MILITARY · HISTORICAL MARKER
Camp Claiborne, LA
Forest Hill, Louisiana
· Birthplace of the 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions
Military
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At Camp Claiborne in Louisiana, the 82nd Infantry Division, the "All American" division of World War I fame, was reactivated on March 25, 1942, under Major General Omar Bradley. On June 26, 1942, Bradley was reassigned to Camp Livingston, Louisiana, and replaced by Major General Matthew Ridgway. The 82nd Infantry was then divided to form two airborne divisions: the 82nd Airborne, activated on Aug. 15, 1942, and the 101st Airborne, activated on August 16, 1942. Ridgway commanded the 82nd and Major General William Lee commanded the 101st, before Lee retired because of illness and was replaced by General Maxwell Taylor. The 82nd Airborne trained extensively in North Africa for the invasion of Sicily, fought in Sicily and Italy, then was withdrawn to prepare for the Normandy invasion before later fighting in France, Holland, Belgium, and Germany. The 101st Airborne, the "Screaming Eagles," fought in France, Holland, and most famously in the defense of Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge, for which it received the Distinguished Unit Citation, and finished the war in Germany. Both divisions have continued to serve and protect the nation.
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