 | This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (December 2012) |
| 517th Parachute Infantry Regiment | |
|---|---|
 Shoulder sleeve insignia of the 517th Parachute Infantry Regiment. | |
| Active | 1943–1946 |
| Country |  United States |
| Branch |  United States Army |
| Type | Airborne forces |
| Role | Parachute infantry |
| Size | Regiment |
| Part of | 17th Airborne Division 82nd Airborne Division 13th Airborne Division |
| Motto(s) | "Attack" |
| Engagements | Italian Campaign Operation Dragoon Battle of the Bulge |
| Insignia | |
| The 517th PIR's Airborne Background Trimming of WWII |  |
| The 517th PIR's Airborne Background Trimming post WWII |  |
The 517th Parachute Infantry Regiment (517th PIR) was an airborne infantry regiment of the United States Army, formed during World War II. At times the regiment was attached to the 17th Airborne Division, 82nd Airborne Division and later, the 13th Airborne Division. During most of their combat, the unit was an independent combined force of 17th Airborne troops called the 517th Parachute Regimental Combat Team or 517th PRCT /517th PCT /517th RCT.
The unit was formed in early 1943 and trained at Camp Toccoa, Georgia. The 517th saw heavy fighting in the Italian Campaign in June 1944, before being transferred to take part in Operation Dragoon in August 1944, in Southern France, which happened to be their first combat jump. Following the liberation of France, the 517th was attached to the 82nd Airborne Division and fought with it in Belgium, during the Battle of the Bulge. Following the end of the war, the 517th was assigned to Fort Bragg, North Carolina, where the unit was inactivated on 25 February 1946.