Web sites relating to the Rangers
Today's Army Rangers can trace their history throughout American history back to 1670. Captain Benjamin Church organized a company of troops and designated the Rangers. Church's Rangers fought with distinction during King Philip's War with the frontier Indians from 1670 to the war's end in 1675. During the French and Indian Wars of 1754 to 1763, nine companies of Rangers were organized under the command of Major Robert Rogers to fight for the British. Rogers was a brilliant and persuasive commander and published a set of 28 Standing Orders that emphasized the need for sound tactics and being prepared at all times. Rogers' standing orders are just as relevant today as they were in 1756.
In 1775, the Continental Congress authorized 10 companies of expert riflemen to be raised and equipped for the coming Revolution. In 1777, these soldiers were placed under the command of Dan Morgan and identified as "The Corps of Rangers". Also during the American Revolution, a force of 150 hand-picked men were used for reconnaissance and were known as the Connecticut Rangers under the command of Thomas Knowlton.
After the American Revolution, Ranger units were disbanded. During the War of 1812, Ranger units were raised and deployed along the western frontier. Here they protected pioneer settlements and defended against Indian attacks. These Ranger units later were instrumental in scouring and reconnaissance for the American forces in the War with Mexico. During the Civil War, Mean's Rangers led a raid against the ammunition train of General Longstreet, destroying valuable supplies. Mean's Rangers also engaged and defeated a larger force of Confederate Rangers south of the Potomac River. After the Civil War, Ranger units continued to work with the frontier Cavalry units protecting settlers.
When America entered the second World War, Maj. Gen. Lucien Truscott, who led the famed 3rd Infantry Division through most of the war, convinced the Army Chief of Staff of the need for an American commando unit. On May 26, 1942 the order was given authorizing the formation of the 1st Ranger Battalion to be commanded by Major William Darby. Word spread throughout the American forces that a special unit was being formed and Major Darby received thousands of volunteers, mainly from the 1st Armored and 34th Infantry divisions. After a careful screening process, the 1st Ranger Battalion was activated on June 19, 1942.
The next challenge was to properly train the new Rangers. For this, the 1st Ranger Battalion was shipped to the British Army's Commando Training Center in Scotland. For several weeks, the American Rangers were tested to their limits by the Commando Center trainers. When it was over, 85% of those who started the course, graduated.
On August 19, 1942, 50 American Rangers were added to a British and Canadian Commando raid on the French port city of Dieppe. 6,100 troops took part in the raid which was the first action that had American forces fighting the Germans in World War Two. For a detailed account of the Dieppe Raid Check out this page from the Veterans Affairs Canada web site. During the Dieppe Raid, 3 Rangers were killed and 5 were captured. The American won high praise from their Commando allies.
During the Allied invasion of France, the 2nd Ranger Battalion of the US First Army was given a special mission. The US First Army was assigned to assault the westernmost beaches of the operation designated UTAH and OMAHA. UTAH was the responsibility of the US VII Corps, comprised of the 4th Infantry Division while the US V Corps, comprised of the reinforced 1st Infantry Division landed at OMAHA. Directly in between was a point of land called Pointe du Hoe with a sheer cliff face rising 150 feet above the beach. On this cliff, the Germans had placed a battery of six 15mm coastal artillery pieces that would be capable of hitting almost any Allied ship of the US First Army. Companies D, E and F were tasked with scaling the cliff and eliminating the artillery pieces.
At the same time, companies A, B and C were to land on the west flank of OMAHA with A co of the 116th Infantry Regiment, move up a draw to the village of Vierville sur Mer, secure the coastal road leading to Pointe du Hoe and destroy the German positions and radar station along the way. Both Rangers forces were prepared to assist the other should something go wrong. If everything went according to plan, the Ranger forces would link up on the high ground of Pointe du Hoe and support the drive inland with V Corps.
As the VII and V Corps were approaching their beaches, 3 companies of the 2nd Ranger Battalion hit the small beach at Pointe du Hoe and began the long process of scaling the cliff with rope ladders. The Rangers were under almost constant rifle and machine gun fire from both sides, but the men continued their ascent. The first Rangers reached to top of the cliff just as the first waves hit UTAH and OMAHA. Much to the surprise of the Rangers, only a small platoon of Germans were atop Pointe du Hoe and were quickly eliminated. The German artillery had been pulled out.
MEanwhile, the Ranger force at OMAHA was in trouble. A co of the 116th was wiped out on the beach and the Rangers were forced to fight their way in. With A co out of the fight, the closest Allied troops were 2 kilometers away. The Rangers hit the beach and made it to the base of the cliff just west of the draw. Only 31 men of C co made it so far. With the Ranger force pinned down, 4 soldiers, Lt William Moody, Lt Sidney Saloman, Sgt Julius Belcher and Sgt Richard Garrett began to pick their way up a small crevice using their bayonets for leverage until they finally reached the top of the cliff. They quickly dropped ropes and the Rangers began to climb. By 0730, C Co was on top of the ridge and facing a fortified house.
The Rangers assaulted the house and Lt Moody kicked in the door, killed the officer in charge and led the search of the trenches dug behind. The Rangers began the systematic destruction of the pillboxes and positions using grenades, rifles and even their bayonets. Lt Moody was killed clearing one pillbox and command fell to Lt Saloman. Sgt Belcher led a furious charge of German machine gun positions that were pouring a murderous fire down onto OMAHA. Using white phosphorous grenades, the Rangers cooly shot the Germans as they fled the burning positions.
Companies A and B of the 2nd Ranger BN and the entire 5th Ranger BN came ashore at OMAHA shortly before 8:00 and drove inland to link up with C Co. In Addition, the remnants of the 116th Infantry were led up the cliff and joined the Rangers in formed an ad hoc Infantry Regiment. This force continued to clear the bluffs around Vierville of German positions. The fighting was severe and often hand to hand. The Rangers of the 5th and 2nd Ranger BNs, along with the survivors of the 116th Infantry are credited with saving the Allied invasion at OMAHA Beach. The soldiers of the 1st Infantry Division had been pinned down and were taken horrendous casualties. Once the Rangers got behind the German lines, all hell broke loose and the Big Red One was able to move off the beach and establish their beachhead.
The Dieppe Raid and the D-Day invasion were just two major operations that the Rangers participated in however, the Rangers were present in almost every phase of the Allied effort to destroy Nazi Germany. In all 6 Ranger Battalions were formed. The 1st through 5th served in the European and African theaters while the 6th served in the Pacific. Small detachments of Rangers were sent to act as pathfinders and scout units for the advancing Allied armies. Rangers were sent in ahead of the infantry in dozens of amphibious assaults. In the Pacific, the 6th Ranger BN was the first to hit the beaches of New Guinea, Leyte and broke the back of Fortress Luzon in the Philippines. During the raids on the Aleutian Islands the 6th Ranger BN ensured that the beaches were clear of all obstacles and led the way when the Islands were cleared.
The Allied march across North Africa, Italy and Europe was led by Rangers. From Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia. Across the Mediterranean to Sicily, Naples, Anzio and Rome. The Rangers led the way into Northern and Southern France and were some of the first units to counter the German Ardennes Offensive in December of 1944. In 1945, Ranger units established bridgeheads across the Rhine River into the heart of Germany. Whenever their was a tough operation that was crucial to the Allied war effort, Rangers were the first to fight.
There are two other units that must be mentioned when telling the story of the Rangers; the 1st Special Service Force, a joint American and Canadian unit and the 5307th Composite Unit also known as Merrill's Marauders. The 1st Special Service Force was half Canadian, half American and 100% volunteer. They were trained to go behind enemy lines to conduct guerilla operations to disrupt enemy operations. The men were skilled as mountain climbers, lumberjacks, skiers and game wardens. All had experience in high mountains and extreme cold. The 1st SSF was deployed into the Alps of Southern France and were highly successful in destroying German outposts and garrisons. German troops that were badly needed on the front lines, had to be pulled back to deal with this new threat and they paid a high price in trying to destroy the Allied troops.
Merrill's Marauders was another all-volunteer unit but was trained in jungle warfare. The unit was created in October 1943 to keep the Ledo Road of Burma open for supplies. Its commander was Brigadier General Frank Merrill. The unit was trained for long range, deep penetration raids into enemy held jungles. During its operations the 5307th was known by its code name, GALAHAD. From January until April 1944, GALAHAD was General Joseph Stilwell's most dependable combat unit in the liberation of Burma. GALAHAD was in almost constant combat with the Japanese forces. On March 31, 1944, Gen Merrill was evacuated due to serious illness and injury against his strong desire to remain with his troops. GALAHAD continued to fight in Burma until August 1944 when the unit was reorganized as the 475th Infantry Regiment.
After World War Two, most of the Ranger units were disbanded along with much of the war time Army. In 1950, when hostilities broke out in Korea, the Rangers were again ordered into action. Volunteers were called for and soon over 5,000 soldiers, many from the 82nd Airborne Division, had signed up. In October of 1950, the training began for the first 3 Ranger Companies. Also that month, a 4th Ranger company was raised from soldiers of the 505th Airborne Infantry Regiment and the 80th AAA BN. This company was later designated the 2nd Ranger Company and became the first all-black Ranger unit.
On November 15, 1950 the 1st Ranger Company (Airborne) departed the United States and arrived in Korean on December 17. The 2nd and 4th Ranger Companies (Airborne) Arrived 2 weeks later. In this fight, there would be no large scale Ranger action such as the assault on Pointe du Hoe, instead the Rangers were assigned to various Infantry units. There they scouted ahead of the force, patrolled enemy lines, conducted behind the lines raids and set up ambushes for enemy patrols. The 2nd Ranger Company (Airborne) was assigned to the 7th Infantry Division, the 1st Ranger Company (Airborne) was assigned to the 2nd Infantry Division and the 4th Ranger Company (Airborne) was assigned to the 1st Cavalry Division. Later, the 3rd Ranger Company (Airborne) would be assigned to the 3rd Infantry Division, the 5th Ranger Co (Airborne) would be assigned to the 25th Infantry Division and the 8th Ranger Co (Airborne) would be assigned to the 24th Infantry Division.
During the Korean War, the Rangers performed superbly. In one night raid, the 1st Ranger Co, marched 9 miles in pitch darkness behind enemy lines and destroyed the headquarters of the 12th North Korean Division, killing its commander and much of his staff. The attack by just 112 Rangers force 2 North Korean Regiments to retreat in a panic. In the only joint Ranger operation of the war, the 2nd and 4th Ranger Co made a combat jump at Munsan-Ni along the 38th parallel. Once on the ground, the 2nd Ranger co plugged a gap in the lines left after an Allied force had retreated while the 4th Ranger co conducted an over-water raid to secure the Hwachon Dam from the North Koreans. During the Chinese 5th Phase Offensive, the 5th Ranger Co was critical in rallying soldiers of the 25th Division and stopping the Chinese assault. During the battle, Ranger Sergeants were leading Infantry Line units when the chain of command broke down but the Rangers quickly settled the Infantrymen into the defense and prevented a disaster.
One famous Ranger battle occurred while a platoon of the 8th Ranger Co was on a patrol behind enemy lines. 33 Rangers were on patrol when they were discovered by 2 Chinese Reconnaissance companies. The battle raged for hours while the Rangers fought their way back to friendly territory. When it was over, 70 Chinese soldiers had been killed and many more wounded. Two Rangers had been killed and three wounded but the Rangers brought all 5 back to the Allied lines upholding the tradition that a Ranger never leaves another Ranger behind.
On Okinawa in 1954, the 75th Infantry Regiment was formed. Filling its ranks were the Ranger Companies that had fought in Korea plus the remnants of the 475th Infantry (which was formed from the 5307th Composite Unit, Merrill's Marauders). Ob February 1, 1969, the 13 Ranger companies of the 75th Infantry began operations in Vietnam. Their mission was similar to that of Korea. Individual companies and detachments were assigned to Division and Corps headquarters to perform patrols, reconnaissance, raids, and scouting missions. In addition, the Rangers conducted prisoner snatch, bomb damage assessment, and wiretap missions. While the Rangers were all Airborne qualified, most missions were executed following a helicopter insertion.
The ranks of the 75th began to swell as Long Range Patrol (LRP) units were added to their Regiment. Soon the Rangers began conduction Long Range Reconnaissance Patrols (LRRPs) using 6 and 12 man teams. Ranger units would often run behind enemy lines for weeks at a time conducting raids and ambushes whenever possible. Other Ranger units were deployed far ahead of American forces to call in naval gunfire and air strikes on enemy positions. Since they operated so far ahead, the Rangers were able to direct strikes against enemy headquarters compounds and rescue American POWs.
The units of the 75th Infantry were so successful in their operations, the Secretary of the Army dubbed them Neo Marauders. After the Vietnam War ended, the 75th Regiment became the nucleus of the first peacetime Ranger unit in American History when it was redesignated the 75th Infantry (RANGER).