From 1943 to 1945, the 82nd U.S. Airborne Division was deployed in all of the important operations in western Europe. It took part in military operations in Italy, France, the Netherlands and Belgium as well as on the territory of the German Reich. After the war it was stationed in Berlin as part of the occupying forces.

Located in the central Mediterranean Sea, Sicily is the largest of the Italian islands and one of the pearls of Southern Italy. Sicily was also the first part of Europe to be liberated by the Allies in July 1943 during