2nd Battalion, 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment
"White Falcons"
On 15 January 2006, as part of the Army's transformation towards a modular force, the composition of the 2nd Battalion was changed.
The 2nd Battalion, 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment traces its lineage to the 325th Infantry Regiment, activated August 5, 1917, at Camp Gordon, Georgia as part of the “All-American Division.”
During World War I, the 2nd Battalion, 325th Infantry Regiment was the first unit of the 82nd Infantry Division to make contact with the enemy. The Falcons participated in the St. Mihiel, Meuse-Argonne and Lorraine campaigns. After the Armistice, they performed occupational duties along the Rhine until April 1919, when the battalion returned to the United States for demobilization.
The unit was reactivated March 25, 1942 at Camp Claiborne, Louisiana and later redesignated as the 2nd Battalion, 325th Glider Infantry Regiment on October 31, 1942. They trained at Fort Bragg, NC and arrived overseas at Casablanca, French Morocco on April 28, 1943. The Falcons saw their first fighting of World War II at Salerno, Italy, on September 15, 1943. During this period the battalion was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation for actions near Maiori, Italy while operating with the 1st and 3rd Ranger Battalions. They later landed by glider into Normandy, France on June 7, 1944 and participated in the Normandy Campaign until July 4, 1944. The unit later participated in OPERATION MARKET-GARDEN in Holland and in the Battle of the Bulge, where they defeated two German Divisions: the 62nd Volksgrenadiers and the 9th SS Panzer. In 1945, the 2-325th’s WWII action ended with a 25 mile thrust to capture the German town of Ludwisgslust. After the war, the battalion assisted the Berlin occupational duties until it returned to the United States in 1946.
On May 1, 1965, the White Falcons deployed to the revolution-torn Dominican Republic for OPERATION POWERPACK. Sent with the mission of relieving the Marines and evacuating civilians, the battalion secured San Isidio Airfield and attacked across the city of Santo Domingo, linking-up with the Marines in the west part of the corridor. After establishing themselves in Calle Juan Rosco and occupying the east bank of the Ozma River, the White Falcons secured the Santo Domingo Power Plant. After relieving the last remaining Marine Battalion in the western part of the city, the White Falcons participated in further civic action and combat operations before redeploying to Fort Bragg on December 2, 1965.
The 2nd Battalion, 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment again was called to action as the DRF-1 on October 24, 1983 as part of OPERATION URGENT FURY. Deploying within 18 hours of notification, the White Falcons were the first 82nd element to land in Grenada. Upon off-loading aircraft at Point Salinas Airfield, the battalion went into immediate action against Cuban forces. After securing the American students at True Blue Campus, they engaged and received the surrender of Cuban forces at Calliste Barracks, seized the extensive munitions and material at the Frequente Complex, and linked up with US Marines in the capital city of St. George on October 31. The battalion redeployed to Fort Bragg on November 4, 1983.
In October 1987, the White Falcons deployed to the Sinai Peninsula, Egypt, to fulfill the US commitment to the 1979 Camp David Accords. From October 30, 1987 to April 22, 1988, the battalion, as part of the Multinational Force and Observers (MFO), secured the 120-mile long southern sector of the peacekeeping zone and maintained the peace in this tense area of the world. On August 6, 1990, Task Force 2-325 AIR, as the DRF-3, was part of the first combat units alerted for immediate deployment to Saudi Arabia for OPERATION DESERT SHIELD. The White Falcons occupied defensive sectors near the key port of Al Jubail to draw President Bush’s “line in the sand” and to deter further Iraqi aggression. In September, the White Falcons moved to Ab Qaiq to protect oil production facilities in the area. On February 23, 1991, for OPERATION DESERT STORM, the White Falcons were attached to the French 6th Light Armor Division who spearheaded the initial XVIII Airborne Corps assault into Iraq. Task Force 2-325 was 150km inside Iraq awaiting further orders when the cease-fire was declared. The Battalion began redeployment to Fort Bragg on March 15, 1991.
On August 29, 1992, as the DRF-2, the White Falcons deployed to South Florida to aid the victims of Hurricane Andrew. The soldiers in 2-325 AIR distributed food, patrolled streets, directed traffic, provided medical services, and cleaned debris from the streets to help the communities recover from that disaster.
On September 9, 1994, the White Falcons were alerted to begin planning for OPERATION RESTORE DEMOCRACY, the military invasion of Haiti. TF 2-325 AIR was attached to 1st Brigade, the DRB-1. As the division’s initial main effort, the task force was to conduct a night parachute assault on Port-au-Prince international Airport. The task force departed Pope AFB enroute to Haiti on September 18, 1994. Two hours into the flight US mediators negotiated the resignation of the Haitian dictator and TF 2-325 AIR returned to Pope AFB. In April 1995, A Company was alerted to deploy to Haiti as part of OPERATION UPHOLD DEMOCRACY, the United Nations Mission in Haiti. A Company was attached to the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment for the six-month peacekeeping mission.
In March 1997, the battalion was alerted to deploy 2 companies and a TAC to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to act as the security force for ARCENT-SA. Once the deployment of B and C Companies had started, the battalion was alerted to deploy a company to the Republic of Haiti to serve as the security force for the United States Support Group-Haiti. After B and C Companies spent 120 days in the desert of Saudi Arabia and A Company spent 90 days in Haiti, the battalion was reunited in September 1997. In March of 2003, 2-325 AIR was attached to the 75th Ranger Regiment as part of a Special Operations Task Force to conduct a parachute assault to seize Saddam International Airport in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. On 21 March, D Company crossed the Saudi Arabia – Iraqi border as part of Task Force Hunter to escort heavy rocket artillery indirect fire systems to destroy Iraqi artillery batteries arrayed against coalition forces in the western Iraqi desert. Upon cancellation of the parachute assault to seize the airport, the battalion was detatched and returned to its parent 325th AIR at Talil Airfield near An Nasariyah Iraq. On 31 March, the battalion attacked into the town of As Samawah to seize 4 critical bridges over the Euphrates River. The Battalion later fought at Ad Diwaniyah, Ar Ramadi, and finally conducted combat and support and stability operations in Baghdad until its return in late January 2004. The unit received the Presidential Unit Citation for its actions on the battlefield.
In December 2004 TF 2-325 AIR deployed to Iraq to provide a safe and secure environment for the first ever free elections held in that country on January 30, 2005. Throughout December, the White Falcons operated in central Baghdad, attached to the 2nd Brigade 10th Mountain Division, securing the streets and defeating anti-Iraqi forces. In January the TF fought further in Mosul, with the 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division (SBCT), defeating an entire cell of anti-Iraqi forces. More than 8 million Iraqis were able to vote across Iraq in part due to the efforts of the White Falcons. The Battalion completed redeployment in April 2005. For their actions in Mosul the unit was nominated for the Valorous Unit Award.
On August 16, 2005, TF White Falcon was again called upon to provide a safe and secure environment for the 15 October 2005 Iraqi National Referendum and the December 15th National Parliamentary Election. While attached to the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, the White Falcons defeated the enemy in zone and facilitated the social, economic and political reconstruction of Tal A’far, enabling peaceful and successful elections to occur. The Task Force completed the redeployment in January 2006.
