Thousands gather to celebrate 70th anniversary of 101st Airborne - WKRN, Nashville News, Nashville Weather and Sports

Thousands gather to celebrate 70th anniversary of 101st Airborne

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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Thousands of active duty veterans and soldiers are gathering at Fort Campbell this week to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the 101st Airborne Division, even as some of its soldiers are leaving for Afghanistan.

The elite paratrooper division was created Aug. 16, 1942, with the military looking for a new type of division that could be quicker, more aggressive and able to sneak behind enemy lines.

The 101st would go on to redefine war strategies from World War II to Vietnam to the Middle East.

The weeklong event at Fort Campbell on the Kentucky-Tennessee line will include games, a concert, an air show and memorials to fallen soldiers.

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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