US Marauder Companies

[James Langham]

Another short essay, feel free to comment.

US Army Marauder Companies

In early 1997 SACEUR authorised the creation of divisional level long range reconnaissance and raiding companies. Initially intended to be called LRRRCs the name was changed in mid training as a deception plan.

Strength was authorised as 5 officers and 114 men broken down into three platoons of 1 officer plus 36 men. This further broke down into 3 sections of 8 plus three mg teams of 3 plus an NCO forming a weapons section. Few units however reached this level of personnel, most being at perhaps half strength.. All support matters other than medics were provided from divisional staff.

Training was conducted at Bad Tolz by members of the 10th Special Forces Group with the first course starting in May 1997. Training lasted ten weeks and covered physical fitness, weapon handling of foreign and support weapons, land navigation, forward observation, vehicle handling and vehicle maintenance. In July the course was reduced to four weeks with the personnel being assigned a speciality instead of covering the broad spectrum.

It was proposed to equip the Marauders with HMMWVs but there were never enough to go round (although many units “liberated” them) and M151s were often issued. Also seen were FAVs. Very occasionally light armour could be encountered The best known example was is the 8th Division's Marauder company with two Wiesels that were traded from the German Army. These were both lost in action during the 8th's drive through Poland in the summer of 2000.

Most divisions in Europe used Marauder Companies. The name however led to problems as the term marauder had by now become synonymous with bandits (it has been suggested that this is due to the first bandits being mistaken for Marauder Companies). From 1st January 2000 they returned to the name LRRRCs.

The idea has also been adopted in the US after Operation Omega under the name (Rapid Deployment Groups – MILGOV and Mobile Strike Companies - CIVGOV) .

CENTCOM has generally not used the concept as the higher proportion of light units have meant that they are not needed to the same level.