The 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment (502nd PIR) was established during World War II as a regiment of the 101st Airborne Division of the United States Army. The regiment saw substantial action in World War II and went on to deploy in the Vietnam War, the first Gulf War, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. Since 1974, the regiment has been classified as air assault infantry; and at present, the regiment's two battalions are under the command of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division.