Awarded on: August 22nd, 1944
Action:
Citation:
"Division Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 82d Airborne Division, is cited for outstanding performance of duty in action against the enemy between 6 and 9 June 1944 during the invasion of France. The Forward Echelon of Division Headquarters and Headquarters Company landed by parachute and glider on D-day, 6 June 1944, prior to H-hour, on the Cotentin Peninsula in the area surrounding Ste. Mere Eglise, France. The enemy opposed drops and landings with intense antiaircraft fire and immediately surrounded the secured area with mobile antiairborne landing groups which attacked with machine guns, mortars, and artillery. Shortly after 0200, a division command post was established west of Ste. Mere Eglise. Headquarters personnel were augmented by predawn glider elements landing about 0410, and by further gliderborne increments during the day. Headquarters personnel from many gliders, which had landed in areas not secured by parachute troops, fought their way to the Division Command Post, into which they infiltrated during the first 48hours. The Division Staff and Headquarters Company remained in close proximity to the forward lines at all times. During the first 37 hours, enemy action was often not more than a few hundred yards from the command post. The officers and men of Division Headquarters and Headquarters Company labored without rest or relaxation day and night during the first 3 days of the invasion, at times under direct attack by artillery and small-arms, immediately adjacent to active fighting and frequently subjected to bombing attacks directed against it nearby artillery batters. Duties were performed unhesitatingly with utter disregard for personal safety and with superior efficiency and tireless devotion to duty. The courage and perseverance shown by members of the Division Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 82d Airborne Division, are worthy of emulation and reflect the highest traditions of the Army of the United States."
Details:
Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 82d Airborne Division
Cited in War Department General Orders 69, 22 August 1944

Awarded on: October 8th, 1945
Action:
"Considering that the 82d Airborne Division of the United States Army, during the airborne operations and the ensuing fighting actions in the central part of the Netherlands in the period from 17 September to 4 October 1944, excelled in performing the tasks allotted to it, with tact, coupled with superior gallantry, self-sacrifice and loyalty; considering also, that the actions of the aforesaid division took place in Nijmegen; have approved and ordered:
1. To degree that the divisional colors of the 82d Airborne Division of the United States shall be decorated with the Military Order of William, degree of the knight of the fourth class;
2. To authorize the division to carry in its divisional colors the name of the town of NIJMEGEN 1944.
Details:
Royal decree no.30
The mentioned division has been permitted to bear the name of the city "Nijmegen 1944" in its Divisional Colors.
Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 82d Airborne Division,
1st Brigade, 82d Airborne Division
Cited in Department of the Army General Orders 43, 19 December 1950.

Awarded on: October 8th, 1945

Awarded on: October 8th, 1945
Action:
Pursuant to authority contained in the Belgium Ministry of National Defense Decree Number 1034, dated 4 October 1945, announcement is made of the award of the fourragere 1940 to the 82d Airborne Division and the 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment. Appropriate portions from the Decree are hereby quoted:

"At the proposal of the Minister of National Defense, we have decreed and we order:

Article 1: The 82d Airborne Division with the 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment attached is cited twice in Order of the Day of the Belgian Army and is herewith given the Fourragere 1940, for:

'1. This elite Division which has gone with great elan through the campaigns of Tunisia, Sicily, Italy, Holland and France, has distinguished itself particularly, in the Battle of the Ardennes from December 17 to December 31, 1944. Called upon as a reinforcement by the Allied High Command in the evening of the 17 December, at a time when the division was in the vicinity of Reims, the Division was able to take up combat positions in the region of Werbomont only 24 hours later and this under very severe climatic conditions. Progressing towards Ambleve and the Salm, the Division opened and maintained a corridor for the elements of four American Divisions which were surrounded in the vicinity of St. Vith, thus giving new courage to the engaged units. The Division had prevented the enemy from piercing the north flank of the pocket created by the offensive of Von Rundstedt and thusly succeeded in saving the city of Liege and its surroundings from a second occupation by the Germans.

2. After having excelled in defensive warfare at the banks of the Salm and the Ambleve and after having repelled succesfully the repeated attacks of the best German shocktroops, the 82d Airborne Division with the 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment attached, in spite of extreme cold and excessively deep snow, went on the offensive themselves and advanced to the German border, capturing 2500 German prisoners, including 5 battalion commanders. This fighting was extremely valorous and the organic composition of the Division handicapped the unit considerably, not having at their disposal, as any other Infantry Division would have, heavy weapons to support their attack. During 23 days, under most painful and adverse conditions, the veterans of the 82d Airborne Division did not cease to give a wonderful example of courage and heroism, exemplifying their fighting spirit by several remarkably brilliant actions. By its valor, the Division wrote another page in heroic annals of Allied Airborne troops and rendered an important service to Belgium and to the Allied cause by establishing the necessary basis for the new pursuit of the enemy towards the Rhine River.

Article 2: The Minister of National Defense is herewith ordered to execute the decree.

For the Regent:
The Minister of National Defense,
signed: L. Mundeleer.
BY COMMAND OF MAJOR GENERAL GAVIN:

R. H. WIENECKE
Colonel, GSC
Chief of Staff

OFFICIAL:
[signature]
JOHN D. GRAY
Major, AGD
Adjutant General

DISTRIBUTION:
"A" & "C" plus
3 to TAG (Attn: Decorations & Awards Branch,
Munitions Bldg., Wash. 25, D.C.)
2 to CG, USFET (Rear) (Attn: Awards & Decorations Branch, AG Military Pers Div)
1 to CG, US Hq Berlin District
25 to CO, 508th Prcht Inf
Details:
GO No. 123 HQ 82d Abn Div APO 469 US Army dtd 8 Oct 34 contd.

Action:
Citation:
"This elite division which had gone with great elan through the campaigns of Tunisia, Sicily, Italy, Holland, and France, again distinguished itself particularly in the battle of the Ardennes from 17 to 31 December 1944. Called upon as a reinforcement by the Allied High Command in the evening of 17 December at the time when they were in the vicinity of Reims, the division was able to take up command positions in the region of Werbomont only 24 hours later and this under very climatic conditions. Progressing toward Ambleve and the Salm, the division opened and maintained a corridor for elements of four American divisions which were surrounded in the vicinity of St. Vith, thus giving new courage to the engaged units. The divisions had prevented the enemy from piercing the north flank of the pocket created by the offensive of Von Rundstedt and thus succeeded in saving the city of Liege and its surroundings from a second occupation by the Germans."
Details:
Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 82d Airborne Division
Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Brigade, 82d Airborne Division
Cited in Department of the Army General Orders 43, 19 December 1950

Action:
Citation:
"After having excelled in defensive warfare at the banks of the Salm and the Ambleve, and having repelled successfully the repeated attacks of the best German shock troops, the 82d Airborne Division with the 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment attached, in spite of the extreme cold and excessively deep snow, went on the offensive themselves and advanced to the German border, capturing 2,500 German prisoners, including five battalion commanders. This fighting was extremely valorous as the organic composition of the division handicapped the unit considerably, not having at their disposal, as any other Infantry Division would have, heavy weapons to support their attack. During 23 days, under most painful and adverse conditions, the veterans of the 82d Airborne Division did not cease to give a wonderful example of courage and heroism, exemplifying their fighting spirit by several remarkably brilliant actions. By its valor, the division wrote another page in heroic annals of Allied airborne troops and rendered an important service to Belgium and to the Allied cause by establishing the necessary basis for the new pursuit of the enemy toward the Rhine River."
Details:
Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 82d Airborne Division
Cited in Department of the Army General Orders 43, 19 December 1950

Action:
Citation:
"A crack unit that brilliantly distinguished itself during the dropping of the 82d Airborne Division over France in the night 5-6 June 1944. In spite of the stiff resistance of the enemy and its very heavy losses, it managed by its military qualities and the gallantry of its personnel, to occupy the important position of Saint Mere l'Eglise, thus making possible the success of the landing in strength of the Allied liberating troops."
Details:
With Palme and streamer embroided with "Ste. Mere Eglise".
Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 82d Airborne Division
Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 82d Airborne Division Artillery
Cited in Department of the Army General Orders 43, 19 December 1950

Action:
Citation:
"A splendid unit, renowned for the gallantry and the spirit of sacrifice of its fighting men. It displayed the finest military qualities during the battle of Normandy. I formed part of the 82d Airborne Division and occupied central road points and river communications commanding the access to the landing beaches of the Cotentin. It sacrificed itself on the banks of the Merderet and the Douve, at Saint Sauveur le Vicomte and at Etienneville from 6 to 20 June 1944, in order to stem at all cost the advance of the German reinforcements which far outnumbered them in strength and fire power. It forced the enemy to remain on the defense, thus permitting the arrival of the main Allied force."
Details:
With palme and streamer embroided with "Cotentin".
Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 82d Airborne Division
Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 82d Airborne Division Artillery
Cited in Department of the Army General Orders 43, 19 December 1950

Awarded on: October 6th, 1982

Action:
Received for taking part in Market Garden.
Details:
Second DUC (PUC) awarded in the form of a bronze oak leaf cluster to be worn on the ribbon of the first DUC (PUC).

Action:
De 82nd Infantry Division received the 'streamer' belonging to this decoration with recognition for taking part in "Sicily", "Naples-Foggia", "Normandy" (with arrowhead), "Rhineland" (with arrowhead), "Ardennes-Alsace" and "Central Europe".