The Early Days

Although the US Airborne can trace its history back to the use of balloons by Artillery observers during the American Civil War, it was in 1918 that a Colonel Billy Mitchell, Commander of US aviation units in France, proposed the use of parachute troops in airborne assault in October of that year.  The 1^st Infantry Division was selected to be trained (involuntarily) to parachute from heavy Bombers.  Fortunately for the “Big Red One” the 1919 Spring offensive was not to take place as the First World War had now finally been won.

It would be a further 22 years before this “wild” proposal by Mitchell would be taken up by the very Army that it was originally aimed against – Germany.

The Airborne concept was next taken up by the Soviet Union (1931), Germany (1937), France (1937) and Italy (1938).  Great Britain, who was to work so closely with the American Airborne in the years to come, formed her first parachute units in 1940.

In the years preceding the Second World War the development of American Airborne forces was slow, mainly due to internal politics between the Services and between units.  In late 1939, after a Conference involving the three concerned branches – the Air Corps, the Corps of Engineers and the Infantry – the Infantry received control of air infantry and air landing troops developments.

On 2^nd January 1940 the Chief of Infantry was directed by the War Department to study the practicality of air infantry and the air transport requirements of Infantry Division ground troops.  A plan was proposed to form a TEST PLATOON under the Infantry Board and was approved in April 1940.  Co-ordination with the Air Corps was ordered and what came to be known as the Airborne effort began.
 

The core of these combat formations was the parachute/Glider Infantry unit.  These fought throughout the World at Battalion, Regiment and Divisional level, many to become famous for their exploits.

Throughout their existence the Airborne Infantry units for the most part found themselves attached to Airborne Divisions for prolonged periods.  Some were considered components, some were re-assigned to different divisions as the War progressed, and others remained separate; all served with distinction.

Parachute troops of all Infantry and support arms were volunteers, it being difficult to order a Soldier to jump out of an aircraft still flying perfectly!  However, volunteering was one thing – actually doing it was another.  Many “washed out” or never made it to a parachute unit due to injury.

Parachute Infantry Regiments or Battalions went into combat as independent units, as combat teams or attached to Airborne Divisions.  Many moved from one campaign to another, some fought the very early campaigns through to the end of the War only to be unceremoniously de-activated. 

Unlike the paratroopers, the Glider troops were not volunteers and received no additional pay (and initially no special insignia).  In reality Glider training and operations were extremely dangerous.  The fragile Gliders often crashed rather than landed and many troops never survived their initial Glider assault.  Such was the true danger of Glider operations, many Glidermen of the 11^th and 17^th Airborne Divisions volunteered for parachute training at the earliest opportunity.  Glider troops were equipped the same as conventional ground troops, and not until the introduction of the new 43 pattern combat uniform did they become indistinguishable from their paratroop comrades.

As with all Infantry, they could not sustain combat without support from other combat arms.  During the activation of parachute and Glider Infantry, Artillery and Engineer units were raised and trained as paratroopers and Glider troops, while the basic parachuting and Glider skills were much the same as those required of the Infantry.  The support arms had the added burden of dropping or landing with heavy equipment, even so the support arms trained and fought with distinction with their Divisions throughout World War Two.

On 30^th January 1942 the War Department directed that the parachute trained Battalions should be brought together to form four Parachute Regiments.  This was to be completed between February and May 1942 but at this time all units were under strength so recruiting and training efforts were intensified.

It was realised immediately that a higher Headquarters was needed to administer the growing Airborne effort and provide the required unity of command.  Therefore, the previously designated provisional parachute group was expanded and re-designated the “Airborne Command” on 21^st March 1942.

At the same time that Parachute and Glider Battalions/Regiments were being formed, so too were Airborne Support units.  The first Parachute Field Artillery Battalion, the 456^th PFAB, was activated on 24^th September 1942 using the assets of the Parachute Test Battery formed a few months earlier.  The 456^th was to go on to provide Cadres for other early PFAB.

Serious consideration for the formation of Airborne Divisions began when initial plans were made for the invasion of Europe in April 1943 (this was delayed, of course, for over a year).  The British had formed their first Airborne Division in late 1941, therefore the US Army went to them for advice