v. 14

101st Airborne Division

by Barry D. Smith

Published 31 May 1998
The 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) is like no other division in the world. The heirs to the glorious traditions of the "screaming eagles" who jumped over Normandy and in operation Market Garden in 1944, the present day division took its new designation in 1974. After hard years of combat in Vietnam the former paratroopers took over and developed the role played most prominently in that war by the "air cav". The division has some 360 of its own helicopters permanently assigned including UH-60s, CH-47s, AH-Is, AH-64s, OH-58s and UH-Is. This photo-essay describes and illustrates the division's organization, individual units, missions, techniques, training and operations and its equipment, from helicopters and airtransportable artillery to individual trooper's uniform and kit.