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06-09-2013, 11:31 AM
United States Army Rangers
This article includes both historical background material on the 75th Infantry Regiment (Ranger). Source material includes the Rangers web site, Wikipedia, as well as articles from the Infantry Journal.
The term “Ranger” was first used in 17th Century North America when the first “Ranging” Company was commissioned in King Philip’s War (1676). Ranging companies then served throughout the next four French & Indian Wars. Rangers also fought in the American Revolution, the War of 1812, the American Civil War, World War Two, the Korean Police Action, Vietnam, Grenada and Panama.
The 75th Infantry Regiment (Ranger) trances its linage to the early Ranging companies and its direct linage to the World War Two Ranger Battalions as well as the 5307th Composite Unit (Provisional)---better known as “Merrill’s Marauders”, and then reflagged as the 475th Infantry Regiment and then later as the 75th Infantry Regiment.
The modern Ranger force consists of two elements: the 75th Ranger Regiment, consisting of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Ranger Battalions and the Ranger Special Troops Battalion; and the Ranger Training Brigade, consisting of the 4th, 5th and 6th Ranger Battalions (Training).
Colonial Period
Rangers served in North America in the 17th and 18th Century, French & Indian Wars. British regulars assigned to North America were not accustomed to frontier warfare and the Ranging Companies were formed by the colonial governments with the mission of patrolling in between the frontier fortifications as well as conducting reconnaissance to provide early warning of Indian raids. The Rangers would also serve in the campaigns as scouts and guides, locating Indian villages and other targets for the main body.
The first mention of Ranger operations dates back to 1622 when Captain John Smith reported: "When I had ten men able to go abroad, our common wealth was very strong: with such a number I ranged that unknown country 14 weeks."
Robert Black also stated that,
In 1622, after the*Berkeley Plantation Massacre...grim-faced men went forth to search out the Indian enemy. They were militia—citizen soldiers—but they were learning to blend the methods of Indian and European warfare...As they went in search of the enemy, the words*range, ranging and Ranger*were frequently used...The American Ranger had been born.
The father of the Ranging Companies was Colonel Benjamin Church who was the captain of the first Ranging Company organized in 1676. Captain Church was commission by the Governor of the Plymouth Colony to form this Ranging Company to fight in King Philip’s War. Captain Church would later lead his company during King William’s War and Queen Anne’s War.
Benjamin Church organized his company to copy the Native American patterns of war. Towards this end he would use friendly Indians to train and fight with his “Rangers”. Church organized his unit with white colonists carefully selected for their frontier skills and friendly Indians to attack hostile Indians in the vast wilderness of North America. Later, Colonel Church would write his memoirs in 1716, “Entertaining Passages relating to Philip’s War”, considered by many historians as the first American military manual.
Serving under Colonel Church were two other rangers, John Lovewell, who would lead a Ranging Company in Dummer’s War in three expeditions against the Abenaki Indians. John Gorham would command another Ranging Company in King George’s War. Gorham’s Company would provide outstanding service during the fighting at Acadia and Nova Scotia. Gorham would later be commissioned as a captain in the British Army in recognition of his outstanding service. Gorham would become one of three Ranging Officers who would be so honored---his younger brother Joseph Gorham and Robert Rogers would be the other two.
Roger’s Rangers was established in 1751 by Major Robert Rogers, during the French & Indian War. These nine companies are considered to be the spiritual birthplace of the modern Army Rangers. Major Rogers is credited with, among other things, with drafting the first set of standard orders for rangers. These rules, Robert Roger’s “Rules of Ranging”, are still provided to all new Army Rangers upon graduation from training, and served as one of the first modern manuals for asymmetric warfare.
American Revolution
With the start of the American Revolution, Major Robert Rogers offered his services to General George Washington. Admist fears that Rogers was a spy, his offer was refused. An angry Rogers joined forces with the Loyalists and fought for the crown. While serving with the British, troops under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Rogers were responsible for the capture of the famous spy, Nathan Hale.
Later in the war, General Washington ordered a former Roger’s Ranger, Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Knowlton to select an elite group of men for reconnaissance missions. This unit, known as “Knowlton’s Rangers”, is credited as the first official Ranger unit (by name) for the United States. This unit did not carry out ranging missions, however, carring out intelligence functions that later gave rise to the modern Military Intelligence branch.
War of 1812
During the War of 1812, Congress authorized the rising of six companies of United States Rangers who served as mounted infantry on the Western frontier. By the end of the war, this force had been raised to twelve companies.
Black Hawk War
The United States Mounted Ranger Battalion was reformed during the Black Hawk War of 1832. This force consisted of six companies of frontiersmen who were enlisted for one year and provided their own rifles and horses. After this initial one year enlistment expired, no further Rangers were raised.
American Civil War
The most famous Rangers of the Civil War served with the Confederate States Army. In January 1863, John S. Mosby was given command of the 43rd Partisan Ranger Battalion. Mosby’s rangers would become infamous due to their frequent raids on Union supply trains and couriers. Their reputation was heightened when they preformed a raid deep into Union-controlled territory and captured three high-ranking officers, including Brigadier General Edwin H. Stoughton.
Weeks after the surrender of Robert E. Lee, Mosby would disband his unit rather than formally surrender.
Rangers also served with the Union forces of which, Mean’s Rangers were the most well known due to their capture of General James Longstreet’s ammunition train as well as their operations against Mosby’s force.
World War II
European theater
The 1st Ranger Battalion was organized and began training at Carrickfergus, Northern Ireland on June 19, 1942 by Lieutenant Colonel William O. Darby. Their first combat action was during the invasion of North Africa were the quickly earned a repution for daring. Expanded to the three battalion strong
(1st, 3rd and 4th Rangers), the Ranger Force fought throughout the North Africa campaign as well as the invasion of Sicily and later, Salerno.
Committed to the Anzio invasion, the 1st and 3rd Ranger Battalions were wiped-out at the Battle of Cisterna on January 29,1944. The 4th Ranger Battalion suffered heavy losses in its efforts to breakthrough the German lines and relieve the en-circled 1st and 3rd Battalions. Afterwards, the survivors of the 4th Rangers were absorbed into the Canadian-American First Special Service Force under Brigadier General Robert T. Frederick where they were involved in successful operations to secure the right flank of the beachhead until the breakout of the Allied forces.
The 29th Ranger Battalion was formed from volunteers from the 29th Infantry Division in December 1942. They were dissolved in November 1943.
June 6, 1944 saw the 2nd Ranger Battalion committed to capture and destroy a German coastal defense battery on top of the 100-foot high cliffs of Pointe du Hoc, located a few miles to the west of Omaha Beach. Under constant fire from the German Garrision, the rangers scaled the cliff and destroyed the garrision, only to discover that the 155mm guns had never been installed. Patrols from the 2d Rangers, moving forward to secure the coast road, discovered the guns later on June 6th and destroyed them. The 2nd Rangers then held their tiny beachhead against German attacks before being relived by American troops, two days later.
The 5th Ranger Battalion was committed to the landing on Dog White sector on Omaha Beach. They had the mission of breaking through the German defenses and then drive on the 2nd Rangers position on Pointe du Hoc. It was during the deadly fight to get off the beach that a famous incident occurred. With troops pinned down under heavy fire, then Brigadier General Norman Cota (XO of the 2nd ID) approached a party of Rangers that included Major Max Schneider, CO of the 5th Ranger Battalion, who was asked by General Cota “What outfit is this?”, Schneider answered “5th Rangers, Sir!”. Tho this Cota replied “Well, goddamn it! If you’re Rangers, lead the way!” From this the Ranger motto---”Rangers Lead the Way!”---was born.
Pacific theater
Meanwhile two separate Ranger units fought the war in the Pacific Theater. The*98th Field Artillery Battalion*was formed on 16 December 1940 and activated at*Fort Lewis*in January 1941. On 26 September 1944, they were converted from*field artillery*to light infantry and became*6th Ranger Battalion. 6th Ranger Battalion led the invasion of the*Philippines*and executed the daring*Raid on the Cabanatuan POW camp. They continued fighting in the Philippines until they were deactivated on 30 December 1945, in Japan.
After the*first Quebec Conference, the 5307th Composite Unit (provisional) was formed with Frank Merrill*as the commander, leading them to be nicknamed*Merrill's Marauders. They began training in*India*on 31 October 1943. Composed of the famous six color-coded combat teams that would become part of modern Ranger heraldry, they fought against the Japanese during the*Burma Campaign. In February 1944, the Marauders began a 1,000-mile (1,600*km) march over the*Himalayan mountain range*and through the*Burmese*jungle*to strike behind the Japanese lines. By March, they had managed to cut off Japanese forces in*Maingkwan and cut their supply lines in the*Hukawng Valley. On 17 May, the Marauders and Chinese forces captured the*Myitkyina*airfield, the only all-weather airfield in Burma. The Marauders proved themselves a truly exceptional unit and have the very rare distinction of having every member of the unit receive the*Bronze Star.
Korean War
At the outbreak of the*Korean War, a unique Ranger unit was formed. Lead by*Second Lieutenant*Ralph Puckett, the*Eighth Army Ranger Company*was created in August 1950. It would serve as the role model for the rest of the soon to be formed Ranger units. Instead of being organized into self-contained battalions, the Ranger units of the Korean and Vietnam eras would be organized into companies and then attached to larger units, to serve as organic special operations units.
In total, sixteen additional Ranger companies were formed in the next seven months: Eighth Army Raider Company and*First*through Fifteenth Ranger Companies. The Army Chief of Staff assigned the Ranger training program at*Fort Benning*to Colonel John Gibson Van Houten. The program would eventually be split to include a training program located in Korea.*3rd Ranger Company*and the 7th Ranger Company were tasked to train new Rangers.
28 October 1950 would see the next four Ranger companies formed. Soldiers from the 505th Airborne Regiment and the*82nd Airborne's 80th Anti-aircraft Artillery Battalion volunteered and, after initially being designated the 4th Ranger Company, became the2nd Ranger Company—the only all-black Ranger unit in United States history. After the four companies had begun their training, they were joined by the 5th–8th Ranger companies on 20 November 1950.
During the course of the war, the Rangers patrolled and probed, scouted and destroyed, attacked and ambushed the Communist Chinese and North Korean enemy. The 1st Rangers destroyed the*12th North Korean Division*headquarters in a daring night raid. The 2nd and 4th Rangers made a combat airborne assault near*Munsan*where Life Magazine reported that Allied troops were now patrolling north of the 38th Parallel. Crucially, the 2nd Rangers plugged the gap made by the retreating Allied forces, while the 5th Ranger Company helped stop the Chinese 5th Phase Offensive. As in World War II, after the Korean War, the Rangers were disbanded.
Vietnam War
Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol*(LRRP) and Long Range Patrol companies (commonly known as*Lurps) were formed by the U.S. Army in the early 1960s in West Germany to provide small, heavily armed*reconnaissance*teams to patrol deep in enemy-held territory in case of war with the*Soviet Union*and its*Warsaw Pact*allies.
In Vietnam LRRP platoons and companies were attached to every brigade and division where they perfected the art of long-range patrolling.*Since satellite communications were a thing of the future, one of the most daring*long-range penetration*operations of theVietnam War*was launched on April 19, 1968, by members of the*1st Air Cavalry Division's,*Company E, 52nd Infantry (LRP), (redesignated Co. H, Ranger), against the*North Vietnamese Army*when they seized*"Signal Hill"*the name attributed to the peak of Dong Re Lao Mountain, a densely forested 4,879-foot mountain, midway in the*A Shau Valley, so the 1st and 3rd Brigades, slugging it out hidden deep behind the towering wall of mountains, could communicate with Camp Evans near the coast or with approaching aircraft.
On 1 January 1969, under the new U.S. Army Combat Arms Regimental System (CARS), these units were redesignated "Ranger" in South Vietnam within the 75th Infantry Regiment (Ranger).*Fifteen companies of Rangers were raised from "Lurp" units—which had been performing missions in Europe since the early 1960s and in Vietnam since 1966. The genealogy of this new Regiment was linked to*Merrill's Marauders.*The Rangers were organized as independent companies: C, D, E, F, G, H, I, K, L, M, N, O and P, with one notable exception, since 1816, U.S. Army units have not included a Juliet or "J" company
In addition to scouting and reconnoitering roles for their parent formations, Ranger units provided terrain-assessment and tactical or special security missions; undertook recovery operations to locate and retrieve*prisoners of war; captured enemy soldiers for interrogation and intelligence-gathering purposes; tapped*North Vietnam Army*and*Vietcong*wire communications lines in their established base areas along the*Ho Chi Minh trail; and mined enemy trails as well as motor-vehicle transport routes.
Ranger School
Ranger Training began in September 1950 at Fort Benning Georgia "with the formation and training of 17 Airborne Companies by the Ranger Training Command".*The first class graduated from Ranger training in November 1950."*The United States Army's Infantry School officially established the Ranger Department in December 1951. Under the Ranger Department, the first Ranger School Class was conducted in January–March 1952, with a graduation date of 1 March 1952. Its duration was 59 days.*At the time, Ranger training was voluntary.
In 1966, a panel headed by General*Ralph E. Haines, Jr.*recommended making Ranger training mandatory for all Regular Army officers upon commissioning. "On 16 August 1966, the Chief of Staff of the Army, General Harold K. Johnson, directed it so." This policy was implemented in July 1967. It was rescinded on 21 June 1972 by*General William Westmoreland. Once again, Ranger training was voluntary.*In August 1987, the Ranger Department was split from the Infantry School and the Ranger Training Brigade was established.
The Ranger Companies that made up the Ranger Department became the current training units—the 4th, 5th and 6th Ranger Training Battalions.*These units conduct the United States Army's Ranger School at various locations at*Fort Benning,*Georgia, Camp Frank Merrill, near*Dahlonega, Georgia, and*Camp James Rudder*at*Eglin Air Force Base's*Auxiliary Field No. 6, in Florida.
All Rangers volunteer to become members of the 75th Ranger Regiment and complete the rigorous Ranger Assessment and Selection Program, known as RASP, to join the ranks of this elite U.S. Army Special Operations Command unit.
Lower enlisted Soldiers and Sergeants attend RASP 1, an eight-week course that trains Soldiers in the basic skills and tactics required to operate in the 75th Ranger Regiment. Upon completion of this course, Rangers have the essential skills, training, and confidence to be members of the 75th Ranger Regiment.
Officers, Warrant Officers and senior noncommissioned officers (Staff Sgt. through Command Sgt. Maj.) must attend RASP 2, a three-week course focused on selecting the best leadership from across the Army. All sergeants and above in the 75th Ranger Regiment must be Ranger qualified, meaning that they have successfully completed the U.S. Army Ranger School at Fort Benning, Ga., the Army's premier leadership school. Newly assigned Rangers of the 75th Ranger Regiment typically attend Ranger School after multiple combat deployments and training cycles – before they become Sergeants.
Ranger School is one of the toughest training courses for which a Soldier can volunteer. Army Rangers are experts in leading Soldiers on difficult missions- and to do this they need rigorous training. For over two months, Ranger students train to exhaustion, pushing the limits of their minds and bodies.
The purpose of the U.S. Army's Ranger Course is to prepare these Army volunteers — both officers and enlisted Soldiers — in combat arms related functional skills. The Rangers' primary mission is to engage in close combat and direct-fire battles.
There are three distinct phases of Ranger School that require Soldiers to make quick decisions in adverse situations these phases are called 'crawl,' 'walk' and 'run.'
Schedule of Phases
Crawl Phase
The Crawl Phase lasts 20 days. It's designed to assess and develop the necessary physical and mental skills to complete combat missions and the remainder of Ranger School successfully. If a student is not in top physical condition when he reports to the Ranger School, he will have extreme difficulty keeping up with the fast pace of Ranger training, especially the initial phase.
Walk Phase
The Walk Phase takes place in the mountains and lasts 21 days. During this phase, students receive instruction on military mountaineering tasks as well as techniques for employing squads and platoons for continuous combat patrol operations in a mountainous environment. They further develop their ability to command and control a platoon-sized patrol through planning, preparing and executing a variety of combat patrol missions.
Run Phase
The Run Phase of Ranger School continues to develop the Ranger students' combat arms functional skills. They must be capable of operating effectively under conditions of extreme mental and physical stress. This is accomplished through exercises in extended platoon-level patrol operations in a swamp environment. Run Phase training further develops the students' ability to lead small units on airborne, air assault, small boat, ship-to-shore, and dismounted combat patrol operations in a low intensity combat environment against a well-trained, sophisticated enemy.
Training at this school is not MOS dependent. It is a prerequisite for Soldiers to have completed*Airborne School.
Modern Ranger Regiment
After the*Vietnam War, division and brigade commanders determined that the U.S. Army needed elite, rapidly deployable light infantry, so on January 31, 1974 General*Creighton Abrams constituted the 1st Ranger Battalion; eight months later, October 1, 1974, the 2nd Ranger Battalion was constituted, and in 1984 the 3rd Ranger Battalion and their regimental headquarters were created. In 1986, the 75th Ranger Regiment was formed and their military lineage formally authorized. The 75th Ranger Regiment, comprising three battalions, is the premier light-infantry of the U.S. Army, a combination of special operations and elite airborne light infantry. The Regiment is a flexible, highly trained and rapid light infantry unit specialized to be employed against any special operations targets. All Rangers—whether they are in the 75th Ranger Regiment, or Ranger School, or both—are taught to live by the*Ranger Creed.
The 4th, 5th, and 6th Ranger Battalions were re-activated as the Ranger Training Brigade, the cadre of instructors of the contemporary*Ranger School; moreover, because they are parts of a*TRADOC*school, the 4th, 5th, and 6th battalions are not formally included to the active strength of the 75th Ranger Regiment.
The Rangers have participated in numerous operations throughout modern history.
In 1980, the Rangers were involved with*Operation Eagle Claw, the 1980 rescue attempt of American hostages in Tehran, Iran.*
In 1983, the 1st and 2nd Ranger Battalions conductedOperation Urgent Fury*in Grenada.
All three Ranger battalions, with a headquarters element, participated in the U.S. invasion of Panama (Operation Just Cause) in 1989.
Bravo Company, the first platoon and Anti-Tank section from Alpha Company, 1st Battalion was deployed in the*First Persian Gulf War*(Operations*Desert Storm*and*Desert Shield) in 1991.
Bravo Company, 3rd Ranger Battalion was the base unit of*Task Force Ranger*in*Operation Gothic Serpent, in Somalia in 1993, concurrent with*Operation Restore Hope.
In 1994, soldiers from the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Ranger Battalions deployed to Haiti (before the operation's cancellation. The force was recalled 5 miles from the Haitian coast.).
The term "Ranger"
There is some dispute over the use of the word "Ranger." According to John Lock,
The problems of the Ranger Tab and indeed Ranger history is in large part caused by the lack of a clear-cut definition of who is a Ranger. The Ranger Department, the Infantry School, and Department of the Army have in the past carelessly accepted the definition of a Ranger unit to include the use of terms 'Ranger-type' and 'Units like Rangers,' and 'Special Mission Units.' In his book Raiders or Elite Infantry, David Hogan of the Center for Military History writes that 'By the time of the formation of LRRP units..., Ranger had become a term of legendary connotations but no precise meaning.' For the want of a definition of who and what is a Ranger, integrity was lost. As a result of Grenada, circumstances have changed. Since 1983, men have had the opportunity to earn and wear an authorized Ranger unit scroll or an authorized Ranger Tab or both. But there is a need for a firm definition of who and what constitutes a RANGER. Without that definition, we face the likelihood of future controversy.
Organizations define the term "Ranger" in different ways. For example, the annual*Best Ranger Competition, hosted by the Ranger Training Brigade, can be won by pairs of participants from the 75th Ranger Regiment, or by Ranger qualified entrants from other units in the US military. For an individual to be inducted into the U.S. Army Ranger Association's "Ranger Hall of Fame" he "must have served in a Ranger unit in combat or be a successful graduate of the U.S. Army Ranger School." The Ranger Association further clarifies the type of unit: "A Ranger unit is defined as those Army units recognized in Ranger lineage or history."*Acceptance into the US Army Ranger Association is limited to "Rangers that have earned the U.S. Army Ranger tab, WWII Rangers, Korean War Rangers, Vietnam War Rangers, all Rangers that participated in Operations Urgent Fury, Just Cause, Desert Storm, Restore Hope, Enduring Freedom, and all Rangers who have served honorably for at least one year in a recognized Ranger unit."
1ST RANGER BATTALION
Recognizing the need for a highly trained and mobile reaction force, the chief of staff of the Army, Gen. Creighton Abrams, in the fall of 1973, directed the activation of the first battalion-size ranger qualified personnel since World War II. *Headquarters, Forces Command, issued General Order 127, directing the activation of the 1st Battalion (Ranger), 75th Infantry, with an effective date of Jan. 31, 1974. *Selection for personal ran from March through June 1974, at Fort Benning, Ga. *On July 1, 1974, the battalion parachuted into Fort Stewart, Ga, where the battalion was stationed until moving to Hunter Army Airfield, Ga, in Sept. 1978.
1st Battalion (Ranger), 75th Infantry was first called upon in 1980, as elements of the battalion participated in Operation Eagle Claw, the Iranian hostage rescue attempt. The groundwork for the regiment’s special operations capability of today was laid during training and preparation for this operation. Rangers and other special operations forces from throughout the Department of Defense developed tactics, techniques, and equipment from scratch, as no doctrine existed anywhere in the world at the time. The combat effectiveness of the battalion led to its subsequent deployment to the island of Grenada, Oct. 25, 1983, to rescue United States citizens and restore democracy.
The change of the 75th Infantry to the 75th Ranger Regiment in March of 1986 caused the battalion to be re-designated the 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment. On Dec.20, 1989, the battalion was again committed to combat operations supporting Operation Just Cause. The battalion’s successful combat jump and seizure of Torrijos-Tocumen Airfield and subsequent operations contributed significantly to the United States victory in Panama.
From Feb.12 to April 15 1991, elements of Company B, and 1st Platoon, Company A, 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, deployed to Saudi Arabia in support of Operation Desert Storm. They conducted raids and provided a quick reaction force in cooperation with allied forces against the opposition forces loyal to Saddam Husain.
2ND RANGER BATTALION
Recognizing the need for a highly trained, rapidly deployable, and lethal assault force, the Army Chief of Staff, Gen. Creighton Abrams, directed the activation of two battalion–sized ranger units in the fall of 1973. The 2nd Battalion (Ranger ), 75th Infantry was activated at Fort Lewis, Wa., on Oct. 1 1974.
In Feb. and March of 1975, a group of cadre was trained at Fort Benning, Ga., and formed a solid core of leaders capable of instilling ranger values and doctrine into the first volunteers of the battalion. In April 1975, the battalion conducted its first training event and progressed from individual to team, squad, platoon and company training, and culminated with an externally evaluated battalion exercise in Dec. 1975. At the completion of the event, the chief of staff of the Army declared the 2nd Ranger Battalion “world- wide deployable”. This marked the start of a series of rigorous training events conducted under varied environmental conditions across the world.*
On October 25, 1983, 1st and 2nd Ranger Battalions conducted a low-level parachute assault on Point Salinas Airfield on the Island of Grenada, during Operation Urgent Fury. Their mission was to restore democracy to the island and rescue American citizens at the True Blue Medical Campus. First and 2nd Battalions seized Point Salinas Airfield and later conducted follow on assault operations overcoming remaining pockets of resistance.
On Dec. 20,1989 the entire 75th Ranger Regiment participated in Operation Just Cause. 2nd and 3rd Ranger Battalions conducted a parachuted assault on the airfield at Rio Hato, neutralized the Panama’s *6th and 7th Rifle companies, an seized Gen. Manuel Noriega’s beach house. *Following the successful assaults, the rangers conducted additional follow on special operations in the country supporting Joint Task Force South.
In Sept. 1994, 2nd Battalion deployed to Haiti in support of Operation Uphold Democracy. In Dec. 1996, while training at the Jungle Operations Training Center in Panama, the battalion quelled rioting inside Cuban refugee camps during Operation Safe Haven.
3RD RANGER BATTALION
Following the successful use of ranger battalions in Operation Urgent Fury in Grenada, the Department of the Army ordered the activation of the 3rd Ranger Battalion. In April 1984, a small cadre arrived at Fort Benning, Ga. to begin the selection process. *Rangers from all over the world were interviewed, selected and moved to Fort Benning. On Oct. 3, 1984 at York Field, Fort Benning, Ga., Secretary of the Army, John O. Marsh, presented the colors and activated the 75th Ranger Regimental Headquarters and the 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment. The activation of the Regimental Headquarters and the 3rd Battalion marked the first time since World War II that such a large ranger force had been activated.
On Dec. 20, 1989, 3rd Ranger Battalion was committed to Operation Just Cause, in Panama. The battalion’s successful parachute assault and airfield seizure of the Rio Hato Airfield, its participation with 1st Battalion in capturing Torrijos-Tocumen Airfield, and subsequent combat operations contributed significantly to the success of United States forces in apprehending General Noriega and restoring democracy to Panama.*
In Aug. 1993, elements of Company B, 3rd Ranger Battalion and the Battalion Headquarters deployed to Somalia as part of Task Force Ranger. *On Oct. 3, 1993 exactly nine years from the activation of the unit, rangers performed a courageous daylight assault where the battalion engaged in the most intense ground combat since the Vietnam War. In commemoration of the rangers who fought and died in Somalia, several members of Company B deployed to Morocco in 2001 to appear in the movie “Blackhawk Down”.
75th REGIMENTAL HEADQUARTERS BATTALION
The 75th Regimental Headquarters Battalion was activated on October 3, 1984 as a response to the changing nature of Ranger operations.* The activation of the RHB provides the Ranger Regiment and Special Operations Command with increased operational capabilities to sustained combat operations.* The RHN conducts Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance functions in support of the 75th Ranger Regiment and other Special Operation Task Forces in order to enable the execution of Joint Special Operations anywhere in the world.* Additionally, the RHB provides qualified, trained and ready Rangers in order to sustain the Ranger Force. The Regimental Special Troops Battalion is comprised of four distinct companies.
The Headquarters and Headquarters Company (HHC) includes the Battalion Headquarters and the Staff, Medical, Maintenance, and Rigger Sections for the Battalion.* HHC not only supports the RHB, but also the entire Regiment.*
All medics (68W) attend the Pre-Special Operations Combat Medical Course (PSOCM) provided by the HHC Medical Section.* PSOCM is the preparatory training for all medics before they attend the Special Operations Combat Medic Course.*
PSOCM is the preparatory training for all Medics (68W) in the Special Operations Combat Medic Course.
The Ranger Reconnaissance Company (RRC) provides worldwide reconnaissance and operation preparation of the environment in support of the 75th Ranger Regiment and other special operations units. *
The Ranger Communications Company (RCC) provides the Regiment world class command and control and communications in support of combat operations while meeting the additional communication requirements of other special operations task forces.
The Military Intelligence Company (MICO) provides the 75th Ranger Regiment and the special operations command the ability to conduct HUMINT, SIGINT, IMINT, and all source analysis operations in support of combat operations.
The Ranger Selection & Training Company (RSTC) is the "gateway into the Regiment."* The programs of instructions (POI) within the RSTC include the Ranger Assessment and Selection Program (RASP 1 and 2), and Small Unit Ranger Tactics (SURT).* RASP 1 assesses, trains, and identifies soldiers of the rank of E-5 and below for service in the Regiment.* RASP 2 conducts the assessment and selection for soldiers E-6 and above.* SURT prepares members of the Regiment for successful completion of the United States Army Ranger School.**
Since the beginning of OEF and OIF, the RHB has maintained elements continuously deployed to combat. Both in training and in combat, the RSTB provides continuous support to the three other Ranger Battalions and the Regimental Headquarters.
This article includes both historical background material on the 75th Infantry Regiment (Ranger). Source material includes the Rangers web site, Wikipedia, as well as articles from the Infantry Journal.
The term “Ranger” was first used in 17th Century North America when the first “Ranging” Company was commissioned in King Philip’s War (1676). Ranging companies then served throughout the next four French & Indian Wars. Rangers also fought in the American Revolution, the War of 1812, the American Civil War, World War Two, the Korean Police Action, Vietnam, Grenada and Panama.
The 75th Infantry Regiment (Ranger) trances its linage to the early Ranging companies and its direct linage to the World War Two Ranger Battalions as well as the 5307th Composite Unit (Provisional)---better known as “Merrill’s Marauders”, and then reflagged as the 475th Infantry Regiment and then later as the 75th Infantry Regiment.
The modern Ranger force consists of two elements: the 75th Ranger Regiment, consisting of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Ranger Battalions and the Ranger Special Troops Battalion; and the Ranger Training Brigade, consisting of the 4th, 5th and 6th Ranger Battalions (Training).
Colonial Period
Rangers served in North America in the 17th and 18th Century, French & Indian Wars. British regulars assigned to North America were not accustomed to frontier warfare and the Ranging Companies were formed by the colonial governments with the mission of patrolling in between the frontier fortifications as well as conducting reconnaissance to provide early warning of Indian raids. The Rangers would also serve in the campaigns as scouts and guides, locating Indian villages and other targets for the main body.
The first mention of Ranger operations dates back to 1622 when Captain John Smith reported: "When I had ten men able to go abroad, our common wealth was very strong: with such a number I ranged that unknown country 14 weeks."
Robert Black also stated that,
In 1622, after the*Berkeley Plantation Massacre...grim-faced men went forth to search out the Indian enemy. They were militia—citizen soldiers—but they were learning to blend the methods of Indian and European warfare...As they went in search of the enemy, the words*range, ranging and Ranger*were frequently used...The American Ranger had been born.
The father of the Ranging Companies was Colonel Benjamin Church who was the captain of the first Ranging Company organized in 1676. Captain Church was commission by the Governor of the Plymouth Colony to form this Ranging Company to fight in King Philip’s War. Captain Church would later lead his company during King William’s War and Queen Anne’s War.
Benjamin Church organized his company to copy the Native American patterns of war. Towards this end he would use friendly Indians to train and fight with his “Rangers”. Church organized his unit with white colonists carefully selected for their frontier skills and friendly Indians to attack hostile Indians in the vast wilderness of North America. Later, Colonel Church would write his memoirs in 1716, “Entertaining Passages relating to Philip’s War”, considered by many historians as the first American military manual.
Serving under Colonel Church were two other rangers, John Lovewell, who would lead a Ranging Company in Dummer’s War in three expeditions against the Abenaki Indians. John Gorham would command another Ranging Company in King George’s War. Gorham’s Company would provide outstanding service during the fighting at Acadia and Nova Scotia. Gorham would later be commissioned as a captain in the British Army in recognition of his outstanding service. Gorham would become one of three Ranging Officers who would be so honored---his younger brother Joseph Gorham and Robert Rogers would be the other two.
Roger’s Rangers was established in 1751 by Major Robert Rogers, during the French & Indian War. These nine companies are considered to be the spiritual birthplace of the modern Army Rangers. Major Rogers is credited with, among other things, with drafting the first set of standard orders for rangers. These rules, Robert Roger’s “Rules of Ranging”, are still provided to all new Army Rangers upon graduation from training, and served as one of the first modern manuals for asymmetric warfare.
American Revolution
With the start of the American Revolution, Major Robert Rogers offered his services to General George Washington. Admist fears that Rogers was a spy, his offer was refused. An angry Rogers joined forces with the Loyalists and fought for the crown. While serving with the British, troops under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Rogers were responsible for the capture of the famous spy, Nathan Hale.
Later in the war, General Washington ordered a former Roger’s Ranger, Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Knowlton to select an elite group of men for reconnaissance missions. This unit, known as “Knowlton’s Rangers”, is credited as the first official Ranger unit (by name) for the United States. This unit did not carry out ranging missions, however, carring out intelligence functions that later gave rise to the modern Military Intelligence branch.
War of 1812
During the War of 1812, Congress authorized the rising of six companies of United States Rangers who served as mounted infantry on the Western frontier. By the end of the war, this force had been raised to twelve companies.
Black Hawk War
The United States Mounted Ranger Battalion was reformed during the Black Hawk War of 1832. This force consisted of six companies of frontiersmen who were enlisted for one year and provided their own rifles and horses. After this initial one year enlistment expired, no further Rangers were raised.
American Civil War
The most famous Rangers of the Civil War served with the Confederate States Army. In January 1863, John S. Mosby was given command of the 43rd Partisan Ranger Battalion. Mosby’s rangers would become infamous due to their frequent raids on Union supply trains and couriers. Their reputation was heightened when they preformed a raid deep into Union-controlled territory and captured three high-ranking officers, including Brigadier General Edwin H. Stoughton.
Weeks after the surrender of Robert E. Lee, Mosby would disband his unit rather than formally surrender.
Rangers also served with the Union forces of which, Mean’s Rangers were the most well known due to their capture of General James Longstreet’s ammunition train as well as their operations against Mosby’s force.
World War II
European theater
The 1st Ranger Battalion was organized and began training at Carrickfergus, Northern Ireland on June 19, 1942 by Lieutenant Colonel William O. Darby. Their first combat action was during the invasion of North Africa were the quickly earned a repution for daring. Expanded to the three battalion strong
(1st, 3rd and 4th Rangers), the Ranger Force fought throughout the North Africa campaign as well as the invasion of Sicily and later, Salerno.
Committed to the Anzio invasion, the 1st and 3rd Ranger Battalions were wiped-out at the Battle of Cisterna on January 29,1944. The 4th Ranger Battalion suffered heavy losses in its efforts to breakthrough the German lines and relieve the en-circled 1st and 3rd Battalions. Afterwards, the survivors of the 4th Rangers were absorbed into the Canadian-American First Special Service Force under Brigadier General Robert T. Frederick where they were involved in successful operations to secure the right flank of the beachhead until the breakout of the Allied forces.
The 29th Ranger Battalion was formed from volunteers from the 29th Infantry Division in December 1942. They were dissolved in November 1943.
June 6, 1944 saw the 2nd Ranger Battalion committed to capture and destroy a German coastal defense battery on top of the 100-foot high cliffs of Pointe du Hoc, located a few miles to the west of Omaha Beach. Under constant fire from the German Garrision, the rangers scaled the cliff and destroyed the garrision, only to discover that the 155mm guns had never been installed. Patrols from the 2d Rangers, moving forward to secure the coast road, discovered the guns later on June 6th and destroyed them. The 2nd Rangers then held their tiny beachhead against German attacks before being relived by American troops, two days later.
The 5th Ranger Battalion was committed to the landing on Dog White sector on Omaha Beach. They had the mission of breaking through the German defenses and then drive on the 2nd Rangers position on Pointe du Hoc. It was during the deadly fight to get off the beach that a famous incident occurred. With troops pinned down under heavy fire, then Brigadier General Norman Cota (XO of the 2nd ID) approached a party of Rangers that included Major Max Schneider, CO of the 5th Ranger Battalion, who was asked by General Cota “What outfit is this?”, Schneider answered “5th Rangers, Sir!”. Tho this Cota replied “Well, goddamn it! If you’re Rangers, lead the way!” From this the Ranger motto---”Rangers Lead the Way!”---was born.
Pacific theater
Meanwhile two separate Ranger units fought the war in the Pacific Theater. The*98th Field Artillery Battalion*was formed on 16 December 1940 and activated at*Fort Lewis*in January 1941. On 26 September 1944, they were converted from*field artillery*to light infantry and became*6th Ranger Battalion. 6th Ranger Battalion led the invasion of the*Philippines*and executed the daring*Raid on the Cabanatuan POW camp. They continued fighting in the Philippines until they were deactivated on 30 December 1945, in Japan.
After the*first Quebec Conference, the 5307th Composite Unit (provisional) was formed with Frank Merrill*as the commander, leading them to be nicknamed*Merrill's Marauders. They began training in*India*on 31 October 1943. Composed of the famous six color-coded combat teams that would become part of modern Ranger heraldry, they fought against the Japanese during the*Burma Campaign. In February 1944, the Marauders began a 1,000-mile (1,600*km) march over the*Himalayan mountain range*and through the*Burmese*jungle*to strike behind the Japanese lines. By March, they had managed to cut off Japanese forces in*Maingkwan and cut their supply lines in the*Hukawng Valley. On 17 May, the Marauders and Chinese forces captured the*Myitkyina*airfield, the only all-weather airfield in Burma. The Marauders proved themselves a truly exceptional unit and have the very rare distinction of having every member of the unit receive the*Bronze Star.
Korean War
At the outbreak of the*Korean War, a unique Ranger unit was formed. Lead by*Second Lieutenant*Ralph Puckett, the*Eighth Army Ranger Company*was created in August 1950. It would serve as the role model for the rest of the soon to be formed Ranger units. Instead of being organized into self-contained battalions, the Ranger units of the Korean and Vietnam eras would be organized into companies and then attached to larger units, to serve as organic special operations units.
In total, sixteen additional Ranger companies were formed in the next seven months: Eighth Army Raider Company and*First*through Fifteenth Ranger Companies. The Army Chief of Staff assigned the Ranger training program at*Fort Benning*to Colonel John Gibson Van Houten. The program would eventually be split to include a training program located in Korea.*3rd Ranger Company*and the 7th Ranger Company were tasked to train new Rangers.
28 October 1950 would see the next four Ranger companies formed. Soldiers from the 505th Airborne Regiment and the*82nd Airborne's 80th Anti-aircraft Artillery Battalion volunteered and, after initially being designated the 4th Ranger Company, became the2nd Ranger Company—the only all-black Ranger unit in United States history. After the four companies had begun their training, they were joined by the 5th–8th Ranger companies on 20 November 1950.
During the course of the war, the Rangers patrolled and probed, scouted and destroyed, attacked and ambushed the Communist Chinese and North Korean enemy. The 1st Rangers destroyed the*12th North Korean Division*headquarters in a daring night raid. The 2nd and 4th Rangers made a combat airborne assault near*Munsan*where Life Magazine reported that Allied troops were now patrolling north of the 38th Parallel. Crucially, the 2nd Rangers plugged the gap made by the retreating Allied forces, while the 5th Ranger Company helped stop the Chinese 5th Phase Offensive. As in World War II, after the Korean War, the Rangers were disbanded.
Vietnam War
Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol*(LRRP) and Long Range Patrol companies (commonly known as*Lurps) were formed by the U.S. Army in the early 1960s in West Germany to provide small, heavily armed*reconnaissance*teams to patrol deep in enemy-held territory in case of war with the*Soviet Union*and its*Warsaw Pact*allies.
In Vietnam LRRP platoons and companies were attached to every brigade and division where they perfected the art of long-range patrolling.*Since satellite communications were a thing of the future, one of the most daring*long-range penetration*operations of theVietnam War*was launched on April 19, 1968, by members of the*1st Air Cavalry Division's,*Company E, 52nd Infantry (LRP), (redesignated Co. H, Ranger), against the*North Vietnamese Army*when they seized*"Signal Hill"*the name attributed to the peak of Dong Re Lao Mountain, a densely forested 4,879-foot mountain, midway in the*A Shau Valley, so the 1st and 3rd Brigades, slugging it out hidden deep behind the towering wall of mountains, could communicate with Camp Evans near the coast or with approaching aircraft.
On 1 January 1969, under the new U.S. Army Combat Arms Regimental System (CARS), these units were redesignated "Ranger" in South Vietnam within the 75th Infantry Regiment (Ranger).*Fifteen companies of Rangers were raised from "Lurp" units—which had been performing missions in Europe since the early 1960s and in Vietnam since 1966. The genealogy of this new Regiment was linked to*Merrill's Marauders.*The Rangers were organized as independent companies: C, D, E, F, G, H, I, K, L, M, N, O and P, with one notable exception, since 1816, U.S. Army units have not included a Juliet or "J" company
In addition to scouting and reconnoitering roles for their parent formations, Ranger units provided terrain-assessment and tactical or special security missions; undertook recovery operations to locate and retrieve*prisoners of war; captured enemy soldiers for interrogation and intelligence-gathering purposes; tapped*North Vietnam Army*and*Vietcong*wire communications lines in their established base areas along the*Ho Chi Minh trail; and mined enemy trails as well as motor-vehicle transport routes.
Ranger School
Ranger Training began in September 1950 at Fort Benning Georgia "with the formation and training of 17 Airborne Companies by the Ranger Training Command".*The first class graduated from Ranger training in November 1950."*The United States Army's Infantry School officially established the Ranger Department in December 1951. Under the Ranger Department, the first Ranger School Class was conducted in January–March 1952, with a graduation date of 1 March 1952. Its duration was 59 days.*At the time, Ranger training was voluntary.
In 1966, a panel headed by General*Ralph E. Haines, Jr.*recommended making Ranger training mandatory for all Regular Army officers upon commissioning. "On 16 August 1966, the Chief of Staff of the Army, General Harold K. Johnson, directed it so." This policy was implemented in July 1967. It was rescinded on 21 June 1972 by*General William Westmoreland. Once again, Ranger training was voluntary.*In August 1987, the Ranger Department was split from the Infantry School and the Ranger Training Brigade was established.
The Ranger Companies that made up the Ranger Department became the current training units—the 4th, 5th and 6th Ranger Training Battalions.*These units conduct the United States Army's Ranger School at various locations at*Fort Benning,*Georgia, Camp Frank Merrill, near*Dahlonega, Georgia, and*Camp James Rudder*at*Eglin Air Force Base's*Auxiliary Field No. 6, in Florida.
All Rangers volunteer to become members of the 75th Ranger Regiment and complete the rigorous Ranger Assessment and Selection Program, known as RASP, to join the ranks of this elite U.S. Army Special Operations Command unit.
Lower enlisted Soldiers and Sergeants attend RASP 1, an eight-week course that trains Soldiers in the basic skills and tactics required to operate in the 75th Ranger Regiment. Upon completion of this course, Rangers have the essential skills, training, and confidence to be members of the 75th Ranger Regiment.
Officers, Warrant Officers and senior noncommissioned officers (Staff Sgt. through Command Sgt. Maj.) must attend RASP 2, a three-week course focused on selecting the best leadership from across the Army. All sergeants and above in the 75th Ranger Regiment must be Ranger qualified, meaning that they have successfully completed the U.S. Army Ranger School at Fort Benning, Ga., the Army's premier leadership school. Newly assigned Rangers of the 75th Ranger Regiment typically attend Ranger School after multiple combat deployments and training cycles – before they become Sergeants.
Ranger School is one of the toughest training courses for which a Soldier can volunteer. Army Rangers are experts in leading Soldiers on difficult missions- and to do this they need rigorous training. For over two months, Ranger students train to exhaustion, pushing the limits of their minds and bodies.
The purpose of the U.S. Army's Ranger Course is to prepare these Army volunteers — both officers and enlisted Soldiers — in combat arms related functional skills. The Rangers' primary mission is to engage in close combat and direct-fire battles.
There are three distinct phases of Ranger School that require Soldiers to make quick decisions in adverse situations these phases are called 'crawl,' 'walk' and 'run.'
Schedule of Phases
Crawl Phase
The Crawl Phase lasts 20 days. It's designed to assess and develop the necessary physical and mental skills to complete combat missions and the remainder of Ranger School successfully. If a student is not in top physical condition when he reports to the Ranger School, he will have extreme difficulty keeping up with the fast pace of Ranger training, especially the initial phase.
Walk Phase
The Walk Phase takes place in the mountains and lasts 21 days. During this phase, students receive instruction on military mountaineering tasks as well as techniques for employing squads and platoons for continuous combat patrol operations in a mountainous environment. They further develop their ability to command and control a platoon-sized patrol through planning, preparing and executing a variety of combat patrol missions.
Run Phase
The Run Phase of Ranger School continues to develop the Ranger students' combat arms functional skills. They must be capable of operating effectively under conditions of extreme mental and physical stress. This is accomplished through exercises in extended platoon-level patrol operations in a swamp environment. Run Phase training further develops the students' ability to lead small units on airborne, air assault, small boat, ship-to-shore, and dismounted combat patrol operations in a low intensity combat environment against a well-trained, sophisticated enemy.
Training at this school is not MOS dependent. It is a prerequisite for Soldiers to have completed*Airborne School.
Modern Ranger Regiment
After the*Vietnam War, division and brigade commanders determined that the U.S. Army needed elite, rapidly deployable light infantry, so on January 31, 1974 General*Creighton Abrams constituted the 1st Ranger Battalion; eight months later, October 1, 1974, the 2nd Ranger Battalion was constituted, and in 1984 the 3rd Ranger Battalion and their regimental headquarters were created. In 1986, the 75th Ranger Regiment was formed and their military lineage formally authorized. The 75th Ranger Regiment, comprising three battalions, is the premier light-infantry of the U.S. Army, a combination of special operations and elite airborne light infantry. The Regiment is a flexible, highly trained and rapid light infantry unit specialized to be employed against any special operations targets. All Rangers—whether they are in the 75th Ranger Regiment, or Ranger School, or both—are taught to live by the*Ranger Creed.
The 4th, 5th, and 6th Ranger Battalions were re-activated as the Ranger Training Brigade, the cadre of instructors of the contemporary*Ranger School; moreover, because they are parts of a*TRADOC*school, the 4th, 5th, and 6th battalions are not formally included to the active strength of the 75th Ranger Regiment.
The Rangers have participated in numerous operations throughout modern history.
In 1980, the Rangers were involved with*Operation Eagle Claw, the 1980 rescue attempt of American hostages in Tehran, Iran.*
In 1983, the 1st and 2nd Ranger Battalions conductedOperation Urgent Fury*in Grenada.
All three Ranger battalions, with a headquarters element, participated in the U.S. invasion of Panama (Operation Just Cause) in 1989.
Bravo Company, the first platoon and Anti-Tank section from Alpha Company, 1st Battalion was deployed in the*First Persian Gulf War*(Operations*Desert Storm*and*Desert Shield) in 1991.
Bravo Company, 3rd Ranger Battalion was the base unit of*Task Force Ranger*in*Operation Gothic Serpent, in Somalia in 1993, concurrent with*Operation Restore Hope.
In 1994, soldiers from the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Ranger Battalions deployed to Haiti (before the operation's cancellation. The force was recalled 5 miles from the Haitian coast.).
The term "Ranger"
There is some dispute over the use of the word "Ranger." According to John Lock,
The problems of the Ranger Tab and indeed Ranger history is in large part caused by the lack of a clear-cut definition of who is a Ranger. The Ranger Department, the Infantry School, and Department of the Army have in the past carelessly accepted the definition of a Ranger unit to include the use of terms 'Ranger-type' and 'Units like Rangers,' and 'Special Mission Units.' In his book Raiders or Elite Infantry, David Hogan of the Center for Military History writes that 'By the time of the formation of LRRP units..., Ranger had become a term of legendary connotations but no precise meaning.' For the want of a definition of who and what is a Ranger, integrity was lost. As a result of Grenada, circumstances have changed. Since 1983, men have had the opportunity to earn and wear an authorized Ranger unit scroll or an authorized Ranger Tab or both. But there is a need for a firm definition of who and what constitutes a RANGER. Without that definition, we face the likelihood of future controversy.
Organizations define the term "Ranger" in different ways. For example, the annual*Best Ranger Competition, hosted by the Ranger Training Brigade, can be won by pairs of participants from the 75th Ranger Regiment, or by Ranger qualified entrants from other units in the US military. For an individual to be inducted into the U.S. Army Ranger Association's "Ranger Hall of Fame" he "must have served in a Ranger unit in combat or be a successful graduate of the U.S. Army Ranger School." The Ranger Association further clarifies the type of unit: "A Ranger unit is defined as those Army units recognized in Ranger lineage or history."*Acceptance into the US Army Ranger Association is limited to "Rangers that have earned the U.S. Army Ranger tab, WWII Rangers, Korean War Rangers, Vietnam War Rangers, all Rangers that participated in Operations Urgent Fury, Just Cause, Desert Storm, Restore Hope, Enduring Freedom, and all Rangers who have served honorably for at least one year in a recognized Ranger unit."
1ST RANGER BATTALION
Recognizing the need for a highly trained and mobile reaction force, the chief of staff of the Army, Gen. Creighton Abrams, in the fall of 1973, directed the activation of the first battalion-size ranger qualified personnel since World War II. *Headquarters, Forces Command, issued General Order 127, directing the activation of the 1st Battalion (Ranger), 75th Infantry, with an effective date of Jan. 31, 1974. *Selection for personal ran from March through June 1974, at Fort Benning, Ga. *On July 1, 1974, the battalion parachuted into Fort Stewart, Ga, where the battalion was stationed until moving to Hunter Army Airfield, Ga, in Sept. 1978.
1st Battalion (Ranger), 75th Infantry was first called upon in 1980, as elements of the battalion participated in Operation Eagle Claw, the Iranian hostage rescue attempt. The groundwork for the regiment’s special operations capability of today was laid during training and preparation for this operation. Rangers and other special operations forces from throughout the Department of Defense developed tactics, techniques, and equipment from scratch, as no doctrine existed anywhere in the world at the time. The combat effectiveness of the battalion led to its subsequent deployment to the island of Grenada, Oct. 25, 1983, to rescue United States citizens and restore democracy.
The change of the 75th Infantry to the 75th Ranger Regiment in March of 1986 caused the battalion to be re-designated the 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment. On Dec.20, 1989, the battalion was again committed to combat operations supporting Operation Just Cause. The battalion’s successful combat jump and seizure of Torrijos-Tocumen Airfield and subsequent operations contributed significantly to the United States victory in Panama.
From Feb.12 to April 15 1991, elements of Company B, and 1st Platoon, Company A, 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, deployed to Saudi Arabia in support of Operation Desert Storm. They conducted raids and provided a quick reaction force in cooperation with allied forces against the opposition forces loyal to Saddam Husain.
2ND RANGER BATTALION
Recognizing the need for a highly trained, rapidly deployable, and lethal assault force, the Army Chief of Staff, Gen. Creighton Abrams, directed the activation of two battalion–sized ranger units in the fall of 1973. The 2nd Battalion (Ranger ), 75th Infantry was activated at Fort Lewis, Wa., on Oct. 1 1974.
In Feb. and March of 1975, a group of cadre was trained at Fort Benning, Ga., and formed a solid core of leaders capable of instilling ranger values and doctrine into the first volunteers of the battalion. In April 1975, the battalion conducted its first training event and progressed from individual to team, squad, platoon and company training, and culminated with an externally evaluated battalion exercise in Dec. 1975. At the completion of the event, the chief of staff of the Army declared the 2nd Ranger Battalion “world- wide deployable”. This marked the start of a series of rigorous training events conducted under varied environmental conditions across the world.*
On October 25, 1983, 1st and 2nd Ranger Battalions conducted a low-level parachute assault on Point Salinas Airfield on the Island of Grenada, during Operation Urgent Fury. Their mission was to restore democracy to the island and rescue American citizens at the True Blue Medical Campus. First and 2nd Battalions seized Point Salinas Airfield and later conducted follow on assault operations overcoming remaining pockets of resistance.
On Dec. 20,1989 the entire 75th Ranger Regiment participated in Operation Just Cause. 2nd and 3rd Ranger Battalions conducted a parachuted assault on the airfield at Rio Hato, neutralized the Panama’s *6th and 7th Rifle companies, an seized Gen. Manuel Noriega’s beach house. *Following the successful assaults, the rangers conducted additional follow on special operations in the country supporting Joint Task Force South.
In Sept. 1994, 2nd Battalion deployed to Haiti in support of Operation Uphold Democracy. In Dec. 1996, while training at the Jungle Operations Training Center in Panama, the battalion quelled rioting inside Cuban refugee camps during Operation Safe Haven.
3RD RANGER BATTALION
Following the successful use of ranger battalions in Operation Urgent Fury in Grenada, the Department of the Army ordered the activation of the 3rd Ranger Battalion. In April 1984, a small cadre arrived at Fort Benning, Ga. to begin the selection process. *Rangers from all over the world were interviewed, selected and moved to Fort Benning. On Oct. 3, 1984 at York Field, Fort Benning, Ga., Secretary of the Army, John O. Marsh, presented the colors and activated the 75th Ranger Regimental Headquarters and the 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment. The activation of the Regimental Headquarters and the 3rd Battalion marked the first time since World War II that such a large ranger force had been activated.
On Dec. 20, 1989, 3rd Ranger Battalion was committed to Operation Just Cause, in Panama. The battalion’s successful parachute assault and airfield seizure of the Rio Hato Airfield, its participation with 1st Battalion in capturing Torrijos-Tocumen Airfield, and subsequent combat operations contributed significantly to the success of United States forces in apprehending General Noriega and restoring democracy to Panama.*
In Aug. 1993, elements of Company B, 3rd Ranger Battalion and the Battalion Headquarters deployed to Somalia as part of Task Force Ranger. *On Oct. 3, 1993 exactly nine years from the activation of the unit, rangers performed a courageous daylight assault where the battalion engaged in the most intense ground combat since the Vietnam War. In commemoration of the rangers who fought and died in Somalia, several members of Company B deployed to Morocco in 2001 to appear in the movie “Blackhawk Down”.
75th REGIMENTAL HEADQUARTERS BATTALION
The 75th Regimental Headquarters Battalion was activated on October 3, 1984 as a response to the changing nature of Ranger operations.* The activation of the RHB provides the Ranger Regiment and Special Operations Command with increased operational capabilities to sustained combat operations.* The RHN conducts Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance functions in support of the 75th Ranger Regiment and other Special Operation Task Forces in order to enable the execution of Joint Special Operations anywhere in the world.* Additionally, the RHB provides qualified, trained and ready Rangers in order to sustain the Ranger Force. The Regimental Special Troops Battalion is comprised of four distinct companies.
The Headquarters and Headquarters Company (HHC) includes the Battalion Headquarters and the Staff, Medical, Maintenance, and Rigger Sections for the Battalion.* HHC not only supports the RHB, but also the entire Regiment.*
All medics (68W) attend the Pre-Special Operations Combat Medical Course (PSOCM) provided by the HHC Medical Section.* PSOCM is the preparatory training for all medics before they attend the Special Operations Combat Medic Course.*
PSOCM is the preparatory training for all Medics (68W) in the Special Operations Combat Medic Course.
The Ranger Reconnaissance Company (RRC) provides worldwide reconnaissance and operation preparation of the environment in support of the 75th Ranger Regiment and other special operations units. *
The Ranger Communications Company (RCC) provides the Regiment world class command and control and communications in support of combat operations while meeting the additional communication requirements of other special operations task forces.
The Military Intelligence Company (MICO) provides the 75th Ranger Regiment and the special operations command the ability to conduct HUMINT, SIGINT, IMINT, and all source analysis operations in support of combat operations.
The Ranger Selection & Training Company (RSTC) is the "gateway into the Regiment."* The programs of instructions (POI) within the RSTC include the Ranger Assessment and Selection Program (RASP 1 and 2), and Small Unit Ranger Tactics (SURT).* RASP 1 assesses, trains, and identifies soldiers of the rank of E-5 and below for service in the Regiment.* RASP 2 conducts the assessment and selection for soldiers E-6 and above.* SURT prepares members of the Regiment for successful completion of the United States Army Ranger School.**
Since the beginning of OEF and OIF, the RHB has maintained elements continuously deployed to combat. Both in training and in combat, the RSTB provides continuous support to the three other Ranger Battalions and the Regimental Headquarters.