United States Army Rangers

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75th Ranger Regiment
75th Ranger Regiment Coat of Arms
Active	June 19, 1942 -
Country	United States
Branch	United States Army
Type	Special Operations Light Infantry
Size	Three battalions
Part of	U.S. Army Special Operations Command
Garrison/HQ	Fort Benning, GA
Nickname	Airborne Rangers Army Rangers
Motto	Sua Sponte (Of Their Own Accord)
Battles/wars	Battle of Normandy Battle of the Bulge Raid at Cabanatuan Korean War Vietnam War Operation Eagle Claw Operation Urgent Fury Operation Just Cause Operation Desert Shield Operation Desert Storm Operation Restore Hope Battle of Mogadishu Operation Enduring Freedom Operation Iraqi Freedom
Insignia
Shoulder Patch

The 75th Ranger Regiment —also known as the United States Army Rangers— is a light infantry special operations force of the United States Army Special Operations Command (USASOC); with headquarters in Fort Benning, Georgia. The Regiment is a flexible, highly-trained and rapidly deployable light infantry force with specialized skills that enable them to be employed against a variety of conventional and special operations targets.

The force specializes in airborne, air assault, light infantry and direct action operations, raids, infiltration and exfiltration by air, land or sea, airfield seizure, recovery of personnel and special equipment, and support of general purpose forces (GPF), among other uses. Each Ranger battalion can deploy anywhere in the world within 18 hours' notice.

Contents 1 History 1.1 Rangers in Colonial and Revolutionary times 2 World War II 2.1 European theater 2.2 Pacific theater 2.3 Korean War 2.4 Vietnam War 2.5 Modern Rangers 3 Honors 4 Mottos 4.1 Ranger motto: Rangers Lead the Way! 4.2 Regimental motto: Sua Sponte 5 Becoming a Ranger 6 Ranger life 7 Ranger Creed 8 Famous Rangers 9 See also 10 Further reading listed alphabetically by author 11 External links 11.1 Official sites 11.2 Former Rangers websites 12 References

[edit] History

Main article History of the United States Army Rangers

[edit] Rangers in Colonial and Revolutionary times

The term ‘Ranger’ first appeared in 13th century England. The origin of the Ranger tradition in North America lies in the seventeenth century wars between colonists and Native American Indian tribes. In the original concept, Rangers were full-time soldiers employed by colonial governments to "range" among fixed frontier fortifications in reconnaissance providing early warning of raids. In offensive operations they were scouts and guides, locating targets (such as villages) for task forces drawn from the militia or other colonial troops. Later, Captain Benjamin Church furthered the idea, creating a unique unit composed of both white frontiersman and friendly natives. Church's unit was so successful that his memoirs (published in 1716 by one of his sons) became the first American military manual.

During the French and Indian Wars, Robert Rogers organized a corps of New England woodsmen as full-time Provincials directly under British military auspices, and paid with British funds. The Ranger companies, known as Rogers' Rangers, supported British operations against French Canada on the New York and St. Lawrence River fronts. They occasionally operated with friendly Indians, but, more commonly, served with the British as traditional allies. Very knowledgeable in wilderness warfare, Roger's Rangers were regularly sought out for information to improve other units. Part of this knowledge was codified into Rogers' Rangers Standing Orders, a version of which is still taught today to modern Rangers.

Veterans of this corps had a major role in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War, including Major General Israel Putnam and Brigadier Generals John Stark and Moses Hazen. Despite their success in the French and Indian Wars, ranger units were few during the war; General George Washington considered frontier security a local responsibility, limiting their involvement in favor of more traditional military units. While several units during the Revolutionary War used the term "Ranger" as part of their name or were called Rangers, only two of these units actually fulfilled the unconventional warfare nature of Rangers: Knowlton's Rangers and Whitcomb's Rangers.

While not specifically called Rangers, Elisha Sheldon's 2nd Legionary Corps was known for exploiting the possibilities of Ranger-type units within the combined arms structure. The two dismounted troops, armed and equipped as light infantry, provided camp defense from enemy surprise attack, and also provided a base of fire around which the mounted elements could maneuver. They also became adept at employing mounted troops in a raids meant to provoke British pursuit, which they would end with a classic, "L-shaped" ambush.

The 1st Partisan Corps under the Frenchman "Colonel Armand" (marquis de la Rouerie), and the 2nd under Lee both were assigned to Major General Nathanael Greene's Southern Department. In formal battles, they provided unblemished flank security, but were better employed in rear battle, by effecting deep raids against British logistical bases. Lee, in particular, shined when his regulars stiffened the irregular local forces of leaders such as Francis Marion ("The Swamp Fox").

Source: US Army Center of Military History.

[edit] World War II

[edit] European theater

In May 1942, during World War II, the 1st Ranger Battalion was sanctioned, recruited, and began training in Scotland under the British Commandos; 80 percent of the original rangers came from the 34th Infantry Division. Together with the ensuing 3rd, and 4th Ranger Battalions they fought in North Africa and Italy commanded by William O. Darby until the Battle of Cisterna (January 29, 1944) when most of the rangers of the 1st and 3rd battalions were captured.

Before the 5th Ranger Battalion landing on Dog White Sector, Omaha Beach, in World War II, the 2nd Ranger Battalion scaled the 150-foot cliffs of Pointe du Hoc, a few miles to the west, to destroy a five-gun battery of 155mm artillery guns. Under constant fire during the climb, they encountered only a small company of Germans on the cliffs and the artillery withdrawn some 500 meters. The guns were later found and destroyed, and the Rangers cut and held the main road for two days before being relieved.^[1]

[edit] 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 on 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 performed the daring Raid at Cabanatuan. They played an important role 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 October 31, 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 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 supplies lines in the Hukawng Valley. On May 17, the Marauders and Chinese forces captured the Myitkina 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 Medal.

[edit] Korean War

At the outbreak of war in Korea, the Rangers were reactivated and formed into Ranger Companies. The Chief of Staff assigned the Ranger Training Program to Colonel John Gibson Van Houten.

Soldiers from the 505th Airborne Regiment and the 80th AA Battalion reported, together they became the 2nd Ranger Company — the only all-black soldier Ranger unit to fight in Korea. During the course of the war the Rangers patrolled and probed, scouted and destroyed, attacked and ambushed the Communist Chinese and Korean enemy. The 1st Rangers destroyed the 12th North Korean Division in a daring night raid. The 2nd and 4th Rangers made a combat airborne assault near Munsan-ni 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, the 5th Rangers helped stop the Chinese 5th Phase Offensive. Again, after the Korean War the Rangers were disbanded.

[edit] Vietnam War

Mid-way through the Vietnam War the need for Rangers was seen again. In February of 1969, under a new Combat Arms Reorganization System, U.S. Army Rangers were re-formed in Vietnam, as the 75th Ranger Infantry Regiment (Airborne). Thirteen companies of Rangers were raised from units that had been performing long range missions in Vietnam since 1966 as LRRP (Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol) and LRP (Long Range Patrol) companies. One of these was a training unit, based in America and the other twelve were combat units based in Vietnam. These new Rangers were given a unit genealogy curiously traced to Merrill's Marauders.

In Vietnam, the Rangers were organized as independent companies (C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, and P); each company was attached to a major US Army combat unit. Rangers in Vietnam conducted long range, covert reconnaissance, search and destroy missions outside the confines of South Vietnam along with POW snatches into denied areas. They collected intelligence, planned and directed air strikes, acted as force-multipliers in conventional operations, assessed bombing damage in enemy-controlled areas, executed hunter-killer missions at night and in daylight, by set ambush and by hasty ambush and surprise, and specially-trained and specially-equipped Ranger snipers killed individual enemy soldiers and officers.

Additionally, Rangers attempted recovering friendly PoWs, captured enemy soldiers for search-and-interrogation, tapped NVA and Viet Cong wire communications lines in their established base areas in the Ho Chi Minh Trail, and mined enemy trails and motor vehicle transport routes.

[edit] Modern Rangers

At end of the Vietnam War, division and brigade commanders saw that the U.S. Army needed an élite, light infantry capable of rapid deployment, so, in 1974, General Creighton Abrams created the 1st Ranger Battalion; eight months later, the 2nd Ranger Battalion was created; and, in 1984, the 3rd Ranger Battalion and the regimental headquarters was created. In 1986, the 75th Ranger Regiment was formed and their lineage formally authorized.

The 4th, 5th, and 6th Ranger Battalions were re-activated, becoming the Ranger Training Brigade, the instructors of the modern day Ranger School. As parts of a TRADOC school, the 4th, 5th and 6th Ranger Battalions are no longer included in the 75th Ranger Regiment.

Rangers participated in several operations, including the failed 1980 attempt to rescue the American hostages held in Teheran, Iran in (Operation Eagle Claw); Operation Urgent Fury on Grenada in 1983; the Operation Just Cause in 1989; Operations Desert Storm and Desert Shield in 1991; Somalia in 1993; The 1st and 2nd Ranger Battalions and a Company of the 3rd Ranger Battalion were deployed to Haiti in 1994, The operation was canceled within 5 minutes of its execution when President Jimmy Carter was able to have a resolution. Elements of the 2nd Ranger Battalion operated in-country while order was being restored. This is also the first operation where the U.S. Army was the primary operating force on a US Aircraft Carrier, the USS America. The Ship had Special operations Forces from USSOCOM comprised of Rangers, Special Forces, and other Special warfare groups. The 75th Ranger Regiment also spearheaded the assaults against Afghanistan during Operation Anaconda in 2001 and the Iraq War in 2003.

[edit] Honors

Main article: History of the United States Army Rangers#Honors

The 75th Ranger Regiment has been credited with numerous campaigns from World War II onwards. In World War II, they participated in 16 major campaigns, spearheading the campaigns in Morocco, Sicily, Naples-Foggia, Anzio and Leyte. During the Vietnam War, they received campaign participation streamers for every campaign in the war.

In modern times, the regiment received streamers with arrowheads (denoting conflicts they spearheaded) for Grenada, Panama, Afghanistan and Iraq.

To date, the Rangers have earned six Presidential Unit Citations, nine Valorous Unit Awards, and four Meritorious Unit Commendation, the most recent of which were earned in Vietnam, Haditha, Iraq, and Vietnam, respectively.

[edit] Mottos

[edit] Ranger motto: Rangers Lead the Way!

On June 6, 1944, during the assault landing on Dog White sector of Omaha Beach as part of the invasion of Normandy, General Norman Cota (assistant CO of the 29th ID) calmly walked towards Maj. Max Schneider (CO of the 5th Ranger Battalion) while under heavy machine gun fire and asked “What outfit is this?” Someone yelled "5th Rangers!". To this, Cota replied “Well, Goddamn it then, Rangers, lead the way!”. From this, the Ranger motto ("Rangers lead the way!") was born.

[edit] Regimental motto: Sua Sponte

Sua Sponte, Latin for "Of their own accord" is the 75th Ranger Regiment's regimental motto. Modern Rangers are three-time volunteers: for the U.S. Army, Airborne School, and service in the 75th Ranger Regiment (although it was previously stated that Rangers are four-time volunteers, Ranger School is not an immediate requirement of service in the 75th Ranger Regiment for lower enlisted men.)

[edit] Becoming a Ranger

To become a member of the 75th Ranger Regiment, prospective Rangers must begin with the nine weeks of Basic Combat Training (BCT). Training at this school is not MOS dependent. Next, the soldier must complete the United States Army Airborne School. Upon graduation of Airborne School, the soldier will be sent to the Ranger Indoctrination Program (RIP), for grades E-4 and below, and the Ranger Orientation Program (ROP), for grades E-5 and above. Upon graduation of RIP/ROP, the new Rangers will be assigned to either one of the three Ranger Battalions or the 75th Regimental Headquarters, where they are now authorized to wear the Ranger tan beret [1] and the Ranger Scroll.

Final career development requires that all members of the 75th Ranger Regiment attend and pass Ranger School and earn their Ranger Tab. A Ranger cannot become a leader within the 75th Ranger Regiment if he hasn't successfully completed and graduated from Ranger School.

The unofficial motto of Ranger students from the Regiment is "With a tab, or on a slab" — that they will return to the regiment either with their Ranger Tab or dead. This may be a variation of the Spartan mothers' directive to their soldier sons, to return "With your shield, or upon it."

Throughout their time in a Ranger unit, Rangers may attend many types of special schools and training. Some of these schools include: military free-fall; combat diver qualification course; survival, evasion, resistance & escape (SERE); jumpmaster; pathfinder; air assault; ranger first responder/combat lifesaver; language training; and many types of shooting, driving, and assault procedures training.

Rangers with specialized jobs may also attend various special schools and training related to their job scope. MOS 13F forward observers may attend naval gunfire training and close air support courses; medics will attend the special operations combat medic course; communications specialists attend joint communications courses.

[edit] Ranger life

After the formation of the Ranger School the term "Army Ranger" became a point of no small confusion. While those that served within Ranger units tend to reserve the term exclusively for their peers, many outside of the Ranger units use "Army Ranger" to denote graduates of Ranger School, as well.

Rangers assigned to the 75th Ranger Regiment wear the tan beret; soldiers who are Special Forces qualified and assigned to Special Forces manning positions within the U.S. Special Operations Command wear the Green Beret. Paratroopers, soldiers who are both Airborne qualified and assigned to an active parachutist position, wear the Airborne Maroon Beret. The Rangers adopted the tan beret when the decision was made by former Army Chief of Staff General Shinseki to issue black berets to regular soldiers in June 2001, in order to make them appear elite. This created a lot of discontent within the 75th Ranger Regiment and even led to ex-Rangers going on nationwide roadmarches to Washington, D.C. to protest against the decision. Because there wasn't a Presidential authorization to the Regiment for exclusive wear of the black beret, they switched to wearing a tan beret to preserve a unique appearance, tan being reflective of the buckskin worn by the men of Robert Rogers Rangers.

[edit] Ranger Creed

Main article: Ranger Creed

Recognizing that I volunteered as a Ranger, fully knowing the hazards of my chosen profession, I will always endeavor to uphold the prestige, honor, and high esprit de corps of my Ranger Regiment.

Acknowledging the fact that a Ranger is a more elite soldier who arrives at the cutting edge of battle by land, sea, or air, I accept the fact that as a Ranger my country expects me to move farther, faster and fight harder than any other soldier.

Never shall I fail my comrades. I will always keep myself mentally alert, physically strong and morally straight and I will shoulder more than my share of the task whatever it may be. One-hundred-percent and then some.

Gallantly will I show the world that I am a specially selected and well-trained soldier. My courtesy to superior officers, neatness of dress and care of equipment shall set the example for others to follow.

Energetically will I meet the enemies of my country. I shall defeat them on the field of battle for I am better trained and will fight with all my might. Surrender is not a Ranger word. I will never leave a fallen comrade to fall into the hands of the enemy and under no circumstances will I ever embarrass my country.

Readily will I display the intestinal fortitude required to fight on to the Ranger objective and complete the mission though I be the lone survivor.

Rangers lead the way!

[edit] Famous Rangers

• William Orlando Darby, led Darby's Rangers which later evolved into the U.S. Army Rangers
• James Earl Jones, actor famous for his deep, authoritative voice, joined the Rangers after graduating from the University of Michigan in 1953 [2]
• Matt Larsen, father of the Modern Army Combatives system, founder of the US Army Combatives School and author of the U.S. Soldier's Creed
• Robert Law, Ranger and patroller during the Vietnam War who received the Medal of Honor posthumously.[3]
• Frank Merrill, led the 5307th CUP (Composite Unit [Provisional]) aka Merrill's Marauders during the Second World War. This unit was the founding parent organization for the 1st and 2nd Battalions, 75th Infantry (Ranger). The modern 75th Ranger Regiment drew its original lineage and history from the 5307th until 1986 when the lineage of other Ranger units including Darby's Ranger were officially authorized to the 75th Ranger Regiment. Previously held by U.S. Army Special Forces (Green Berets).
• Henry A. Mucci, led and trained the 6th Ranger Battalion, responsible for the Raid at Cabanatuan, one of the most successful rescue operations in U.S. military history. This action is depicted in the film "The Great Raid".
• Robert Pruden, Ranger and patroller during the Vietnam War who received the Medal of Honor post-humously.[4]
• David Richardson (American), Ranger who served with Merrill's Marauders and led a prominent career as a journalist.
• Lazlo Rabel, Ranger and patroller during the Vietnam War who received the Medal of Honor post-humously.[5]
• James Earl Rudder, led the 2nd Ranger Battalion on their assault on Pointe du Hoc
• Perry Saturn, professional wrestler who served with the Rangers
• Phil Stern aka Snapdragon, world famous Hollywood and jazz photographer who joined Darby's Rangers as official photographer during the Second World War.[6][7]
• Pat Tillman, professional American football player who, with brother, Kevin Tillman, joined the Rangers in response to 9/11; killed by friendly fire in Afghanistan in 2004.

[edit] See also

• United States Special Operations Forces
• Battle of Mogadishu (during Operation Restore Hope)
• Black Hawk Down (movie & book)
• Ranger (board game)
• The Queen's York Rangers (1st American Regiment) (RCAC)
• UK SFSG - equivalent special forces unit
• 4th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment - equivalent special forces unit
• Canadian Special Operations Regiment - equivalent special forces unit
• Ranger Memorial Memorial dedicated to all Rangers
• Robert Rogers' 28 "Rules of Ranging" Major Robert Rogers' rulebook for his own Ranger units
• Saving Private Ryan (WWII 2nd Ranger Btn. 1998 film - fictional)

[edit] Further reading listed alphabetically by author

• Bahmanyar, Mir. Darby's Rangers 1942-45. Osprey Publishing, 2003.
• Bahmanyar, Mir. Shadow Warriors: A History of the U.S. Army Rangers. Osprey Publishing, 2005. This book lists the lineage and history of the 75th Ranger Regiment.
• Bahmanyar, Mir. U.S. Army Ranger 1983-2002. Osprey Publishing, 2003.
• Bowden, Mark. Black Hawk Down: A Story of Modern War. Berkeley, California: Atlantic Monthly Press, 1999.
• Bryant, Russ. To Be a U.S. Army Ranger. Motorbooks International, 2002.
• Bryant, Russ. Weapons of the U.S. Army Rangers. Zenith Press, 2005.
• Bryant, Russ. 75th Rangers. Zenith Press, 2005.
• Grenier, John, The First Way of War: American War Making on the Frontier, 1607-1814, Cambridge University Press, 2005. ISBN 0-521-84566-1. Extensive discussion of American colonial rangers.
• Shanahan, Bill. "Stealth Patrol: The Making of a Vietnam Ranger."

[edit] External links

[edit] Official sites

• Official 75th Ranger Regiment Website
• Official U.S. Army Best Ranger Competition
• GoArmy.com Ranger Website
• Ranger Training Brigade

[edit] Former Rangers websites

• 75th Ranger Regiment Association
• United States Army Ranger Association
• ArmyRanger.com Current and former Ranger community website and forum
• SuaSponte.com Ranger History and more.

[edit] References

1. U.S. Army. GoArmy.com Ranger Recruitment: Entrance Information for Rangers. United States Army. United States of America.
2. USASOC (2003). 75th Ranger Regiment: Fact Sheet. U.S. Special Operations Command. United States of America.
3. 75th Ranger Regiment, A Documentary about the training and formation of the Ranger's (Military Channel)
4. U.S. Army Ranger Association. [8]. U.S. Army Ranger Association. United States
5. Inside Delta Force by CSM Eric Haney (one of the first Delta Operator's, and participated in Operation Eagle Claw
6. GlobalSecurity.org [9] Ranger history