The Airborne Times

160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment - The Night Stalkers

160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment - Th...

They were born out of a doomed operation, but their role has become irreplaceable. Their brothers in arms count on them in the most difficult of times while they remain...

160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment - The Night Stalkers

They were born out of a doomed operation, but their role has become irreplaceable. Their brothers in arms count on them in the most difficult of times while they remain the enemy’s worst nightmare. Battle-proven, always resilient, and lethal, they are highly respected among all the services and have often...

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Operation Hump: 173rd’s Legendary Operation in Vietnam

Operation Hump: 173rd’s Legendary Operation in ...

  Soldiers take cover in a crater during the Vietnam War (Courtesy Photo/U.S. Army) Operation Hump is a legendary operation conducted jointly by Australian and American Airborne forces in Vietnam....

Operation Hump: 173rd’s Legendary Operation in Vietnam

  Soldiers take cover in a crater during the Vietnam War (Courtesy Photo/U.S. Army) Operation Hump is a legendary operation conducted jointly by Australian and American Airborne forces in Vietnam. The Friendly composition consisted of the 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade, as well as a battalion from...

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The Elusive Blue Air Assault Beret

The Elusive Blue Air Assault Beret

Blue Air Assault Berets: A Brief Chapter in Military History In the accounts of military tradition, berets have often stood out as symbols of honor and excellence, providing soldiers with...

The Elusive Blue Air Assault Beret

Blue Air Assault Berets: A Brief Chapter in Military History In the accounts of military tradition, berets have often stood out as symbols of honor and excellence, providing soldiers with an extra element of pride. They adorn soldiers' heads, signifying their commitment to a unique calling. While everyone in the...

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U.S. Army paratroopers assigned to 173rd Airborne Brigade participate in a basic airborne refresher course on Caserma Ederle in Vicenza, Italy, Oct. 9, 2019. (Army/Henry Villarama)

Wisdom from the Community: Top Five Pieces of A...

Wisdom from the Community: Top Five Pieces of Advice for New Paratroopers Hear ye, hear ye! Young paratroopers, we believe you deserve some valuable advice because you are at a...

Wisdom from the Community: Top Five Pieces of Advice for New Paratroopers

Wisdom from the Community: Top Five Pieces of Advice for New Paratroopers Hear ye, hear ye! Young paratroopers, we believe you deserve some valuable advice because you are at a stage where you need it to shape your military career. Because we care, we reached out to our community to...

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Operation Restore Democracy: The Landing that Never Happened

Operation Restore Democracy: The Landing that N...

Operation Restore Democracy: The Landing that Never Happened In the early 1990s, Haiti's democracy was in constant crisis, and the island was being governed by unconstitutional leadership. The regimes kept...

Operation Restore Democracy: The Landing that Never Happened

Operation Restore Democracy: The Landing that Never Happened In the early 1990s, Haiti's democracy was in constant crisis, and the island was being governed by unconstitutional leadership. The regimes kept changing but lacked national and international legitimacy, leading to U.N. sanctions. The United States created a multinational force (MNF) to...

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The Evolution of Airborne Operations: From World War II to Present Day

The Evolution of Airborne Operations: From Worl...

They called it "The Iron Rain." On the fateful day of June 6, 1944, as part of Operation Overlord, more than 13,000 paratroopers from the American 82nd and 101st Airborne...

The Evolution of Airborne Operations: From World War II to Present Day

They called it "The Iron Rain." On the fateful day of June 6, 1944, as part of Operation Overlord, more than 13,000 paratroopers from the American 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions leaped into the night sky, their hearts racing, their minds set on one goal: the liberation of Europe from...

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Boots On Ground: The 82nd Airborne in the Battle for Iraq

Boots On Ground: The 82nd Airborne in the Battl...

Transporting you from your favorite reading nook literally into the boots of the 82nd Airborne in the Battle for Iraq, Boots on the Ground by Karl Zinsmeister details the story of the...

Boots On Ground: The 82nd Airborne in the Battle for Iraq

Transporting you from your favorite reading nook literally into the boots of the 82nd Airborne in the Battle for Iraq, Boots on the Ground by Karl Zinsmeister details the story of the frontline in a way that often isn't covered in the headline news story.  A frontline reporter traveling with the 82nd,...

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The Essentials: The C-17 Globemaster

The Essentials: The C-17 Globemaster

"The Essentials" Series is a monthly blog related to Airborne culture. We target fundamental topics such as Airborne equipment, culture, traditions, trivia, etc. While we have a semi-annual plan on...

The Essentials: The C-17 Globemaster

"The Essentials" Series is a monthly blog related to Airborne culture. We target fundamental topics such as Airborne equipment, culture, traditions, trivia, etc. While we have a semi-annual plan on the topics, we remain open to ideas from paratroopers like yourself. So, feel free to reach out and propose a...

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The Filthy Thirteen: The True Story of the Dirty Dozen

The Filthy Thirteen: The True Story of the Dirt...

Tightly bound to one another in times of war, unforgiving in the way they approach a battle, and legendary in their bravery, the story is told of the US paratroopers...

The Filthy Thirteen: The True Story of the Dirty Dozen

Tightly bound to one another in times of war, unforgiving in the way they approach a battle, and legendary in their bravery, the story is told of the US paratroopers of the US 101st Airborne Division in The Filthy Thirteen. Finding the courage to parachute behind enemy lines in the...

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Battle of Yongju: The Battle of the Apple Orchard

Battle of Yongju: The Battle of the Apple Orchard

Also known as the Battle of the Apple Orchard, the UN orchestrated the Battle of Yongju to fight back against the North Korean forces during the Korean war. In this...

Battle of Yongju: The Battle of the Apple Orchard

Also known as the Battle of the Apple Orchard, the UN orchestrated the Battle of Yongju to fight back against the North Korean forces during the Korean war. In this offensive maneuver, the US 187th Airborne Regimental Combat Team—or the US 187 RCT was called on to move in front...

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The Chosen Few: US Paratrooper's Battle in Eastern Afghanistan

The Chosen Few: US Paratrooper's Battle in East...

Bringing you to a more recent battle in a different part of the world, The Chosen Few by Gregg Zoroya is a detailed account of how a U.S. Paratroopers company fought in...

The Chosen Few: US Paratrooper's Battle in Eastern Afghanistan

Bringing you to a more recent battle in a different part of the world, The Chosen Few by Gregg Zoroya is a detailed account of how a U.S. Paratroopers company fought in eastern Afghanistan in 2007. In hopes to go in on a single, swift mission in order to befriend the isolated...

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No Better Place To Day: The Battle For La Fiere Bridge

No Better Place To Day: The Battle For La Fiere...

In this first-person narrative, Robert M. Murphy transports you right into the battle at La Fiere in the early morning hours of D-Day.  Taking you through a firsthand account of...

No Better Place To Day: The Battle For La Fiere Bridge

In this first-person narrative, Robert M. Murphy transports you right into the battle at La Fiere in the early morning hours of D-Day.  Taking you through a firsthand account of close-quarters combat in the industrial war of the 20th century, Murphy covers all sides of the war, from the paratroopers...

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Airborne Equipment: The Waco CG-4A Glider

Airborne Equipment: The Waco CG-4A Glider

During World War II, the U.S. Army Air Forces utilized military gliders as a method of delivery to battle. These one-time use, engineless aircraft were towed in pairs near to...

Airborne Equipment: The Waco CG-4A Glider

During World War II, the U.S. Army Air Forces utilized military gliders as a method of delivery to battle. These one-time use, engineless aircraft were towed in pairs near to the front lines of battle, typically by a Douglas C-47 military transport aircraft, carrying troops or supplies to bolster advancing...

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Over 100 years of bravey: The 173rd Airborne Brigade

Over 100 years of bravey: The 173rd Airborne Br...

The 173rd Airborne Brigade is a United States Army airborne infantry brigade formed on 12 June 1917 at Camp Devens, Massachusetts. It is one of the oldest airborne units in...

Over 100 years of bravey: The 173rd Airborne Brigade

The 173rd Airborne Brigade is a United States Army airborne infantry brigade formed on 12 June 1917 at Camp Devens, Massachusetts. It is one of the oldest airborne units in the United States Army and has a rich history of service and combat operations. A WORLD AT WAR During World...

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War: Through the eyes of the 173rd Airborne in Afghanistan

War: Through the eyes of the 173rd Airborne in ...

"Brotherhood has nothing to do with feelings; it has to do with how you define your relationship to others. It has to do with the rather profound decision to put...

War: Through the eyes of the 173rd Airborne in Afghanistan

"Brotherhood has nothing to do with feelings; it has to do with how you define your relationship to others. It has to do with the rather profound decision to put the welfare of the group above your personal welfare. In such a system, feelings are meaningless. In such a system,...

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Into The Viper's Nest: The First Pivotal Battle Of The Afghan War

Into The Viper's Nest: The First Pivotal Battle...

"I set out then to report this story from many points of view - American and British, from soldier to general, from diplomat to president. It seemed to me that...

Into The Viper's Nest: The First Pivotal Battle Of The Afghan War

"I set out then to report this story from many points of view - American and British, from soldier to general, from diplomat to president. It seemed to me that only by getting behind the scenes could anyone pretend to understand what was happening. And it seemed far better to...

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You can Jump from a plane. How about jumping into a book?

You can Jump from a plane. How about jumping in...

As paratroopers, we know you've got discipline and are always on the lookout for that new book title that will leave a lasting impression. The global library has never been...

You can Jump from a plane. How about jumping into a book?

As paratroopers, we know you've got discipline and are always on the lookout for that new book title that will leave a lasting impression. The global library has never been more diverse, yet you want something you can relate to. The good news is that we've reached out to our...

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U.S. Soldiers and Marines Conduct Jump Ops in the Caucasus

U.S. Soldiers and Marines Conduct Jump Ops in t...

From August 21st until September 1st, 2023, troops from 21 allied and partner nations joined forces with the U.S. Armed Forces to conduct one of the most extensive airborne exercises...

U.S. Soldiers and Marines Conduct Jump Ops in the Caucasus

From August 21st until September 1st, 2023, troops from 21 allied and partner nations joined forces with the U.S. Armed Forces to conduct one of the most extensive airborne exercises of the year. The exercise's objectives became even more relevant in light of Russia's aggression on Ukraine, focusing on security...

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