The 101st Infantry Division was organized in 1918, just nine days before the Nov. 11 armistice. The original 101st division was disbanded on Aug. 15, 1942, and concurrently reconstituted as the 101st Airborne. The airborne division received its baptism by fire in the invasion of Normandy, where it secured the exits to the beachhead and destroyed German artillery-emplacements that threatened the landing of the 4th Infantry Division. The 101st also parachuted into Holland in Operation Market Garden, an attempt to seize intact the remaining bridges over the Rhine river. The 101st fought in Vietnam between 1967 and 1973 in 15 major campaigns and was the last divisional element to be withdrawn. In Vietnam, the 101st perfected its signature technique of air assault using helicopters. During Operation Desert Storm, the division executed a model helicopter assault, moving about 150 miles into enemy territory and laterally over several divisions. The 101st's helicopters provide them with mobility unmatched by any other force in the world.
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