Before it earned the nickname “Sky Dragons,” the XVIII Airborne Corps began its existence as an Armored Corps—the II, to be precise—and was reorganized and redesignated as XVIII Corps before finally receiving the name under which it would enter the fighting in in World War II. When it became the XVIII Airborne, two existing Airborne Divisions—the 82nd and 101st—were assigned to it; they had taken part in the D-Day landings as part of VII Corps. The XVIII’s most notable achievement was its role in Operation Varsity, a joint operation carried out by America, British, and Canadian foces that comprised over 16,000 paratroopers and several thousand aircraft. Indeed, it was the largest airborne operation to ever take place in the course of a single day and in one landing area.
Like many units, the XVIII Airborne was inactivated after World War II, but was reactivated in 1951 and given a second role in 1958: Strategic Army Corps. The mission of XVIII Corps in this capacity was to be able to deploy worldwide on very short notice without the need to wait for a declaration of an emergency. An example of the XVIII Corps performing this type of function is Operation Powerpack in the Dominican Republic (1965) and the invasion of Grenada (1984). In 1989, the Corps took part in Operation Just Cause to depose and arrest Panamanian strongman Manuel Noriega.
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XVIII Airborne Corps Patch (SSI)
XVIII Airborne Corps Unit Crest (DUI)
HHB, XVIII Airborne Corps Beret Flash and Oval
XVIII Airborne Corps NCO Academy Flash
As part of the 1990-1991 Gulf War invasion, the Corps earned credit for participation in two campaigns, Defense of Saudi Arabia and Liberation and Defense of Kuwait. Leading up the 2003 invasion of Iraq, the Corps was deployed to Afghanistan in 2002, the first of several deployments to the region. As of April 2013, the Corp has earned official credit for participation in the Iraq Surge and Iraq Sovereignty Campaigns (more credits are assuredly on the way), as well Meritorious Unit Commendations, one for 2005-2006 and another for 2011.
The XVIII Airborne Corps’ nickname of Sky Dragons is proudly on display on its CSIB (Combat Service ID Badge). A dragon’s head—a symbol of power, ferocity, perseverance, and cunning—forms the centerpiece of the badge. But the unit’s nickname is emphasized even more on the Corps' unit crest
(Distinctive Unit Insignia), where the words “Sky Dragons”—which also form the unit’s motto—can be found a scroll that forms the base of that more complex insignia design. The XVII Airborne Corps Shoulder Sleeve Insignia, or unit patch, utilizes the same design as this CSIB.