With the exception of a few small teams, 101st hasn't had actual airborne status in decades. For the purposes of heritage they retain the Airborne tab as part of their insignia and in their name, but it's in name only.Originally Posted by delphidoc
With the exception of a few small teams, 101st hasn't had actual airborne status in decades. For the purposes of heritage they retain the Airborne tab as part of their insignia and in their name, but it's in name only.
Grab your gun and bring in the cat.
101st is actually an 'Air Assault' Division; troops ride helicopters into battle as opposed to parachuting. Think the latest incarnation of the 'Air Mobile' or 'Air Cavalry' lineage.
Parachutist Badge
Air Assault Badge
While Airborne is traditionally associated with parachutists, I'd argue the Air Assault heritage descends from WW2 Glider units, which were certainly 'Airborne' though not parachutists. Of course, helicopter transport is not unique to the 101st, though they have significantly more rotary wing lift than any other formation.
Glider Badge
Note that the original Airborne cap patch displayed both parachute and glider images.
That said, Airborne 'status' is associated with parachuting, and entitles the 82nd to wear the maroon beret. The meme is a gibe against the 101st, which enjoys no such accoutrements.
Last edited by JSGlock34; 02-04-2021 at 09:28 PM.
"When the phone rang, Parker was in the garage, killing a man."
I was there from 97-01 and IIRC the only jump capable units in Division at that time were 6/101 (Pathfinders), LRSD and maybe a detachment from 311MI (unless that was LRSD, I forget). I was in a Communications and Electronics repair shop and usually once or twice a year someone would bring us equipment to repair that had augered in when someone's pack came untethered during a jump. Fun times...
But we did get to wear jump boots so we had that going for us....
Last edited by awp_101; 02-04-2021 at 09:32 PM.
Nothing so needs reforming as other people's habits - Mark Twain
Tact is the knack of making a point without making an enemy / Where is the wisdom we have lost in knowledge?
I think the LRS companies were part of the MI Battalions during the 90s. I remember knowing enough to realize that my Drill Sergeant's uniform was a bit odd, and I asked him about it. He was a leg Ranger with a CIB and an unusual combat patch - I think it turned out to be from a Corps MI Brigade. He had been in a LRS unit in Desert Storm (very odd considering he wasn't Airborne).
For what it's worth, here's the CG of the 101st in the new Army greens, rocking the Airborne cap patch, attending a D-Day ceremony in France. And he was wearing brown jump boots.
"When the phone rang, Parker was in the garage, killing a man."
30 seconds with photoshop and you'd have something.Air Assault Badge
60 seconds with photoshop and women would be wearing it on bare-midriff tees.
Why does that helo have buck teeth, like Mader from Cars?30 seconds with photoshop and you'd have something.
60 seconds with photoshop and women would be wearing it on bare-midriff tees.
"The victor is not victorious if the vanquished does not consider himself so."
― Ennius
Air Assault Badge
I always thought the bottom half of the helo had the face of an alien looking at me.
We called that the Bullwinkle badge occasionally, so that photoshop is pretty funny.
My daughter used that one at the bottom of the Grand Canyon. Worked great!
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