Photos: 11th Airborne Division activation ceremony at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson

On the 78th anniversary of D-Day, Gen. James McConville, chief of staff of the Army, said “On this June 6th we are making history. We are passing you the colors and the patch of the storied 11th Airborne Division. A Division with an incredible history of valor in the Pacific during World War II.”

Two activation ceremonies were held in Alaska on Monday for the Army’s only Arctic Airborne division. The activation returned the historic 11th Airborne Division to the Army’s active rolls, this time with a focus on operations in extreme cold weather and in the mountains.

[U.S. Army in Alaska is rebranding and reorganizing into the 11th Airborne Division]

The ceremony at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson took place on Pershing Field as the 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division was reflagged as the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 11th Airborne Division.

The Fort Wainwright ceremony held Monday morning included a reflagging ceremony with the 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division becoming the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 11th Airborne Division.