3rd Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment

[[Category:Wikipedia pages tagged for copyright problems|]]

3rd Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment is an Infantry Battalion assigned to the 3rd Brigade Combat Team 187th Infantry Regiment ("Rakkasans"), 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Kentucky. 3rd Battalion activated on 25 February 1943 at Camp Mackall, North Carolina as an organic element of the 187th Glider Infantry Regiment. The battalion is know as the Iron Rakkasans. The movie Hamburger Hill is about the battalions fight for "Hill 937" during the Vietnam War.

Units

3rd Battalion is comprised of the following companies:

Headquarters and Headquarters Company "HeadHunters" - HHC is primarily made up of the Staff Sections of the battalion. They include:
• S1 - Provides Personnel and Soldier support to include: Promotions, Awards, Evaulations, Reassignments, Finance, Separations, Legal, and Citizenship issues through out the battalion
• S2 - Provides Intell support to include: Gathering and disseminating information collected, processing security clearances, sending recommendations to the command for operations, and interrogation of detainees
• S3 - Provides Operations and Training support to include: Preparing Operation Orders, Fragment Orders to the Battalion, Ensuring Soldiers are selected for Appropriate Training, and Supervision of All Battalion Operations
• S4 - Provides Supply and Logistics Support to include: Supplying each Company with all classes of Supplies, Supervises Supply Operations for the Battalion
• S6 - Provides Communications and Electronic Support to include: Radio Communication, Network Communication (Secured Internet Connections), Audio and Visual elements, as well as Company to Company and Company to Battalion communications.
• Battalion Medical Platoon - Provides medics to each line company, as well as a Battalion Aid Station to support all medical needs for the Battalion
• Mortar Platoon - Provides Supervision and Support for all Mortar platoons and missions in the Battalion.
• Scout Platoon - Specialized Platoon of Infantry Soldiers who operate in various missions to include sniper and scout weapons teams.
• Command Group - The Battalion Commander, Battalion Command Sergeant Major, Battalion Executive Offiver, Battalion Operations Officer and Battalion Operations Sergeant Major are part of the Battalion Command Group.

Alpha Company "Angel" - A company of 4 Rifle Platoons and an HQ Platoon capable of Deploying in support of world-wide operations with in 36 hours.

Bravo Company "Battle Hard" - A company of 4 Rifle Platoons and an HQ Platoon capable of Deploying in support of world-wide operations with in 36 hours.

Charlie Company "Choppin" - A company of 4 Rifle Platoons and an HQ Platoon capable of Deploying in support of world-wide operations with in 36 hours.

Delta Company "Wolfpack" - An Anti-armor company capable of Deploying in support of world-wide operations with in 36 hours

History

The 3rd Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment was activated on 25 February 1943 at Camp Mackall, North Carolina as an organic element of the 187th Glider Infantry Regiment. In March of 1944, the Battalion deployed with the regiment to the Pacific Theater of World War II as part of the 11th Airborne division. After six months of training in New Guinea, the 187th was committed to combat in Leyte in the campaign to regain control of the Philippine Islands. In the subsequent fighting, the unit repelled and destroyed a 500-man Japanese parachute assault and earned the battalion's first Presidential Unit Citation (Army) for an amphibious assault on Luzon, the battle of Tagatay Ridge, and the attack on Manila. Following the Japanese surrender, the troops of the 187th were the first American soldiers to set foot on Japanese soil, flying there as part of Gen. Macarthur's advance guard. It was during the first four years of occupation duty in Japan that the soldiers of the 187th Infantry Regiment, now all parachute qualified were given the name "RAKKASANS" by the Japanese. Loosely translated as "falling down umbrella", the name stuck; the troops liked it and adopted it. Since then, members of the regiment have made the name synonymous with the fighting spirit of America's airborne and air assault soldiers.

In early 1949, the 187th rotated to Camp Campbell, Kentucky, where it became an Airborne Infantry Regiment and was assigned to the 11th Airborne Division. With the outbreak of the Korean War, the Rakkasans returned the Orient as a separate unit, the 187th Airborne Regiment Combat Team. During the conflict, the Rakkasans earned six campaign streamers. They also earned a Presidential Unit Citation (Navy) for an attack up the Kimpo Peninsula as part of the amphibious assault at Inchon, and their second Presidential Unit Citation (Army) for a parachute assault above the enemy capital of Pyongyang at Sukchon-Sunchon in 1950. Months later the regiment made a second combat jump at Musan-ni, cutting off and destroying large number of forces above the 38th parallel.

The Rakkasans returned stateside in 1955, this time to Ft. Bragg, North Carolina. Their stay there was short-lived; in February 1956 the unit road marched to Ft. Campbell to serve as the first test combat group and the nucleus of the newly reactivated 101st Airborne Division. In 1963, the Rakkasans served under the 11th Airborne Divisions colors when the 3rd Battalion, 187th Infantry became the Army's first air assault battalion and participated with the 11th Air Assault Division in the validation of the Army's airmobile concept.

In December 1967, the 3rd Battalion deployed to Vietnam as part of the 3rd Brigade, 101st Airborne Division. Over the next four years the Iron Rakkasans fought with extreme valor in twelve major campaigns, conducting numerous air assaults and search and destroy missions. The battalion colors returned to Ft. Campbell in 1971, bringing home two Valorous Unit Awards, and the Battalions third and fourth Presidential Unit Awards for the battles of Trang Bang and Dong Ap Bia Mountain (commonly known as "Hamburger Hill"). The Iron Rakkasans emerged from the Vietnam War as the country's most highly decorated airborne battalion.

For the next 19 years the battalion was assigned to the 3rd Brigade of the 101st Airborne Division. In August 1990, the battalion deployed to southwest Asia for Operations; Desert Shield and Desert Storm. During Operation Desert Storm the battalion was part of the largest air assault in history, assaulting 175 miles (282 km) into enemy territory. Here the battalion isolated the Iraqi elite Republican Guard by blocking key routes along the Euphrates River Valley. This action helped support the end of one of the quickest and most devastating victories in modern war. The Rakkasans were the northern most coalition force in Iraq--only 150 miles (240 km) from the Iraqi capital of Baghdad.

After 11 years the nation once again called on the battalion and in April 2002 they were sent to Afghanistan as part of Operation Enduring Freedom. While deployed to Afghanistan the Iron Rakkasans participated in numerous actions against the elusive remnants of the Taliban regime and assisted in stabilizing the country for election of a new government. The Battalion was redeployed to Fort Campbell in August of 2002.

In February 2003, six months after redeploying from Afghanistan the Iron Rakkasans were deployed to Iraq as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom. After staging in Kuwait the battalion conducted an air assault into Iraq and was attached to the 3rd Infantry Division. While attached to 3rd ID the battalion entered Baghdad and cleared the Republican guard HQs and the Baghdad Airport. The Iron Rakkasans fought with valor and were awarded a Presidential Unit Citation. The Iron Rakkasans then conducted an air assault into the Tal’afar region and conducted border security and Stability and Support Operations for the next six months. The battalion conducted combat operations in Husaybah, Iraq with the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment in November 2003 before redeploying back to Ft Campbell in January 2004.
In September 2005, the Iron Rakkasans Deployed again to Iraq, this time in the town of Samarra and participated in Operation Swarmer. During the whole deployment the Iron Rakkasans only suffered 2 casualties. The Iron Rakkasans Redeployed back to Ft. Campbell in September of 2007. The Battalion earned a Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army) for the Deploymeny

Currently the Battalion is Deployed to Iraq and is currently based on FOB Dragon near the town of Yusufiyah.

The 187th Infantry Regiment is the only airborne regiment in the history of the US 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 has 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.

Chain of Command

As of December 2006, the 3rd Battalion was commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Andrew M. Rohling and Command Sergeant Major Dennis E. Defreese.