This document  is a reprint of a chapter from the history of the 13th Airborne Division 1943-1946, as published in 1949.  Good quality reprints of this book can still be ordered from military.com.  We are reprinting here the chapter called "Book VII - 517th Parachute Infantry Regiment", including all text and pictures as they appear in that book. 

Note:  We are careful on this website not to print any copyrighted materials, but in this case:

1. This book lists no copyright
2. It is being reprinted by others
3. If there ever was a copyright, it has expired
4. The 13th book implies that the 13th saw plenty of action, essentially taking credit for the actions of the 517th.
5. The 517th members were never pleased reporting to untested officers.
6. The 13th's commanders denied combat decorations for many of the 517th wartime engagements. 
7. This history includes many 517th photos received from John Alicki without giving him any credit, and without returning the photos to him.

Therefore, we think we have the right to claim this material as belonging to the members of the 517th.

Note that 2nd Lieutenant Allan A. Bynon, Jr. of the 517th Parachute Infantry is listed as one of the Associate Editors of the book.  I do not know if he was with the 517th prior to them joining the 13th Airborne.  But the accounts and history do seem accurate and are most likely based on actual morning reports.

The material reprinted here is taken from a copy loaned to us by Allan Goodman of the 596th.

The 517th Combat Team fought throughout WWII as an independent division, and was assigned to the 13th Airborne only at the end of the war on February 15th, 1945.  As stated in the 13th Airborne history:

"...It was during this time that the 517th Combat Team joined the Division and were quartered at Joigny.  This team, composed of the 517th Parachute Infantry, 460th Parachute Field Artillery Battalion and the 596th Parachute Engineer Company, had already achieved an excellent combat record in Italy, Southern France, and the "Bulge."  As veterans they were a welcome addition to an otherwise untried Division that was momentarily expecting assignment to a combat mission."

The 13th Division was slated for a combat parachute drop in Operation VARSITY but was instead transferred to Corps Reserve because of a lack of transport aircraft. Soon after, the war in Europe ended and the Division stood down. The 13th Airborne (other than the 517th units) never entered combat.

The 13th Airborne returned to Fort Bragg, North Carolina on August 26, 1945 and was officially deactivated on February 25, 1946. The Division has never been reactivated.