Editing 82nd Airborne Division (section)

===Normandy===
[[File:SC 320906 - Members of the 82nd Airborne Division, 508th Regiment, check their equipment before taking off from an airfield in Saltby, England, to participate in the invasion of Europe. (50068102941).jpg|thumb|left|Members of the 508th PIR, 82nd Airborne Division, check their equipment before taking off from an airfield in [[Saltby]], [[Leicestershire]], England, to participate in the invasion of Europe, 1944.]]

With two air drops under its belt, the 82nd Airborne was ready for the second "D-Day" operation in the division's history; [[Normandy landings|Operation Neptune]], or the amphibious assault portion of Allied [[invasion of Normandy]]. The division conducted [[Mission Boston]], a component of the [[Operation Overlord]] plan.

In preparation for the operation, the division was significantly reorganized. To ease the integration of replacement troops, rest, and refitting following the fighting in Italy, the 504th PIR did not rejoin the division for the invasion. Two new parachute infantry regiments (PIRs), the [[507th Parachute Infantry Regiment (United States)|507th]] and the [[508th Infantry Regiment (United States)|508th]], provided it, along with the veteran 505th, a three-parachute infantry regiment punch. The 325th was also reinforced by the addition of the 3rd Battalion of the [[401st Infantry Regiment (United States)|401st GIR]], bringing it up to a strength of three battalions.

On 5 and 6 June these paratroopers, parachute artillery elements, and the 319th and 320th, boarded hundreds of transport planes and [[Military glider|gliders]] to begin history's largest airborne assault at the time (only [[Operation Market Garden]] later that year would be larger). During the June 6th assault, a 508th platoon leader, [[First lieutenant|First Lieutenant]] [[Robert P. Mathias]], would be the first U.S. Army officer killed by German fire during the invasion.<ref>{{cite book |title=D-Day |publisher=Pocket Books |author=Ambrose, S. E. |year=2002 |page=24}}</ref> On 7{{nbsp}}June, after this first wave of attack, the 325th GIR would arrive by glider to provide a division reserve.

In Normandy, the 82nd gained its first [[Medal of Honor]] of the war, belonging to [[Private first class|Private First Class]] [[Charles N. DeGlopper]] of the 325th GIR.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.lonesentry.com/usdivisions/medal-of-honor/airborne/division/82nd_airborne_division.html| title = 82nd Airborne Division WWII Medal of Honor Recipients|website=LoneSentry.com}}</ref> When the division was relieved in early July, the 82nd had seen a month straight of severe combat. Casualties had been heavy. Losses included 5,245 troopers killed, wounded, or missing- a 46% casualty rate. Major General Ridgway's post-battle report stated in part, "...&nbsp;33 days of action without relief, without replacements. Every mission accomplished. No ground gained was ever relinquished."<ref name="divhist"/>

Following Normandy, the 82nd Airborne Division returned to England to rest and refit for future airborne operations. The 82nd became part of the newly organized [[XVIII Airborne Corps]], which consisted of the [[17th Airborne Division (United States)|17th]], 82nd, and [[101st Airborne Division]]s. Ridgway was given command of the corps but was not officially promoted to [[Lieutenant general (United States)|lieutenant general]] until 1945. His recommendation for succession as division commander was [[Brigadier general (United States)|Brigadier General]] [[James M. Gavin]], previously the 82nd's assistant division commander. Upon being promoted to Major General in October 1944 at the age of 37, Gavin became the youngest general since the [[American Civil War|Civil War]] to command a U.S. Army division.<ref name="Ruggero2007">{{cite book|last=Ruggero|first=Ed|title=The First Men In: US Paratroopers and the Fight to Save D-Day|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DQHQMGknDB0C&pg=PA307|date=29 May 2007|publisher=Harper Collins|isbn=978-0-06-073129-8|page=307}}</ref>