The United States Parachute Infantry Battalion
The US Army formed a number of Parachute Infantry Regiments during the Second World War, each with three Parachute Infantry Battalions plus a Regimental Headquarters and a Service Company.
The Parachute Infantry Battalion was subject to three major reorganisations between February 1942 and December 1944, but as with all Airborne units it appears the paper ideal tells only a part of the story.
I posted a long standing appeal for help on the website regarding what I believe to be a significant discrepancy in the make-up of the Rifle Platoon. As will be seen from the links below, the Rifle Platoon was officially authorised just two Rifle Squads up until almost the end of war, yet when trying to dig into the matter there are constant references to three Squads per Platoon. Whether this indicates a major amendment to the unit strengths, and if so it is by no means clear where the extra personnel necessary were found from, confusion with the Platoon Mortar Squad, or a simple assumption that like all US Rifle Platoons there were three Squads, I do not know.
A number of people have contacted me with suggestions or information they have picked up themselves, but sadly I have yet to find a definitive answer. That leads me to believe there simply isn’t one, so unless and until some truly concrete information comes my way (preferably involving a loading table for an actual operation), I will simply adhere to the War Department’s published organisation for the Battalion. I am though perfectly aware that the Paratroopers themselves would not have felt quite so bound by the official guidance when it came to organising for their units for combat.
The United States Parachute Infantry Battalion 1942 to 1944
Derived from the following Tables of Organization –
Infantry Headquarters & Headquarters Company, Battalion, Parachute, Table of Organization number 7-36, dated February 17th 1942 (including Change 1).
Infantry Rifle Company, Parachute, Table of Organization number 7-37, dated February 17th 1942 (including Changes 1 and 2).
Infantry Headquarters & Headquarters Company, Battalion, Parachute, Table of Organization number T/O 7-36, dated August 1st 1944.
Infantry Rifle Company, Parachute, Table of Organization number 7-37, dated August 1st 1944.
The United States Parachute Infantry Battalion 1945
Derived from the following Tables of Organization (Tentative) –
Infantry Headquarters & Headquarters Company, Battalion, Parachute, Table of Organization number T/O 7-36T, dated December 16th 1944.
Infantry Rifle Company, Parachute, Table of Organization number 7-37T, dated December 16th 1944.
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