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506th Airborne Infantry

Regiment Association


           506th PIR/Infantry Distinctive Unit Insignia/Crest

Description/Blazon

A silver color metal and enamel device 1 1/4 inches (3.18cm) in height overall a shield blazoned: Azure, a lightning flash in bend throughout Argent, in chief, six parachutes, three, two and one of the last, in base a mountain issuant Proper. Attached below the shield a silver motto scroll inscribed "CURRAHEE" in blue letters.

Symbolism

The blue field is for the Infantry, the 506th's arm of the service. Thunderbolt indicates the regiment's particular threat and technique to attack: striking with speed, power, and surprise from the sky. Six parachutes represent the fact that the 506th was in the sixth parachute Regiment activated in the U.S. Army, of which, the unit is proud. The green silhouette represents the Currahee Mountain -- the site of the regiment's activation (Taccoa, Ga.) -- and symbolizes the organization's strength, independence, and ability to stand alone for which paratroops are renowned. In fact, Currahee is the Cherokee Indian equivalent for "Stands Alone."

Background

The distinctive unit insignia was originally approved for the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment on 20 Apr 1943. It was redesignated and amended for the 506th Airborne Infantry on 18 Mar 1949. On 27 Feb 1958 the insignia was redesignated for the 506th Infantry.

                       Para-O-Dice Pocket Patch

The 506th PIR Para-Dice (Pair-O-Dice) Pocket Patchdesignisattributed to Bill Donnan and/or Harold Donaghe (both from B Company, 1st BN, 506th PIR), who created it at Camp Toccoa, GA in the summer of 1942.Joe Witzerman (HQ, 2nd BN, 506th PIR) did the art work. (Joe was later transferred to a special Army artist unit.) The design consists of a diving eagle in front of a parachute canopy and a pair of dice, showing a "5" and a "6" and connected with a large black "0" , signifying the 506 attacking from the sky. The Para-Dice patch was approved on April 20, 1943 and was worn on the left jacket pocket. However, since this was a regimental insignia, it was not an authorized patch once the 506th PIR was attached to the 101st Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, NC, on June 1, 1943.

 506th PIR/Infantry Coat of Arms

Description/Blazon

Azure, a lightning flash in bend throughout Argent, in chief, six parachutes, three, two and one of the last, in base a mountain issuant Proper. On a wreath Argent and Azure, in front of a demi-plate bearing a demi-torteau surmounted overall in pale by a winged sword-breaker point to base Or wings elevated of the first, two caltraps conjoined gold that to the dexter bearing a fleur-de-lis of the second and that to the sinister a bugle horn of the like. CURRAHEE (American Aboriginal, Cherokee Tongue: (Stands Alone).

Symbolism

The blue field is for the Infantry, the 506th's arm of the service. Thunderbolt indicates the regiment's particular threat and technique to attack: striking with speed, power, and surprise from the sky. Six parachutes represent the fact that the 506th was in the sixth parachute regiment activated in the U.S. Army, of which, the unit is proud. The green silhouette represents the Currahee Mountain -- the site of the regiment's activation (Taccoa, Ga.) -- and symbolizes the organization's strength, independence, and ability to stand alone for which paratroops are renowned. The winged sword-breaker represents airborne troops. The conjoined caltraps stand for the enemy line of defense behind which paratroopers are dropped. They are two in number in reference to the unit's two air assault landings. The fleur-de-lis is for the Normandy invasion and the bugle horn, from the arms of Eindhoven, Holland, refers to the organization's capture of that objective. The six large spikes of the caltraps stand for the unit's six decorations. The demi-roundel represents a section of the hub of a wheel. It stands for Bastogne, Begium, strategic crossroads of highways and railways. The hub, surmounted by the winged sword-breaker, commemorates the organization's heroic defense of Bastogne in the Battle of the Bulge. CURRAHEE. American Aboriginal, Cherokee Tongue meaning "Stands Alone."

Background

The coat of arms was originally approved for the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment on 20 Apr 1943. It was amended on 23 Aug 1943 to correct the blazon. The coat of arms was redesignated for the 506th Airborne Infantry Regiment on 18 Mar 1949. On 27 Feb 1958 it was redesignated for the 506th Infantry.

WORLD WAR II PARACHUTE INFANTRY REGIMENT

After Action and Historical reports for the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment during the World War II period.

OPERATION MARKET GARDEN

OPERATION NEPTUNE

BATTLE OF THE BULGE (BASTOGNE, BELGIUM)

Various After-Action Reports, Morning Reports and Order of Battle, European Theater


CIB Orders - General Orders Number 12 dated 15 June 1944. The orders identify members of the 506th Parachute Infantry who were awarded the Combat Infantry Badge. Service numbers, ink spots and smudge marks have been removed as much as possible without altering the names. The entire document is 17 pages. As each page is recovered, we will add it to this section.  WWII-CIB-JUNE-1944.pdf


We have attempted to limit the number of records one needs to search to find specific information by ordering the records by unit, type and date. You may find documents for a specific period in the various command levels. Generally, reports from the 101st Airborne Division will not have as much specific detail as Daily Staff Journals filed from the battalion level.

If you have documents pertaining to the 506th Infantry that you are willing to share please pass them on and we will add them to this site. As we receive documents this section will be updated.

If you are just surfing the net looking for information on the 506th Infantry and found this page through a search engine, don't miss visiting our other pages.The 506th Airborne Infantry Regiment Association (Airmobile - Air Assault) contains History, Lineage, Honors as well as a Memorial to Currahees killed in action and missing in action.

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