The 513th Parachute Infantry Regiment was constituted on 26 December 1942 in the United States Army, assigned to the 13th Airborne Division, and activated on 11 January 1943 at Fort Benning, Georgia.

The 513th PIR was not sent overseas until after the D-Day landings, which took place on June 6, 1944, and was still in training in England during Operation Market Garden in September.

Jachman's heroic action, in which he suffered fatal wounds, disrupted the entire enemy attack, reflecting the highest credit upon himself and the parachute infantry.

After conducting occupation duty the 513th Parachute Infantry Regiment returned to the United States on and was inactivated on the same date at Camp Myles Standish, Massachusetts.

On 18 June 1948, it was redesignated the 513th Airborne Infantry Regiment, allotted to the Regular Army, and activated on 6 July 1948 at Camp Pickett, Virginia.