Troops from the battalion then served in the four-year occupation of Japan, where they earned their nickname "Rakkasans" (meaning "falling down umbrellas"), before stationing in Fort Campbell, Kentucky.

[3] It also participated in an amphibious assault on southern Luzon, forced a Japanese retreat at the battle of Tagatay Ridge, and pierced the Genko defensive line during the attack on Manila.

Shortly after their arrival the Rakkasans earned a Presidential Unit Citation (Navy) for the attack up the Kimpo Peninsula as part of the amphibious assault at Inchon.

At Sukchon, Private First Class Richard G. Wilson, a medic attached to I Company, earned the Medal of Honor when he gave his life as he administered aid and shielded wounded troopers from enemy fire.

[5] In March 1951 the regiment made a second combat jump at Musan-ni, cutting off and destroying large numbers of North Korean and Chinese forces above the 38th parallel.

During one such mission in March 1968, Captain Paul W. Bucha, commander of D Company, received the Medal of Honor when he crawled through a hail of fire to single-handedly destroy a machine gun bunker with grenades near Phước Vĩnh.

[7] During Operation Desert Storm the Rakkasans participated in the largest air assault in history, conducting a vertical envelopment 175 miles into enemy territory to establish blocking positions near the Euphrates River.

From January to August 2002 the Leader Rakkasans deployed to Afghanistan as part of Operation Enduring Freedom, where it participated in numerous search and attacks, raids, and air assaults against the elusive remnants of the Taliban near the Pakistan border, helping to stabilize the country.

Following the invasion the battalion conducted six months of security operations near Rabia, Iraq, on the Syrian border, to block the flow of foreign fighters.

Prior to returning stateside in January 2004 the Iron Rakkasans conducted combat operations in Husaybah, Iraq with the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment.

During their tour the battalion supervised over 5000 Sons of Iraq (or members of the Awakening); trained and partnered with the 17th Iraqi Army Division; conducted dozens of raids, air assaults, and cordon and searches; and earned the Valorous Unit Award.