The  German successes with airborne assaults lead the United States and Allied Forces to form their own airborne units. A U.S. Army Test Platoon was established in June 1940. The name of this platoon was later changed to the 501st Parachute Battalion, when it was reorganized as the first permanent US Army airborne infantry unit in September 1940. 

As the airborne program expanded the 82nd Airborne Division was activated. Airborne units, at this time, usually consisted of one parachute infantry regiment (PIR) and two glider infantry regiments (GIR) when first activated. The 82nd Airborne Division was first organized with 17,000 men, but later half of these men would remain in the 82nd and the other half would become the 101st Airborne Division. There were several different types of units that made up the 101st when first formed; there were the glider infantry regiments the 401st and the 327th and a parachute infantry regiment the 502nd. At first the 101st was organized as a reserve unit, but on August 15, 1942 the division was disbanded and reconstituted as part of  the active duty Army, at  Camp Claiborne, Louisiana. The first division commander, Major General William C. Lee, was quoted saying "The 101st has no history but it does have a 'Rendezvous with Destiny'." 

    The 101st was moved to Fort Bragg, North Carolina in October 1942. At Fort Bragg they started training for their  future missions. During the training, at Fort Bragg, a rivalry between the parachute and glider elements developed. The paratroopers received extra pay or "parachute pay" for their dangerous duties while the glider troops had equally dangerous duties, but received no extra pay. 

The division participated in the first test of their abilities at Fort Bragg when they participated in local maneuvers. Closely following these maneuvers, the 101st left for Tennessee to take part in the Tennessee Maneuvers. At the same time as these maneuvers, the 506th PIR was attached to the division. During the impressive performance by the "Screaming Eagles", MG Lee was injured in a glider incident.  He would later remark " Next time I'll take a parachute."  These maneuvers also showed the true capabilities of the U.S. Airborne Forces, and proved that the glider troops deserved and would receive extra pay for their hazardous duty.

    In 1944, the 101st was then ordered to deploy overseas to England to continue training.  Later in January 1944 the division received the attachment of yet another parachute regiment, the 501st.  The 101st then went through another change when MG Lee, their first Commanding General, had a heart attack.  In February 1944, he was sent back to the States and former commander of the 82nd, Brigadier General Maxwell D. Taylor, took command of the 101st.  Then in the early months of 1944, the division lost the 401st GIR to the 82nd, when they were permanently transferred.. The 101st Airborne Division then continued its training until June 6,1944 when the division joined their first campaign, the                                           Normandy Invasion ( D-Day!).

                                                         Members of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment