fighting strength.
(3) The 503rd Parachute Infantry Regiment was formed in
1941 at Fort Bragg. The regiment jumped into New Guinea in
September 1943 as part of the first successful airborne
combat jump in the Pacific Theater. On February 16, 1945, the
regiment jumped onto the island of Corregidor and earned the
Presidential Unit Citation.
(4) The 173rd Infantry Brigade was activated on Okinawa,
Japan, in 1963 as the 173rd Airborne Brigade. The unit earned
the nickname "Sky Soldiers" from the Nationalist Chinese
paratroopers.
(5) In 1965, the 173rd Airborne Brigade became the first
major unit of the United States Army to serve in Vietnam. The
unit conducted the only combat parachute jump of the war in
February 1967. During more than six years of continuous
combat, the brigade earned 14 campaign streamers and four
unit citations. Sky Soldiers serving in Vietnam earned 13
Medals of Honor. The brigade was deactivated in 1972.
(6) Reactivated in June 2000, the 173rd Airborne Brigade
conducted numerous deployments across Europe. On March 26,
2003, the 173rd Airborne Brigade added to its distinguished
history when nearly 1,000 Sky Soldiers parachuted into Iraq
in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom I. During the
operation, one Sky Soldier was awarded the Silver Star.
(7) In 2005, the 173rd Airborne Brigade deployed to
Afghanistan along the contentious Pakistan border in support
of Operation Enduring Freedom VI. Five Sky Soldiers were
awarded the Silver Star for gallantry in battle.
(8) Upon returning to Italy in 2006, the 173rd Airborne
Brigade transformed into the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat
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