This was a reinforcement jump in support of an amphibious landing followed by a lengthy jungle mop-up. The next was Noemfoor Island in the Netherlands East Indies. The first, at Nadzab on New Guinea, was the first successful US regimental parachute assault anywhere and the only jump in which an entire regiment was delivered at once in the Pacific. The 503rd PRCT was initially based in Australia and later on Mindoro Island in the Philippines.

It was only in theater for a month before its first combat operation.

The unit benefited from eight months of collective training prior to deployment to Australia. It was originally the 503rd PIR, which was organized from two existing parachute infantry battalions at Ft Benning, Georgia, in early 1942. The 503rd PRCT was an independent unit with organic artillery and engineers. In July 1945 the 188th became a PIR and the newly arrived to the Philippines 541st PIR was broken up and absorbed into the 11th. As well as the 511th PIR, the 11th Abn Div (“Angels”) included two glider infantry regiments – the 187th and 188th. While it was proposed that the 503rd PRCT should be assigned to the 11th Abn Div, MacArthur wisely kept the units separate, keeping the 503rd for rapidly emerging special purpose missions. There were two US Army airborne units in the Pacific: the 11th Airborne Division (Abn Div) with the 511th Parachute Infantry Regiment (PIR) and the 503rd Parachute Regimental Combat Team (PRCT). Furthermore, the Pacific Theater paratroopers conducted amphibious assaults and fought on jungle-covered hills, in swamps and in mud. There was also no significant use of gliders. Parachute operations were smaller and often conducted on extremely difficult and, in some instances, very dangerous terrain. INTRODUCTION The environment, enemy and tactical situation experienced by paratroopers in the Pacific were entirely different from those experienced in Europe.

US ARMY PARATROOPER, PACIFIC THEATER 1943–45.

Paratroopers’ uniforms Paratroopers’ uniform distinctions The T-5 troop parachute

ILLUSTRATED BY BRIAN DELF Series editor Marcus Cowper ILLUSTRATED BY BRIAN DELF © Osprey Publishing US ARMY PARATROOPER IN THE PACIFIC THEATER 1943–45

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