The famous US 101st Airborne Division returned to Europe for the first time since 1944

The Mihail Koglniceanu military base in Constanța is the scene of a historical event these days. The American soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division – which went down in history for contributing to the success of the Normandy landings in 1944 – presented their battle flag in Romania. It is the first time since World War II that this division of the United States Army has returned to Europe.

“The teams of the 101st Airborne Air Assault Division belonging to the 2nd Combat Team Brigade and battalion-level commands present their flags” , reads an  announcement was made at the ceremony that took place on Friday at the Mihail Kogălniceanu base.

The US Army’s 101st Airborne Division has not been to Europe since the Normandy landings on June 6, 1944. “For us, Romania is a strong NATO ally, a strong partner of the United States for several decades now. They supported us for a long time in places like Iraq or Afghanistan. As for where we are now, it brings us closest to the fighting going on in Ukraine,” said Joseph McGee, commander of the 101st Division.

Out of the more than 20,000 soldiers of the 101st Division, 4,700 are now in Europe, and 2,400 will be active in the Mihail Kogălniceanu base.

The soldiers of this division are trained for the most difficult situations of war, and special attention is paid to rescuing the wounded from the battlefield. Along with American soldiers, Romanian soldiers also participated in the exercise.