My Great Uncle Salvador Valdivia and the book by Dan Morgan, "Left Corner of My Heart" The 551st Parachute Infantry Battalion was activated on November 1, 1942. After sustaining heavy losses in January of 1945 during the Battle of the Bulge, it was inactivated and the surviving troopers were absorbed into the 82nd Airborne. In that short span of time, however, the 551st proved itself to be a first class fighting unit. For many years the story of the accomplishments, sacrifice and heroics of the 551st were known only to the troopers who survived, their opponents and some citizen's of the countries they helped to liberate. In recent years there has been an increased focus on United States Airborne troops, due mostly to movies such as Saving Private Ryan and the HBO mini-series Band of Brothers. Both movies featured the 506th Airborne and although the majority of the current interest is focused on this unit, the spotlight now shining on them has also cast a glow on some other units, such as the 551st. In 2001 it was finally awarded it's long overdue Presidental Unit Citation, after many years of struggle on the part of 551st veterans and family. 551st Parachute Infantry Battalion http://www.551stpib.com