CHRONOLOGY OF THE 503RD PARACHUTE INFANTRY

 

2 Mar 42

503rd Parachute Infantry regiment formed at Fort Benning, Georgia.

503rd Parachute Battalion redesignated as 1st Btn.

504th Parachute Battalion redesignated as 2nd Btn.

101 Officers, 4 Warrant Officers, 1205 Enlisted

   

 

Lt. Colonel William M. Miley assumed command.

19 Mar 42

Regiment moved to Fort Bragg, N. C.

   

30 May 42

2nd Battalion under Major Edison P. Raff moved to New York Port of Embarkation for transfer to England.

   

8 Jun 42

Regiment received 3rd Battalion with redesignation of1st. Battalion of the 502nd Parachute Infantry under Major John J. Tolsen III.

   

 

Lt. Colonel Robert F. Sink assumed command ex. Lt. Col. Miley

   

29 Jun 42

Lt. Colonel Kenneth H.Kinsler assumed command ex. Lt. Colonel Sink.

   

9-16 Oct 42

503rd Parachute Infantry Regiment, less Second battalion which had gone to England, moved from Fort Bragg to San Francisco Port of Embarkation. �A� Company of the 504th Parachute Infantry (82nd Airborne Division) attached Regiment on the night of departure and loaded on train with the 503rd but retained its original designation.

   

20 Oct 42

Units sailed from San Francisco on MS Poleau Laut. Ship proceeded to Panama Canal Zone, where the 501st Parachute Battalion, less �C� Company boarded.  

   

2 Dec 42

Units debarked at Cairns, Australia and went into camp near Gordonvale, Australia.

   

 

Regiment Officially reorganized to include HQ, HQ Co., 1st Battalion and 3rd Battalion as it had left Ft. Bragg. �A� Co. 504th redesignated as �D� Co and 501st Prcht Bn was redesignated as �E� and �F� Cos of the 503rd Prcht Infantry Regiment.

   

7 Aug 43

Unit began move to Fort Moresby, New Guinea.

   

22 Aug 43

Final units arrived Port Moresby.

   

5 Sep 43

Unit jumped in Markham Valley at Nadzab.

   

20 Sep 43

Unit returned to camp at Port Moresby.

   

22 Oct 43

Lt. Colonel George M. Jones assumed command vice Colonel Kinsler, deceased.

   

2 Nov-25 Dec 43

 Preparing for Cape Glouster operation

   

8 Jan 44

Regiment alerted for move to new station.

   

25 Jan 44

Regiment left Port Moresby.

   

17 Feb 44.

Last elements of regiment arrive Brisbane and went into camp at Camp Cable.

   

29 Mar 44

462nd Parachute Field Artillery Battalion attached.

   

5 Apr 44

Regimental Combat Team embarked for Oro Bay, N.G.

   

6 Apr 44

U.S. Army Transport "SEA CAT" departed Brisbane 0815

   

14 Apr 44

Unit arrived Oro Bay, New Guinea 0730. Distance travelled 2000 miles. Debarked by DUKW'S and proceeded to new camp at Sudest Bay.

   

19 Apr 44

Lt. Michael Brady accidentally shot in stomach.

   

30 Apr 44

Strength 188 Officers, 2400 EM's.

   

15 May 44

Strength 174 Officers, 2294 EM's. A number of Officers and Enlisted Men had been rotated to U.S.

   

26 May 44

Moved to new camp adjacent to Air Strip.

   

28 May 44

Alerted for a Combat Mission.

   

 

Leave Dobodura for Cyclops Drome, Hollandia, Dutch New Guinea.

   

30 May 44

Temporary camp established in Eberle Plantation in Hollandia Drome area. Nearby were: Sentani Lake, Tami River and the Sangke River.

   

 

Moved to Hollekang Camp Area near entrance to Humbolt Bay.

   

3 July 44

First Battalion jumped on Noemfoor. Code name "TABLE TENNIS".

   

4 July 44

Third Battalion jumped on Noemfoor.

   

 

Second Battalion flown to Biak.

   

9 July 44

Second Battalion moved to Noemfoor by barge, landing at Namber Air Strip. Japanese troops later learned to consist of 1200 troops under Colonel Shimizu.

   

23 July 44

D and E Companies operating North from Insi encountered main body of enemy. 

   

23 Aug 44

Regiment moved into camp site near Kamiri Air Strip.

   

3 Jul-31 Aug 44

Enemy Casualties: 1087 KIA

Prisoners:       

2 Officers
  80 Enlisted
  312 Formosans
  9 Javanese Liberated
   
503rd Casualties: Officers Enlisted

Killed 

3 34

Wounded

11 61

 

13 Sep 44

 

Company C 161 Airborne Engineers joined Regiment with 8 Officers and 109 Enlisted Men.

   

20 Oct 44

US troops land on Leyte.

   

7 Nov 44

 

Ships arrived for move to Leyte. Ships were the Knox (APA 46), the Custer (APA 40) and the Comet (APA 166). Troops were loaded aboard to have a period of rest and good food.

   

14 Nov 44

Sailed from Noemfoor for Leyte.

   

18 Nov 44

 

Combat Team debarked at Leyte, taking up positions 1 1/2 miles North of Tarragona, Leyte. Boat trip amounted to 1150 miles.

   

12 Dec 44

 

Task force embarked at Leyte with destination Mindoro.

   

15 Dec 44

Amphibious landing at San Jose, Mindoro 0730.

   

16 Feb 45

 

Corregidor Operation.

0600 First Plane Load Entrucked.

0700 First Plane Load Enplaned.

0730 First Plane Load Took Off.

Plans called for 2 lifts of 51 C-47s each. First Plane Loads Jumped on Rock

   

8 Mar 45

Combat Team returned to Camp on Mindoro.

   

6 Apr 45

Unit leaves Mindoro for Iloilo, Panay.

   

7 Apr 45 

Unit Arrives Green Beach Bacolod, Negros Occidental and goes into combat.

   

1 Jun 45

Lt. Abbott to SSO.

   

14 Aug

Gradual winding down of fighting from June 45 to 14 Aug 45.

   

15 Aug 45

Surrender by Japanese Government. Following this the 503rd took the surrender of the Japanese troops on Negros in several places around the island. An estimated 5900 prisoners were taken including General Kono and Colonel Watanabe COS. An additional 600 expected to surrender.

   

5 Nov 45

The 503rd comes to an end--casuals take over.

   

 

The War Department estimates that the 503rd killed over 10,000 Japanese during its combat actions.

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

         

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