194^th Glider Infantry Regiment

The 194th Glider Infantry Regiment was activated at Camp Mackall, North Carolina, on April 15, 1943, and trained with the 17th Airborne Division. After movement through the Tennessee Maneuver Area and Camp Forrest, it departed Boston in August 1944 and arrived in England later that month. The regiment landed in France on December 24, 1944, crossed into Belgium the next day, and entered combat with the division during the Ardennes counteroffensive.

In January 1945 the 194th fought west and northwest of Bastogne as the 17th Airborne Division joined the reduction of the German salient. The division's first attacks met sharp resistance around Dead Man's Ridge, Rechrival, Flamierge, and Hubermont. As German forces began pulling back, the 194th took Givroulle on January 14 while the 507th Parachute Infantry secured Bertogne. The regiment then continued with the division toward the Ourthe River and through the later January pursuit before relief near Wattermal.

The regiment's major airborne operation came on March 24, 1945, in Operation Varsity. Landing by glider north and northeast of Wesel, the 194th moved quickly against German fire and reached the Issel River and Issel Canal within two hours. One battalion destroyed two German tanks en route to its objective and two more after digging in. On March 25, the 194th and 507th crossed the Issel Canal and drove east of Wesel. By March 27 the 194th held positions near the Erle-Schermbeck road. During the advance near Lembeck on March 28, Technical Sergeant Clinton M. Hedrick was mortally wounded in an action for which he received the Medal of Honor.

The 194th was then shuttled to Duelmen as armored forces passed through the airborne bridgehead. Attached to the 95th Infantry Division in April, it rejoined the 17th Airborne during the Ruhr occupation phase and ended the war in Germany.