U.S.
#WWII
veteran, Jack Kraszewski, recounts the horrors of discovering concentration camps in Germany. Kraszewski is among the dozens of World War II veterans who have returned to
#Normandy
to honor the 80th anniversary of
#DDAY
🪖🇺🇸
🎥 by Sgt. Mariah Y. Gonzalez,
@USArmy
“The eyes of the world are upon you. The hopes and prayers of liberty-loving people everywhere march with you.”
– Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower’s D-day statement 🇺🇸
During
#WWII
, Pointe du Hoc 🇫🇷was heavily fortified by the German army with bunkers and machine gun posts. On
#DDAY
, the brave U.S. Army Provisional Ranger Group captured this critical position.
#SkySoldiers
🪂 ran from Pointe du Hoc to
#OmahaBeach
to honor their sacrifice 🪖
#SundayService
🇺🇸
Lt. William McGowan, a pilot who died on June 6th, 1944 when his plane was shot down over Normandy, remained missing in action for almost 80 years.
He was finally laid to rest at the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial
The Rock has landed! 🛬
Our
#SkySoldiers
in 2-503rd "The Rock" have landed in Spain 🇪🇸 for some great training as part of
#SwiftResponse
2️⃣3️⃣
Swift Response 23 is one of 3 major exercises that make up the
#DefenderEurope
exercise across the Baltic Sea and Mediterranean regions.
#HonorThem
🇺🇸
#MemorialDay
provides us the opportunity to honor the heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation.
Yesterday,
#SkySoldiers
participated in a Memorial Day remembrance ceremony at the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial 🇫🇷 to honor the fallen 🪖
This is Falcon Leap.
Watch what
#SkySoldiers
were up to last week as they trained alongside
#paratroopers
from all over the world: Netherlands 🇳🇱, Spain 🇪🇸, Portugal 🇵🇹, France 🇫🇷, Italy 🇮🇹, Romania 🇷🇴, Greece 🇬🇷, Germany 🇩🇪, Poland 🇵🇱, Great Britain 🇬🇧, and Czech Republic 🇨🇿
#SkySoldierSaturday
🪂
‼️Always make sure your hook-pile tape lowering line is correctly routed on your left side… and have a good Saturday!
@USArmy
📸 by Maj. Rob Haake
#TrainingThursday
🪂🇺🇸
#SkySoldiers
in 2-503rd Airborne Infantry Regiment "The Rock" conduct a proficiency jump on Juliet DZ!
👀 See it from the inside and outside! 🎦
@USArmy
🎥 by Capt. Rob Haake and Staff Sgt. Alexander Skripnichuk
#ThrowbackThursday
#SkySoldiers
🪂 from 2-503 “The Rock” pose for a group photo in Afghanistan after conducting a convoy May 2007. Included in the photo is Staff Sgt. Salvatore Giunta, a Medal of Honor recipient.
📸 courtesy of the Giunta family
#FeatureFriday
🚁 🪂
#SkySoldiers
in Anvil Troop, 1st Squadron (Airborne), 91st Cavalry Regiment have been up in Belgium 🇧🇪 this week conducting exercise Iron Lion with Belgian
#paratroopers
🪖
@USArmy
📼 by Maj. Rob Haake
Happy 107th Birthday to The Herd 🪽
Constituted in 1917 and deployed to France in 1918, the 173rd Airborne Brigade’s 🪂 history includes WWII European campaigns and actions in the Pacific. Reactivated in 1963, they earned the
#SkySoldiers
📸 by Sgt. Jose Lora
#StrongerTogether
#TriviaTuesday
#DidYouKnow
that US
#paratroopers
were the only ones to jump a reserve parachute during WWII?
Other allied airborne units preferred to use the extra space for additional ammunition and rations; also to be able to pack more paratroopers in each plane.
Today
#SkySoldiers
🪂 jumped alongside Dutch 🇳🇱, Romanian 🇷🇴, German 🇩🇪, Portuguese 🇵🇹, French 🇫🇷, Italian 🇮🇹, and Spanish 🇪🇸
#paratroopers
during their airborne operation in Netherlands as part of Falcon Leap!
@usarmy
🎥 by Sgt. Mariah Y. Gonzalez
#StrongerTogether
#Allies
(1/2)
#SkySoldierSaturday
🪂
“That night when we jumped into Iraq, we landed in knee-deep mud, not only that but we all had 120 pounds on our backs. We do this over and over again so when you guys are tested, you’ll succeed!”
#OnThisDay
in 1967, Operation Junction City was initiated by U.S. and Republic of Vietnam forces.
During the 82-day operation,
#SkySoldiers
🪂 from 1st, 2nd and 4th Battalions, 503rd Airborne Infantry Regiment, conducted the only major airborne operation of the Vietnam War.
#WarriorWednesday
🪖
Toughness 💪🏼
#SkySoldiers
are paratroopers who can jump 🪂, march all night 🌙, attack key terrain 💥, dig in, and defend it!
Troopers who can can fix 🔧, fuel ⛽️, maintain, and sustain…especially when its tough!
@USArmy
📸 by Staff Sgt. Luke Wilson
#SkySoldiers
🪂 in Able Company, 2-503rd Airborne Infantry Regiment "The Rock" have just arrived In Cyprus 🇨🇾 for Exercise Silver Falcon 23.
What better way to get to know our Cypriot partners than to hike 12 miles with them?
@USArmy
📼 by Capt. Rob Haake
#StrongerTogether
#Happy4thOfJuly
Happy Independence Day
#SkySoldiers
🪂 and family!!!
247 years!!! We are proud to protect and serve this great nation.
@usarmy
📸 Davide Dalla Massara
#MotivationMonday
“The greatest leader is not necessarily the one who does the greatest things. He is the one who gets the people to do the greatest things.” 💭
- Ronald Reagan
📸: Spc. Giovanny Lopez
#StrongerTogether
#SkySoldiers
#SkySoldier
🪂 Spc. Crawford of
@1_91cav
honors the footsteps of his grandfather who valiantly served in
#WWII
🪖SPC Crawford will be jumping on the 80th Anniversary of
#DDAY
in Sainte-Mère-Église 🇫🇷 in his honor.
🎥 by Capt. Jennifer French
@SETAF_Africa
@USArmyEURAF
#FeatureFriday
🪂
It’s been a great week of jumping before some well-deserved spring break leave!
#SkySoldiers
in 2-503rd "The Rock" conducted an airborne operation to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the
#173rd
’s last combat jump in Operation Northern Delay 🇮🇶
Have you been following our
#SkySoldiers
in Kenya 🇰🇪, supporting
#JustifiedAccord
23?
Chosen Co., 2-503rd "The Rock" has been training with Kenyan Defense Forces, building tactical proficiency and increasing multinational interoperability
@USArmy
📸 by Sgt. Luke Michalski
#MotivationMonday
Sweat, Strive, Succeed ❗️
#SkySoldier
🪂 carrying extra equipment during
@USArmyEURAF
best squad competition at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center near Hohenfels, Germany 🇩🇪, July 31, 2023.
@USArmy
📸 by Spc. Donovon Lynch
#WeaponsTriviaTuesday
Can you guess what weapon this is?
#SkySoldiers
🪂 are experts with many weapons systems and regularly train to stay proficient with all of them.
📸 by
@usarmy
Sgt. Christian Dela Cruz
#FeatureFriday
💥
In Cyprus 🇨🇾, the training continues…
#SkySoldiers
🪂 in Able Co., 2-503rd "The Rock" are hitting the range hard with their new Cypriot partners, learning from each other and building a new partnership 🤝 as part of Silver Falcon 23.
#TrainingTuesday
Are you ready to jump this week? 🪂
#SkySoldiers
🗡️🪽with 173rd Brigade Support Battalion prepare to board a C-130 in preparation for an airborne operation onto Juliet Drop Zone, Italy 🇮🇹 May 22, 2018.
📸 by Davide Dalla Massara
#StrongerTogether
#173rd
#TrainingTuesday
Train as you fight, fight as you train❗️🪖
Watch as
#SkySoldiers
🪂 train on various weapons systems including the M2 Browning, M249, M240, and MK19, as well as TCCC (Tactical Combat Casualty Care) techniques, Oct. 16-17, 2023.
#StrongerTogether
#173rd
#SkySoldierSaturday
🪂
In case anyone was wondering, the answer is Yes 👍
We can jump in the mountains 🏔️ too.
Thanks to our hosts in the 4th Alpini Reg. and the Folgore BDE,
@Esercito
🇮🇹, some of our
#SkySoldiers
were able to earn their Italian parachutist wings!
#Airborne
The moon 🌖 isn’t so far away from
#SkySoldiers
who dare to soar.
The 173rd Airborne Brigade conducted an airborne operation with support from 12th Combat Aviation Brigade CH-47
#Chinook
helicopter 🚁 crews
🎥 by Markus Rauchenberger
🎞️ by Capt. Jennifer French
#MotivationMonday
Keep pushing. The only way to get past is to go through it❗️
#SkySoldiers
🪂 with 1-91 CAV work together as a team to conquer various obstacles and challenges at Grafenwoehr Training Area, Germany 🇩🇪 Sept. 15, 2023.
@USArmy
📸 by Kevin Payne
#173rd
#HappeningNow
🪖
#SkySoldiers
and other candidates from all over
@USArmyEURAF
are about to start training for the Expert Infantryman Badge, Expert Soldier Badge and Expert Field Medical Badge! 🫡🇺🇸
#GoodLuck
and may the odds be ever in your favor!
#TacticalTuesday
🪖
#SkySoldiers
in 1-503rd “First Rock”have been out conducting Bayonet Apex in Slunj, Croatia 🇭🇷
Exercise Bayonet Apex is a live fire 💥 and combat skills proficiency training exercise that enhances readiness across the battalion.
#TBT
to when Col. Michael Kloepper, the current brigade commander, was the commander of 2-503 PIR. Years before that he was their Battle Company commander.
Once a
#SkySoldier
always a Sky Soldier
📸: Staff Sgt. Alexander Skripnichuk
#Legacy