, near Tikrit. Returning in 2006, the Rakkasans underwent refit and re-training. A year later, in September 2007, the Rakkasans deployed to Iraq again for OIF rotation 07-09, operating southwest of Baghdad between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers.

Even now, the Rakkasans have begun preparing for their next "rendezvous with destiny," being the only BCT with an airborne regiment lineage in the history of the U.S. Army to fight in every war since the inception of airborne tactics. From glider, to parachute, to helicopter, the Rakkasans have entered combat in each mode of airborne warfare and have pioneered its implementation. Throughout their history, the Rakkasans have upheld the motto "Ne Desit Virtus—Let Valor Not Fail" and continue to do so today.