Screaming Eagle - A Guide to Screaming Eagle

Nicknamed the "Screaming Eagles," the 101st Airborne Division is known for air assault missions in wars dating back to World War II. The division was first activated on August 15, 1942 at Camp Clairborne, Louisiana. It was here that Major General William C. Lee memorably told the new infantry that they had a "rendezvous with destiny."

From there, the Screaming Eagles went on to fight in assault operations by air in WWII, Vietnam, Desert Storm, and Iraqi Freedom. In WWII, the Screaming Eagles are most famous for leading the way on D-Day with a night drop prior to the mass invasion. They fought as one of only a few available forces in the Battle of the Bulge at Bastogne as well.

During the mid 1950s, the 101st was used by President Dwight D. Eisenhower to enforce federal court orders during the Little Rock integration of public schools. In the 1960s, the 1st Brigade of the 101st Airborne Division was deployed to Vietnam. Here, they fought in 15 campaigns over a seven-year span. These troops were a vital part of the Battle of Hamburger Hill in 1969 and the Firebase Ripcord in 1970.

Later, in the 1990s, the division would be used for missions in Desert Storm, receiving no casualties in the entire 100-hour war. Now, the division is headquartered at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, and is serving a tour in Iraq as a part of the mission Iraqi Freedom. They have been credited with several peacekeeping missions as well, including relief efforts in Rwanda, Bosnia, and Haiti. One notable fact is that Easy Company, a division of the 101st, was featured prominently in the HBO original series, Band of Brothers. Their celebrated name has also been given to Harley Davidson Screaming Eagle motorcycles--a mark of true notoriety.