Soldiers of the 187th Infantry Regiment (Airborne) have the distinction of belonging to the only airborne regiment that has served in every conflict since the inception of American airborne forces. During their time in the Korean War, the Rakkasans were awarded a Presidential Unit Citation and two Korean Presidential Citations, as well as earning five more Battle Streamers for their flag. Three soldiers from the 187 were awarded the Medal of Honor.

Much of the history of the 509th PIB has to be pieced together by the use of veteran narratives and some work by a few "history detectives".

The Boldest Plan is the Best - The combat history of the 509th Parachute Infantry Battalion during WWII

I was turned on to history as early as I can remember. My dad told me stories about my relatives and their service in World War II...