511th Parachute Infantry Regiment (511th PIR)
11th Airborne Division
U.S. Army

Background
On January 5, 1943 the 511th Parachute Infantry Regiment (511th PIR) under the command of Lt. Col Orin D. Haugen was activated at Camp Toccoa, Georgia as part of the 11th Airborne Division in the U.S. Army. The cadre of personnel were mainly from the 505th PIR which was then stationed in Fort Benning, GA. The Regiment was created from roughly 12,000 recruits, of which about 3,000 were selected to start basic training with roughly 2,000 to form the regiment with 173 commissioned as officers and three warrant officers.

Commanding Officers (C.O.)
Lt. Col Orin D. Haugen (January 5, 1943–February 1945)
Lt.Col. Edward Lahti (February 1945–August 1947)

References
The Drop Zone: History of the 511th Airborne Regiment by Leo Kocher

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