D Day Parachute Infantry Regiment loss

[MAMC]

A year or two back, I saw a news item where a Parachute Infantry Regiment finally received it's Battle Flag at the White House by the President. It seems the Regiment had received such terrible losses during the D Day events, that it was disbanded, and the remaining men dispersed. In recent years after much campaigning by survivors, they finally got their deserved recognition by the authorities in Washington.
I cannot remember the Regiment, and despite attempts to "Google" it I still do not know...
I think these are the elements as I recall them, does anyone know more.......

[RichTO90]

A year or two back, I saw a news item where a Parachute Infantry Regiment finally received it's Battle Flag at the White House by the President. It seems the Regiment had received such terrible losses during the D Day events, that it was disbanded, and the remaining men dispersed. In recent years after much campaigning by survivors, they finally got their deserved recognition by the authorities in Washington.
I cannot remember the Regiment, and despite attempts to "Google" it I still do not know...
I think these are the elements as I recall them, does anyone know more.......

The 1st Battalion, 551st Parachute Infantry Regiment, received a Presidential Unit Citation on 23 February 2001, over 56 years after they were disbanded and absorbed by the 82nd Airborne Division as replacements. The award was for their actions at Rochelinval, Belgium on 7 January 1945. Are they who you are thinking of?

[MAMC]

Hi RichTO90,
I believe you have solved this for me, as everything seems to fit, just proves how my poor my memory has become, out by more than a decade, and not D Day either, dear oh dear....
Many thanks.....

[Dunnigan]

The 551st PIR was redesignated 551st Parachute Infantry Battalion by the time it fought in Europe but may still have been officially honored as 1st Bn, 551 PIR.

The 509th Parachute Infantry Battalion had a similar history and was disbanded after taking major losses lead up to and include the Battle of the Bulge. Its survivors likewise were distributed to the 82nd Airborne. It does not appear this unit earned a Presidential Unit Citation.

[RichTO90]

The 551st PIR was redesignated 551st Parachute Infantry Battalion by the time it fought in Europe but may still have been officially honored as 1st Bn, 551 PIR.

The 551st was commonly referred to as the 551st PIB, but AFAIK it was never officially re-designated by the War Department and, when it was formally inactivated and disbanded on 15 January 1945, the order was for the disbandment of the 1st Battalion, 551st Parachute Infantry Regiment.

The 509th Parachute Infantry Battalion had a similar history and was disbanded after taking major losses lead up to and include the Battle of the Bulge. Its survivors likewise were distributed to the 82nd Airborne. It does not appear this unit earned a Presidential Unit Citation.

The 509th order to disband was before the Bulge on 1 December 1944, but like the 551st the action was taken after the Bulge. It was inactivated 1 March 1945.

Cheers!