LINEAGE
Constituted 14 March 1941 in the Army of the United States as Company B, 504th Parachute Battalion
Activated 5 October 1941 at Fort Benning, Georgia
Reorganized and redesignated 24 February 1942 as Company E, 503d Parachute Infantry
Reorganized and redesignated 2 November 1942 as Company E, 509th Parachute Infantry
Reorganized and redesignated 10 December 1943 as Company B, 509th Parachute Infantry Battalion
Disbanded 1 March 1945 in France
Reconstituted 12 May 1947 in the Regular Army as Company B, 509th Parachute Infantry Battalion
Redesignated 27 March 1963 as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 509th Infantry, and assigned to the 8th Infantry Division (organic elements concurrently constituted)
Battalion activated 1 April 1963 in Germany
Relieved 1 September 1973 from assignment to the 8th Infantry Division
CAMPAIGN PARTICIPATION CREDIT
World War II
*Algeria-French Morocco (with arrowhead)
*Naples-Foggia (with arrowhead)
*Southern France (with arrowhead)
DECORATIONS
*Presidential Unit Citation (Army), Streamer embroidered CARANO, ITALY - WD GO 53, 1944
*Presidential Unit Citation (Army), Streamer embroidered LIEGE, BELGIUM - WD GO 30, 1945
*French Croix de Guerre with Silver Star, World War II, Streamer embroidered MUY EN PROVENCE - DA GO 43, 1950
*Cited in the Order of the Day of the Belgian Army for action in the Ardennes - DA GO 43, 1950
*Cited in the Order of the Day of the Belgian Army for action at St. Vith - DA GO 43, 1950
*Personnel authorized to wear the insignia of the French 3d Zouaves Regiment - Letter Order 969, French Commander in Chief, 06 Feb 1944 and DF, Comment 1, WD, G-1, 27 Dec 1944
BY ORDER OF THE SECRETARY OF THE ARMY:
William A. Stofft
Brigadier General, USA
Chief of Military History
