1 history
1.1 activation
1.2 world war ii
1.3 inactivated
history
activation
the unit activated result of recommendation made in december 1942 advisory committee on negro troop policies, chaired assistant secretary of war, john j. mccloy. in approving committee s recommendation black parachute battalion, chief of staff general george c. marshall decided start company, , on 25 february 1943 555th parachute infantry company constituted.
on 19 december 1943, headquarters, army ground forces, authorized activation of company all-black unit black officers black enlisted men. unit members volunteers, enlisted cadre selected personnel of 92d infantry division @ fort huachuca, arizona.
the company officially activated on 30 december 1943 @ fort benning, georgia. after several months of training, unit moved camp mackall, north carolina, reorganized , redesignated on 25 november 1944 company of newly activated 555th parachute infantry battalion.
world war ii
members of battalion briefed before takeoff fort dix in 1947
the battalion did not serve overseas during world war ii, because never reached full strength airborne infantry battalion. in reaction german counterattack began battle of bulge, airborne command considered reorganizing 555th pib single reinforced airborne rifle company, , sending europe reinforce battered airborne units there. however, before happen crisis had passed, , 555th pib instead alerted deployment west coast. men of 555th pib hoped war against japanese, not new mission. according sergeant walter morris, secret mission called operation firefly. thought going overseas [gen. douglas] macarthur s theater. wasn t until arrived in oregon, in may 1945, learned fighting japanese on fire line in western united states.
during winter of 1944–45, japanese sent 9000 fire balloons toward west coast of north america. believed 1000 succeeded in reaching united states; 312 balloon bombs have been found. after 3 days, each balloon dropped incendiary bomb. balloon bombs employed ballast system designed maintain average altitude of 30,000 feet. incendiary bombs dropped 1 @ time (four 11 pounders) , single high-explosive bomb (33 pounds) dropped followed self-destruct device. in order conceal efficacy of these attacks, missions of 555th pib kept clandestine in nature. january 1945, however, both time , newsweek reported mission. despite fear of incendiary bombs, none of 1945 season attributed balloon incendiaries, nor fires started balloon bomb program @ all. stationed @ pendleton field, oregon (formerly base of pilots , aircraft selected doolittle raid on japan), detachment in chico, california, unit members participated in fire-fighting missions throughout pacific northwest during summer , fall of 1945. 555th worked on twenty-eight fires during 1945 season. of these, fifteen fires jumped or parachuted to. while united states forest service reports refer employees smokejumpers, 555th reported paratroopers on fire reports. fatality in unit died while jumping on 6 august 1945.
the 555th parachute infantry battalion nicknamed triple nickles because of numerical designation , selection of 17 of original 20-member colored test platoon 92nd infantry (buffalo) division. hence, origin of term buffalo nickles; spelling derives old english. 3 buffalo nickels joined in triangle or pyramid identifying symbol.
soon after returning camp mackall in october 1945, 555th parachute infantry battalion transferred fort bragg, north carolina, home next 2 years. during period unit attached elite 82d airborne division. when battalion inactivated on 15 december 1947, men transferred 3d battalion, 505th parachute infantry regiment of 82nd airborne division, had been reduced cadre strength prepare arrival. afterward, individual black paratroopers transferred units throughout 82nd airborne division, making first integrated division in army.
inactivated
after inactivation, many former 555th pib members later fought in korean war in other units. first lieutenant harry sutton, 1 of battalion s former officers, died leading rearguard action during hungnam evacuation , decorated posthumously silver star. in 1950, large number of former 555th pib members volunteered form all-black 2nd ranger infantry company (united states). while 2nd ranger company attached 187th infantry regiment (united states), made combat jump @ munsan-ni in march 1951, first combat jump ever made army ranger unit.
Comments
Post a Comment