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Formed in WW2, The Elite USA WW2 Pathfinders Have Come to an End

Risky Thicket

Risky Thicket

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What a great history of a very worthy and storied American military unit.

On Tuesday, August 2nd, 2016, the Soldiers of F Company, Pathfinders, 5th Battalion, 101st Combat Aviation Brigade, 101st Airborne Division took part in a ceremony that deactivated the pathfinders after seventy-two years of service.

The motto of first in-last out is how the U.S. Army Pathfinders describe themselves, starting in the 1940s as a paratrooper regiment during World War II. Their missions were to infiltrate areas before the full out airborne assaults and set up drop points to guide aircraft and show the other paratroopers where they should be landing.
Their very first mission was on D-day 1944 in Normandy, France where they would light the way for other soldiers. Capt. Frank Lillyman was the first commander of what would become the 101[SUP]st[/SUP] Pathfinder Company.
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Good on you and salute to you Pathfinders.

The rest of the article here.
 
Risky Thicket said:
What a great history of a very worthy and storied American military unit.



Good on you and salute to you Pathfinders.

The rest of the article here. [/FONT][/COLOR]
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Always sad to see Units being deactivated, they earned their place in the history books. Another loss to History.
 
Casper said:
Always sad to see Units being deactivated, they earned their place in the history books. Another loss to History.
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I agree it is sad in an nostalgic type of way. Looking at from a more practical view point it makes sense. Pretty much everything they do is duplicated and often with a higher degree of competency by some unit within SOF. Also between the fact that the 101st hasn't been airborne for a long time and the rarity of static line combat jumps there is simply no reason to maintain that skillset in this time of shrinking budgets
 
braindrain said:
I agree it is sad in an nostalgic type of way. Looking at from a more practical view point it makes sense. Pretty much everything they do is duplicated and often with a higher degree of competency by some unit within SOF. Also between the fact that the 101st hasn't been airborne for a long time and the rarity of static line combat jumps there is simply no reason to maintain that skillset in this time of shrinking budgets
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True, but then again it is still sad to see. Any of your units get deactivated, I had two, The 2nd AD, and the 31st Infantry Regiment.
 
Casper said:
True, but then again it is still sad to see. Any of your units get deactivated, I had two, The 2nd AD, and the 31st Infantry Regiment.
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I agree that it is sad for those with emotional attachment to that unit.

Not really. My unit was deactivated shortly after the Vietnam war and then reactivated in 84. Long before I joined it. That's the closest I have come. My old battalion in the 82nd is still going strong.
 
Casper said:
True, but then again it is still sad to see. Any of your units get deactivated, I had two, The 2nd AD, and the 31st Infantry Regiment.
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2nd AD and 5th ID.
 
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