3rd Battalion , 187th Infantry Regiment The 3rd Battalion , 187th Infantry Regiment , also known as the Iron Rakkasans , is a battalion of the US Army 187th Infantry Regiment . The battalion was activated on 25 February 1943 , and first saw action in the Pacific Theater of the Second World War , during the battle to regain US control of the Philippines . Troops from the battalion then served in the four - year occupation of Japan , where they earned their nickname " Rakkasans " ( meaning " falling down umbrellas " ) , before stationing in Fort Campbell , Kentucky . The battalion served in the Korean War from 1950 as the 187th Airborne Regimental Combat Team and participated in 12 major missions during the Vietnam War , emerging from that conflict as the US ’ s most highly decorated airborne battalion . In the 1990s the battalion served in Iraq as part of Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm , then in the first decade of the 21st century in Afghanistan and again in Iraq as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom . The battalion has received numerous awards and commendations , including six Presidential Unit Citations and three Valorous Unit Award s . World War II . The 3rd Battalion , 187th Infantry Regiment was activated on 25 February 1943 at Camp Mackall , North Carolina as part of the 187th Glider Infantry Regiment . In March 1944 , the Battalion deployed to the Pacific Theater as part of the 11th Airborne Division . After six months of training in New Guinea , the 187th was committed to combat in Leyte in the campaign to regain control of the Philippine Islands . In the subsequent fighting the unit repelled and destroyed a 500 - man Japanese parachute assault and earned the battalion ’ s first Presidential Unit Citation ( Army ) . It also participated in an amphibious assault on southern Luzon , forced a Japanese retreat at the battle of Tagatay Ridge , and pierced the Genko defensive line during the attack on Manila . For its actions during World War II , the Iron Rakkasans received three campaign streamers . Korean War . With the outbreak of the Korean War the Iron Rakkasans returned to Asia as a separate unit , the 187th Airborne Regimental Combat Team , in September 1950 . Shortly after their arrival the Iron Rakkasans earned a Presidential Unit Citation ( Navy ) for the attack up the Kimpo Peninsula as part of the amphibious assault at Inchon . They also earned a second Presidential Unit Citation ( Army ) for a parachute assault north of Pyongyang , North Korea at Sukchon - Sunchon in October 1950 . At Sukchon , Private First Class Richard G . Wilson , a medic attached to I Company , earned the Congressional Medal of Honor when he gave his life as he administered aid and shielded wounded troopers from enemy fire . In March 1951 the regiment made a second combat jump at Musan - ni , cutting off and destroying large numbers of North Korean and Chinese forces above the 38th parallel . Nearly two years later , in June 1952 , the Iron Rakkasans helped quell the prison riots on the island of Koje - do . For their efforts during the Korean War , the Battalion earned six campaign streamers . Vietnam War . The Iron Rakkasans moved back to Fort Campbell , Kentucky in February1964 , to serve as part of the 3rd Brigade , 101st Airborne Division . In December 1967 , the 3rd Battalion deployed to Vietnam , alongside 1st and 2nd Battalion , 506th Infantry Regiment . Over the next four years the Iron Rakkasans fought with extreme valor in twelve major campaigns , conducting numerous air assaults and search and destroy missions . During one such mission in March 1968 , Captain Paul W . Bucha , commander of D Company , received the Congressional Medal of Honor when he crawled through a hail of fire to single - handedly destroy a machine gun bunker with grenades near Phuoc Vinh , Vietnam . When the battalion colors returned to Fort Campbell , the unit had distinguished itself by earning two Valorous Unit Awards , and its third and fourth Presidential Unit Citations for the battles of Trang Bang and Dong Ap Bia Mountain ( commonly known as “ Hamburger Hill ” ) . The Iron Rakkasans emerged from the Vietnam War as the country ’ s most highly decorated airborne battalion . " See 187th Infantry Regiment ( United States ) " Desert Storm . In August 1990 the battalion deployed to Saudi Arabia as part of Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm . During Operation Desert Storm the Iron Rakkasans participated in the largest air assault in history , conducting a vertical envelopment 175 miles into enemy territory to establish blocking positions near the Euphrates River . The air assault isolated the Iraqi Republican Guard and helped bring a quick conclusion to the war . The Battalion earned two campaign streamers during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm . The 3rd Battalion also deployed to the Sinai Peninsula from July 1995 to January 1996 to keep the peace between Egypt and Israel . Afghanistan . After the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon on 11 September 2001 , the battalion once again saw active overseas service . From January to August 2002 the Iron Rakkasans deployed to Afghanistan as part of Operation Enduring Freedom , where it participated in numerous search and attacks , raids , and air assaults against the elusive remnants of the Taliban near the Pakistan border , helping to stabilize the country . For its actions , the battalion earned the Afghanistan campaign streamer . From September 2012 to May 2013 , the Iron Rakkasans deployed to eastern Khowst Province , Afghanistan , in support of Operation Enduring Freedom 12 - 13 . The battalion and its combat advisor comrades partnered with a host of Afghan units to promote Afghan National Security Forces ( ANSF ) development , capabilities , and security . They operated alongside Afghan National Army ( ANA ) and Afghan National Police ( ANP ) , helping them gain confidence in securing the population . In addition to helping the ANSF operate independently , the battalion also assisted the ANSF in disrupting the enemy ' s leadership and attack facilitation efforts in this challenging border region . Iraq . In February 2003 the Iron Rakkasans deployed to Kuwait as part of the invasion force for Operation Iraqi Freedom . While attached to the 3rd Infantry Division the battalion cleared the Republican Guard Headquarters and Baghdad International Airport in April 2003 . For this action the battalion earned an unprecedented fifth Presidential Unit Citation . Following the invasion the battalion conducted six months of security operations near Rabia , Iraq , on the Syrian border , to block the flow of foreign fighters . Prior to returning stateside in January 2004 the Iron Rakkasans conducted combat operations in Husaybah , Iraq with the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment . Once back in the US the battalion added a Forward Support Company . The battalion returned to Iraq in September 2005 and fought from FOB Falcon in Baghdad for three months , before moving north to Forward Operating Base ( FOB ) Brassfield - Mora in Samarra , along the Tigris River . While the battalion was serving in Samarra the Golden Dome Mosque , a Shi ’ ite holy site , was blown up by insurgents . This created a volatile situation which the Iron Rakkasans defused with precise counterinsurgency operations . The battalion redeployed to Fort Campbell in September 2006 . Twelve months later , in September 2007 , the Iron Rakkasans deployed as part of the Surge to Yusufiyah , Iraq . During their tour the battalion supervised over 5000 Sons of Iraq ( or members of the Awakening ) ; trained and partnered with the 17th Iraqi Army Division ; conducted dozens of raids , air assaults , and cordon and searches ; and earned the Valorous Unit Award . The battalion was so successful at counterinsurgency operations that they peacefully transitioned control of the area to the Iraqi Security Forces upon redeployment in November 2008 . With over three years of combat operations in Iraq , the battalion earned the Iraqi Campaign Streamer . Decorations . The 3rd Battalion , 187th Infantry Regiment has received five Presidential Unit Citations , Army ; one Presidential Unit Citation , Navy ; four Valorous Unit Awards ; numerous foreign awards and 25 campaign streamers ; has executed two combat parachute jumps ; and has two Medal of Honor recipients .