173rdIraqiFreedom

On 26 March 2003, The 173rd Airborne Brigade became the only line Airborne Brigade to perform a combat jump when it Parachuted 1000 paratroopers into Northern Iraq to open the Northern front during operation Iraqi Freedom. This was the largest combat parachute operation since WWII. The jump was the longest combat operation in history, as the "Sky Soldiers" flew over 1800 miles from Vicenzia to Iraq. Nine "Sky Soldiers" died in Iraq during the deployment. In March 2004, the Sky Soldiers returned Vicenzia to again train and prepare to meet the challenge in the war on terrorism.