555th Parachute Infantry Battalion (United States)

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name=555th Parachute Infantry Battalion


caption=Shoulder sleeve patch of the Triple Nickle Assosciation
country= United States of America
type=Airborne Infantry {later incorporated into the 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 82nd Airborne Division post World War II}
branch=National Army
dates=December 19, 1943 - August 22, 1950
specialization=Airborne Firefighters
command_structure=
size=Battalion
current_commander=
garrison=Pendleton Army Airfield, Oregon
ceremonial_chief=
nickname=The Triple Nickles/Smoke Jumpers
motto=
colors=
march=
mascot=
battles=World War II {Mainland USA}
notable_commanders=James M. Gavin {Post World War II}
anniversaries=The 555th Parachute Infantry Battalion was an all-black airborne unit of the United States Army during World War II.

History

Activation

It was activated as a result of a recommendation made in December 1942 by the Advisory Committee on Negro Troop Policies, chaired by the Assistant Secretary of War, John J. McCloy. In approving the committee's recommendation for a black parachute battalion, Chief of Staff General George C. Marshall decided to start with a company, and on February 25 1943 the 555th Parachute Infantry Company was constituted.

On December 19, 1943, Headquarters, Army Ground Forces, authorized the activation of the company as an all-black unit with black officers as well as black enlisted men. All unit members were to be volunteers, with an enlisted cadre to be selected from personnel of the 92d Infantry Division at Fort Huachuca, Arizona.

The company was officially activated on December 30, 1943 at Fort Benning, Georgia. After several months of training, the unit moved to Camp Mackall, North Carolina, where it was reorganized and redesignated on November 25, 1944 as Company A of the newly-activated 555th Parachute Infantry Battalion.

World War II

The battalion did not serve overseas during World War II. However, in May 1945 it was sent to the west coast of the United States to combat forest fires ignited by Japanese balloons carrying incendiary bombs. Although this potentially serious threat did not materialize, the 555th fought numerous other forest fires. Stationed at Pendleton Field, Oregon, with a detachment in Chico, California, unit members courageously participated in dangerous fire-fighting missions throughout the Pacific Northwest during the summer and fall of 1945, earning the nickname "Smoke Jumpers" in addition to "Triple Nickles." The only fatality in the unit died while jumping on August 6, 1945.

Soon after returning to Camp Mackall in October 1945, the 555th Parachute Infantry Battalion was transferred to Fort Bragg, North Carolina, its home for the next two years. During this period the unit was attached to the elite 82d Airborne Division. When the battalion was inactivated on December 15, 1947, most of its personnel were reassigned to the division's organic 3d Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment.

Disbandment

On August 22, 1950 the 555th Parachute Infantry Battalion was disbanded. Many of its former members later fought in the Korean War, in other units. Harry Sutton, one of the battalion's former officers, died leading a rearguard action during the Hungnam Evacuation and was decorated posthumously with the Silver Star.

References

* [http://www.army.mil/cmh-pg/topics/afam/555PIB.htm U.S. Army Center of Military History Information paper]
* [http://www.fatherryan.org/blackmilitary/tripnick.htm The Triple Nickel]
* [http://www.triplenickle.com/ 555th Parachute Infantry Association, Inc (The Triple Nickles)]
* [http://www.tripnicks.com/ {555} An American/Canadian/Dutch Online Gaming Community wearing the Triple Nickel patch with great pride.]