11th Airborne Division
U.S. Army (USA)

Background
On February 25, 1943 the 11th Airborne Division (11th Airborne) was activated in the U.S. Army at Camp Mackall in North Carolina under the command of Major General Joseph Swing. Abbreviated as 11th A/B Div. As formed, the division consisted of the 511th Parachute Infantry Regiment (511th PIR), 187th Glider Infantry Regiment and 188th Glider Infantry Regiment, and with a complement of 8,321 men was around half the strength of a regular U.S. infantry division of World War II.

Major General Swing temporarily serve as airborne advisor to General Dwight D. Eisenhower during Operation Husky, then returned to the 11th Airborne in the middle of September 1943. During 1943, the 11th Airborne Division underwent training in the United States and participated in the Knollwood Maneuver as the attacking force capturing Knollwood Army Auxiliary Airfield near Fort Bragg in North Carolina. Afterwards, the 11th Airborne remained in reserve until January 1944 then moved by rail from Camp Mackall in North Carolina to Camp Polk in Louisiana and underwent four weeks of final preparations for deployment overseas. In April 1944 moves to Camp Stoneman in California then shipped across the Pacific.

Wartime History
Between May 25, 1944 until June 11, 1944 the 11th Airborne Diviion arrives in Milne Bay in New Guinea. The 11th Airborne continues training with the glider troops becoming parachute-qualified and makes a practice parachute jump over Dobodura. On November 11, 1944 embarked on transports as part of convoy bound for the Philippines. On November 18, 1944 arrives Leyte. On November 22, 1944 attached to XXIV Corps as infantry and relieves the 7th Infantry Division in the Burauen-La Paz-Bugho area. On Leyte, The 511th Parachute Infantry Regiment (PIR) was to engage the Japanese in the division's operational area. Meanwhile, 187th Glider Infantry Regiment (GIR) guarded rear installations, the 188th Glider Infantry Regiment was to secure the division's rear and conduct aggressive patrols. On December 6, 1944 after Japanese paratroopers jump on San Pablo Airfield near the headquarters of the 11th Airborne and defending the airfield eliminate the enemy. Afterwards, advanced to the west coast of Leyte on December 17, 1944 and linked up with elements of the 32nd Infantry Division (32nd ID) and took up defensive positions. On January 14, 1945 relieved by the 96th Div and the next day return to their original base camp on Leyte.

On January 22, 1945 placed on alert for operations on Luzon and five days later the 187th Glider Infantry Regiment and 188th Glider Infantry Regiment were shipped to Luzon and the 511th Parachute Infantry Regiment flown aboard C-46 Commandos to Luzon. On January 31, 1945 the 188th Glider Infantry Regiment led the landing at Nasugbu meeting only light resistence followed by the 187th Glider Infantry Regiment.

On February 3, 1945 the 511th Parachute Infantry Regiment (PIR) made a paratrooper drop from C-47s in three waves on Tagaytay Ridge unopposed and by 3:00pm linked up with the rest of the 11th Airborne Division in the vicinity. Next, the divsion was ordered to advance towards Manila and breech the Genko Line. On February 5, 1945 the 511th Parachute Infantry Regiment began the attack then were relieved by the 188th Glider Infantry Regiment to attack from another direction and advance towards Nichols Field. On February 11, 1945 reached Nichols Field and after a pincer movement attack captured it by the next day then advanced towards Fort McKinley. During this advance Private First Class Manuel Perez Jr. neutralized several Japanese bunkers and eliminated eighteen enemy before killed by a sniper.

On February 21, 1945 the division reconnaissance platoon landed by canoes near Los Baños to rescue civilian detainees. On February 23, 1945 in the morning C-47s B Company of the 1st Battalion, 511th PIR dropped at Los Baños and linked up with guerillas and attacked the Los Baños and by 7:30am had control of the camp and rounded up the detainees to evacuate them on Amtracs while a task force on Highway 1 engaged the Japanese to prevent them from counterattacking. The raid had was sucessful and rescued civilians.

On February 24, 1945 the 11th Airborne was tasked with destroying the remainder of the Japanese "Shimbu Group" in southern Luzon. The 187th GIR and 511th PIR advanced to the south while the 188th GIR cleared the Pico de Loro Hills bordering Manila Bay. On April 30, 1945 the 11th Airborne Division captured Mount Malepunyo ending organized resistence in the sector. Afterward, the division moved to nearby Lipa Airfield (East Lipa) for rest, recouperation and training.

On June 23, 1945 the 11th Airborne conducted their last airborne assault with a paratrooper jump and glider landings at Camalaniugan near Aparri in northern Luzon then linked up with the 37th Division.

PARTIAL HISTORY

On August 14, 1945 the 11th Airborne is flown from Philippines to Okinawa on standby to be the first Americans to occupy Japan. On August 30, 1945 the occupation of Japan begins when the 11th Airborne Division and General Douglas MacArthur are flown to Atsugi Airfield.

511th Parachute Infantry Regiment (511th PIR)
The 511th Parachute Infantry Regiment (511th PIR).

187th Glider Infantry Regiment (187th GIR)
The 187th Glider Infantry Regiment

188th Glider Infantry Regiment (188th GIR)
The 188th Glider Infantry Regiment.

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