History - Activation
    The 502d Infantry Regiment originated in July 1941, as
    the 502nd Parachute Battalion, an experimental unit
    formed to test the doctrine and tactics of parachute
    assault. The 1st Battalion, 502d Infantry Regiment was
    activated on 1 July 1941, at Fort Benning, Georgia.   
    The 502d Parachute Infantry Regiment (PIR) or “Five-Oh-
    Deuce”, as they became known, was activated as a
    regiment on 2 March 1942 under the command of Lt.
    Col. George P. Howell.  Unlike other early Parachute
    Battalions, the 502d retained the same unit designation
    and personnel when increased in size from a battalion
    to a regiment.  Shortly after the formation of the 502d,
    the recently promoted Col. Howell relinquished
    command of the 502d to assume command of the
    Parachute school at Fort Bragg.  Lt. Col. George Van
    Horn Moseley, 502d Executive Officer (EXO), assumed
    command of the regiment.

    Intense training began as soon as the 502d was
    activated as a battalion.  By the time the 502d joined the
    101st Airborne Division on 15 August 1942, the
    troopers had undergone extensive training.  The 502d
    was the original TO&E Parachute Infantry Regiment in
    the 101st Airborne Division. The 377th Parachute Field
    Artillery (PFA) Battalion, the only PFA battalion in the
    101st, provided artillery support to the 502d.  After
joining the 101st, the 502d moved from Fort Benning, Georgia to Fort Bragg, North Carolina to join the rest
of the division.  While at Fort Bragg the 502d conducted numerous practice jumps from Maxton & Pope
Airfields and participated in war games near Evansville, Indiana.
A Company, 1st Battalion,
502d Parachute Infantry Regiment
(Reenacted)
Sgt. John Cassoon, Able Company, 502d PIR, conducting
parachute training at Fort Benning, Georgia on 16 August 1942