....... SPEARHEAD......USRANGERS'Leading the Way'Previous Pages:Company C, 2nd Ranger Battalion, prepares for a First published 2003patrol, Ruhrberg, Germany (see page 58).ISBN0711029784Below: Rangers training in Scotland in August 1942. The log - astaught by the British Commandos with whom they were training -forced groups of trainees to learn to work as a team,as well asbuilding strength.AcknowledgementsThanks toMark Franklinof Flatt Art for themaps; TImHawkins for the colour photographs; GeorgeForty for thePointeduHoc photos; all other photoresearchwasby JohnD. Gresham, ably assistedbyMelindaK. Day. All monophotographsare fromU.s. sources National Archives, U.s.Signal Corps, FortBenningandU.s. Army withreferencesavailableonrequest.All rightsreserved. Nopart of thisbook maybereproducedortransmittedinany form orby any meanselectronic or mechanical,includingphotocopying, recording orby anyinformationstorageandretrieval system, withoutpermissioninwriting fromthepublishers.CompendiumPublishing 2003PublishedbyIan AllanPublishinganimprint of Ian AllanPublishingLtd, Hersham, SurreyKT 12 4RGPrintedbyIan AllanPrintingLtd, Hersham, SurreyKT 12 4RGCode: 0308/BBritishLibraryCataloguing inPublicationDataACIPcataloguerecordforthisbookisavailablefromtheBritishLibraryNote: WebsiteinformationprovidedintheReferencesectionwascorrectwhenprovidedby theauthor. Thepublishercanacceptnoresponsibilityforthisinformationbecomingincorrect.CONTENTSOrigins &History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6Ready for War . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12In Action. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20Insignia, Clothing &Equipment ............66People .............................. 81Postwar .......................... 85Assessment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90Reference ...............92Index ................... 96ORIGINS& HISTORYBelow: Major Robert Rogers (1731-95)of the BritishArmy unit from which today's Rangers trace theirlineage. In 1758 he was promoted to command HisMajesty's Independent Companies of AmericanRangers - always known as Rogers'Rangers.Thefirst Rangers, lightlyequippedtroopswho'ranged' deepin hostileterritoryandconductedwhat inmoderntermsaredescribedasspecial operations,wereprimarily -although not exclusively- aphenomenon that developed in colonial America andreachedtheir greatestexpressioninthewarsof themid-eighteenthcentury. TheSevenYears War (1756-63)was trulyglobal inscopeandone of itsmaintheatreswasNorthAmerica, wherethe French weresteadilypushingsouthwardfromNewFrance, theircoloniesinCanada, and thereby threateningBritishpossessions along theNewEnglandseaboard. In attempting to stem the French tide the regular British Army was pitched intoastyleof fightingfor which it was largely unprepared. Inadenselywooded, oftenmountainous, terrain criss-crossed by numerous rivers, traditional set-piece battlesbetweenlargeformedbodiesof rival troopswererare. Thecomplexdrillstheordinarysoldier had learnt by rote, whichalso stifled any personal initiative, were far too rigidandinflexible for the conditions encountered. The French adapted their tactics to theconditions more readily by making extensiveuse of friendly Native Americans, and bandsofFrench frontiersmenknownascoureurs du bois, toconduct fast-movinghit-and-run raids, reconnaissance missions and ambushes. Their marksmanship,woodland and huntingskills, self-relianceand individual initiativeprovedmuchmore suitedto the terrainover whichthecampaignwasconducted.Evidenceof Britain'sweaknesswasfirst revealedinJuly1755whena1,400-strong column of British and colonial troops under Major-General EdwardBraddockwasvirtuallyannihilatedattheBattleofMonongahelainanambushby 900FrenchandNative Americans.RANGERS IN COLONIAL AMERICAAlthough the British were stung into creating units of light infantryfrom their own regular units to match the French afterMonongahela, they also turned to the American colonists whohada long traditionof irregular frontier fighting. In1675 duringKingPhilip'sWar, a revolt byMetacomet of the WampanoagtribeinRhodeIslandoverhuntingandfishingrights, CaptainBenjaminChurchof Massachusetts formed a body of troops todeal withtheunrest. The unit was knownas Church's Rangersas its men 'ranged'far and wide to track down (and eventually kill) Metacomet.Typically,recruitstoChurch'sRangersanditsdescendantswerehuntersandfrontiersmen, menskilledinlivingoff thelandwhohadoftenlearnedtheir skillsfromtheNative Americansandoftenusedthemagainst thevery sameNative Americansin times of frontier unrest. Several moresuchunits were raised during later periods of unrest, including Major John6ORIGINS &HISTORYSTANDING ORDERSRogers' Rangers1. Don't forget nothing.2. Have your musket deanas awhistle, hatchet scoured, sixty rounds ofpowder and ball, andbe ready to march at aminute's notice.3. When you're on the march, act the way you would if you was sneaking upon adeer. See the enemy first.4. Tell the truth about what you see and what you do.There is an armydepending onus for correct information. Youcan lieaU youplease when youtell other folks about the Rangers, but don't never lie to aRanger or officer.5. Don't never take achance you don't have to.6. When we're on the march we march single file, far enough apart so oneshot can't go through two men.7. If we strike swamps, or soft ground, we spread out abreast, so it's hard totrack us.8. When we march, we keep moving tm dark, so as to give the enemy theleast possible chance at us.9. Whenwe camp, half the party stays awake while the other half sleeps.10. If we take prisoners, we keep 'em separate till we have had time toexamine them, so they can't cook up astory between'em.11. Don't ever march home the same way.Take adifferent route so you won'tbe ambushed.12. No matter whether we travel in big parties or little ones, each party has tokeep ascout 20 yards ahead, 20 yards on each flank and 20 yards in therear, so the main body can't be surprised and wiped out.13. Every night you'll be told where to meet if surroundedby asuperior force.14. Don't sit down to eat without posting sentries.15. Don't sleep beyond dawn. Dawn's when the French and Indians attack.16. Don't cross ariver by aregular ford.17. If somebody's trailing you, make adrde, come back onto your own tracks,and ambush the folks that aim to ambush you.18. Don't stand up when the enemy's coming against you. Kneel down, liedown, hide behind atree.19. Let the enemy come tillhe's almost dose enough to touch. Then let himhave it and jump out and finish him up with your hatchet.Gorham'sCompanyof Rangers. This NewEnglandunitfirst saw action duringKingGeorge's War (1740-48), theNorth American offshoot of the EuropeanWar of theAustrianSuccession. Gorham's company comprised50 orso Mohicans and frontiersmenandwas chiefly involved inmaintaining a BritishpresenceinNova Scotiaby quellingunrestamongFrenchsettlersandNative Americans. Theunit'simportancewas soon recognized- it doubled insize, Gorham received aregular commission in KingGeorgeII's army and theRangersreceivedthesamepayas Britishtroops. The unit continued to serve in NovaScotia, despitethedeathof JohnGorhamin1751,andthen participated inthe French and IndianWars underJohn'sbrother Joseph. Againitprovedinvaluable, takingpart in the capture of Louisbourg, a keyFrench fortress atthe entranceto the St. Lawrence River, in 1758andserving with Brigadier-General JamesWolfeduringthedecisiveBattleof thePlainsof AbrahamoutsideQuebecin 1759. Subsequently Gorham's Rangers took part in theattempt to stormHavana, Spain's chief colonial outpost inthe NewWorld, during 1762, and the following yearparticipated in the quelling of the rebellion around Detroitledby Pontiac, leader of the Ottawa.Although Gorham's Rangers was probablythe mostsuccessful unit of the period, thefounder of the mostfamousRanger unit of themid-eighteenthcenturywasRobertRogers (1731-95), a Massachusetts-bornhunter,explorer and frontiersman, who in March 1756 waspromoted to captain and given command of aunit knownastheRangerCompanyof Blanchard'sNewHampshireRegiment. In1758hewasagainpromoted, this timetomajor, and madecommander of ninesuch companies,which were officially titled His Majesty's IndependentCompanies of American Rangers but were invariablyknownasRogers' Rangers. The unit first saw actioninanunsuccessful expeditiontotakeLouisbourgin1757butwassubsequentlylargelybasedat Fort Edward ontheHudsonRiversome60miles(96km) northof Albany. Itwas from this base that Rogers conducted severalmissions that typifiedtheRangers'roleanditsdangers. InMarch1758,heled a 180-strongforcetoreconnoitreFrenchactivityaroundFort Ticonderoga,some40miles(65km) northofFort Edward. Initially movingby night, anddespite appallingweather, theRangers made good progress until confronted by around 100NativeAmericans, ascouting partyfor alarger force of some 600 French-Canadians and other NativeAmericans. TheRangers ambushedthescouts, killing40 or so, but thenhad toconductafightingwithdrawalthat cost 50men.Asecond operation, beginning on September 13, 1759, saw Rogers lead 200Rangers against the pro-French Abenaki, who were encamped at St.Francis near the St.LawrenceRiver around40miles(64km) southof Montreal. TheRangershadtotravel300 miles (480km) throughhostile and inhospitable terrain to reach their target. Settingout by boat fromCrown Point on thewest shoreof LakeChamplain, Rogers' forceAbove:Rogers'Rangers Standing Orders of 1759 arestill given to today's Ranger cadets.7Below:Colonel JohnS. Mosby's Confederate 43rdBattalion of Virginia Cavalry was the most successfulguerrilla unit of the Civil War - so much so that partof north Virginia was dubbed 'Mosby's Confederacy'.SPEARHEAD: RANGERStravelledby night to avoid detection, restingduring theday, andreachedMissisquoi Bayundetectedafter 10days. However, their numbershad been depleted byaround25percent due to the accidental explosion of a gunpowder barrel. Rogers now hidhis boatsandmovedtowardsSt. Francisonfoot,but twodayslater learned that theFrenchhadfoundhis transports and were in hot pursuit. He nevertheless decided to continue and 12dayslater reachedSt. Francis. Early thenext morningheattackedthevillageandinalittle more than an hour the Rangers killed more than 200 Abenaki, destroyed St. Francis,andrescued five captives for theloss of just one man. The return journey proved tobe anepic ofendurance. Short of suppliesandharassedby theenemy, theRangers split intoseveral smaller groups toavoiddetection.Someheadeddirectly forCrownPoint, whileothers made for apre-agreed rendezvous point on the Ammonoosuck River. WhenRogersstumbledin, therewereno suppliesasexpectedbecause the relief forcehadwithdrawnjust twohoursbeforehisarrival. A singleRanger officeranda youngNative Americanweredespatchedby raft to a post knownas Number Four some 100 miles (160km)tothe south and 10 days later returned with supplies. The Rangers' ordeal was over but thepunitive expeditionagainst the Abenaki hadcostRogers all but 93of his men.Following the end of the French and Indian Wars the Ranger concept went into declineuntil it was revivedby both sides during the American War of Independence (1775-83).Chief amongtheBritishunitstoseeserviceweretheQueen's Rangers, originallyabattalionof Loyalistsled for a timebyRogers until his dismissal for unreliability fuelledby alcoholismin 1777. Rogers was replacedby aBritish officer, John Graves Simcoe, whoturnedtheunit,whichbecameknownasSimcoe'sRangers, into a first-rateforcethatfought inseveral campaignsuntil forcedintosurrender at Yorktownin1781. A second8ORIGINS & HISTORYbattalion of Queen's Rangers was also raised and commanded by Robert Rogers'younger brother, James. It, too, sawextensiveservicein New Yorkand around LakeChamplain.Opposing theBritishwere a number of pro-independenceRanger units raisedat theinstigation of the ContinentalCongress in June 1775.Two years later, Daniel Morgan wasplacedinchargeof theCorps ofRangers, detachments of which fought withdistinctionat the Battles of Freeman'sFarm(1777)andCowpens (1781). AtFreeman'sFarm, partof theBattleof Saratoga, thedefeatedBritishcommander, General John Burgoyne,remarked that Morgan's unit was 'the most famouscorpsin the Continental Army, all ofthemcrackshots.' Morgan'sexploitswerematchedbyforcesinSouthCarolinaledbyFrancisMarion,knownas the 'SwampFox' due tohiselusiveness. Althoughnot strictlyRangers, theyundertook guerrillamissions thatwererecognizableinthe traditionandproved athorninthe side of both theBritishand their Loyalist allies.RANGERS IN THE NINETEENTH CENTURYThe history of Ranger units in the nineteenth century paralleled that of the previous 100years. Unitswereraisedduringperiodsof conflictandthenswiftlydisbandedoncethefightinghadended. At the outbreak of the War of 1812Congress ordered theraisingofbothfoot andhorse-mountedRangerstoprotect thecountry'snorthernfrontierfromincursions by the British fromCanada. Seventeen companies hadbeenraisedby theendof thewarin1815. Formuchof theremainderof thenineteenthcenturytheneedtoprotect the US frontier fromoutside aggression gave way to participating in the9Above:Mosby's guerrillas in action. They tied down agreat number of troops by effective harassment ofUnion supply lines.SPEARHEAD: RANGERS10expansion of theUnited States. Rangersfought in various campaigns againstNative Americans, such as the warsagainst the Seminoles inFlorida and, mostfamously, protected Americans living in theMexican colony of Texas. Here, from1823,StephenAustinorderedtheraisingof anall-volunteer and unpaid mounted forcethatbecameknownas the TexasRangers.Aside from protecting Americanhomesteadersandfarmers, huntingdownoutlawsandmaintainingtheruleof law,the Texas Rangers undertook valuablescouting duties during the successfulstruggle tobreak away fromMexicanrulein 1835-36 and the subsequent andsuccessful war initiated by the UnitedStates againstMexico (1846-48) thatledto the annexation of much of thesouthwest. Ranger units under officerssuch as Ben McCulloch and Jack Haysconducted forward reconnaissancemissions for regular US forces duringoperations withinMexico.TheTexas Rangers and similar unitsalsotookpart intheAmerican Civil War(1861-65) and chiefly fought for theConfederacy. One of the earliest suchunitswas Terry's Texas Rangers, which wasraised by Benjamin Terry and ThomasLubbockin1861. Terry'smen foughtwestof the Mississippi but similar unitsoperated in the eastern theatre, mostraised after the Confederate CongressenactedthePartisan Ranger Act inApril1862. Many of theunitsraisedproved ill-disciplinedandhavens for criminals. Mostwere disbanded when the act wasrepealed in 1864, but some proved ofcontinued value to the southern cause.Chief amongthesewasthe43rd VirginiaCavalry, a unit commanded by JohnSingleton Mosby that was popularlyknown as Mosby's Rangers or Raiders.Mosby's daring exploits - raids andreconnaissance missions behind Unionlines - earnedhim the nickname the 'GreyGhost'. Oneof hismost successful wasanight raidagainst FairfaxCourt Houseinnorthern VirginiaduringMarch1863 thatledtothecaptureof a brigadiergeneral,ORIGINS &HISTORYEdwinStoughton, andseverelyembarrassedtheNorthernauthorities. AnattackonaUnionrailroadthe followingyearcausedsimilar embarrassmentwhenit nettedMosby$170,000 originallydestinedtopayNortherntroops. TheConfederateraiderandhisbandbegan to operateso effectively innorthern Virginia that part of that statewaschristened 'Mosby's Confederacy' and, despite thebest efforts of Northern forces,he remained at large throughout thewar. He undertook his last missionon thedayof theConfederatesurrender at AppomattoxCourt HouseonApril 9,1865, andonly formally disbandedhis unit onthe 21st.Theendof theCivil Warwasfollowedby a sustainedwestwarddrivethat saw US citizens, many recent immigrants, settle in territories occupiedbyNativeAmericans. Clasheswereinevitable,andthesmall peacetimeUS Army was quickly overstretchedandnot wholly suited tosuch atypeof warfare. Once again Ranger-style units were formed to conductscouting missions and hit-and-run raids against Native Americanvillages. Manylegendaryfiguresof the WildWest participatedinsuchcampaigns, oftenasscouts, andamongthemwere WilliamCody, betterknownas'BuffaloBill', and'Texas' JackCrawford. Larger bodieswerealso raised, suchas the 50-strong Forsyth's Scouts raisedby Major GeorgeForsythin1868, butby thelate1880s theneed for such formationswasall but over due tothecompletionof thepacificationprogrammedirectedagainst theNative Americans. Theendof theNative American Warsleft theRangers and similar bodies withlittle todo. Some, suchas the TexasRangerscontinued to undertake lawenforcement duties, but they had no obviousmilitaryrole and the concept remained dormant for some60years until theoutbreak of World War II.REVIVING THERANGER CONCEPTTheoriginof themodernUSRangerslay withtheCommandoforcesraisedinBritainfrom1940. President Roosevelt'senthusiasmfor this typeof forcewascommunicatedtotheChief of Staff of theUSArmy, General GeorgeMarshall, and hesent ColonelLucian K. Truscott Jr. to Englandinearly1942toevaluatethepotential of Britain'sCommando forceandinvestigate the raisingof similar USunits. Not all thebranches oftheUSarmedforceswereenthusedbytheidea. TheNavyingeneral, andtheMarineCorps in particular, felt that they had little tolearn from the Britishandargued that theyalreadyhadthe trainingandcapabilities toconduct thetypesof operationundertakenby theCommandos. This tosomeextentwas true, as theMarineCorpswassomewhatreluctantly raising specialist raider-type units to conduct such missions, but these MarineRaider battalions werelargely neededin thePacific, where theJapanese wereposing amore immediate and ongoing threat.Truscott, who was attached to the British Combined Operations staff under Lord LouisMountbatten while inEngland, reportedback to Marshall in late May and recommendedthe formation of aUS Commando-type unit.The chief of staff concurred and the relevantorderstoraisean'AmericanCommando' wereissuedonJune1. However, thechief ofthe general staff's Operations Division, Major General DwightD. Eisenhower, pointed outthat the name Commando was very much associated with the British and requested thata more Americannamebeusedfor thenewunit. Truscott rememberedtheexploitsofRogersandhismenandsuggestedthat Rangerwouldbea fittingalternative. Withanamesettledon, it wasnownecessarytofindandtraintheofficersandmenfortherebornRangers.The most immediate and accessible source of recruits were theUS forcesalready stationedinBritain.11Above: General Ben McCulloch (1811-62) - once ofthe Texas Rangers - was killed at the Battle of PeaRidge, Arkansas, in March 1862, while in command ofthe Confederates' west wing.His early war experienceswere as a Texas Ranger, and as the captain of aRanger company in the Mexican War; he wouldbecome Chief of Scouts to General Zachary Taylor.Known for his daring exploits, his reputation ensuredhis prominence during the Civil War. He was promotedgeneral - the first Confederate to be elevated to thisposition from civilian life - and on August 10, 1861,he beat the forces of Brig. Gen. Nathaniel Lyon atWilson's Creek in southwest Missouri. Fighting underVan Dorn at Pea Ridge, his troops overran a battery ofUnion artillery. McCulloch rode forward to get a betterview of the enemy line, was shot from his horse anddied instantly.Left: JohnS. Mosby (1833-1916)after promotion tobrigadier general.READYFORWARAbove:Corporal Franklin M. Koons (nicknamed'Zip') was the firstUS soldier to kill a Germanin World War II during the landings at Dieppein August 1942.The officer designated to found the new Ranger unit was Major WilliamO. Darby, an aideto Major General Russell RHarte, commander of theUS 34th Infantry Division and, fromJanuary 27, 1942, theheadof theUS ArmyNorthernIreland.Darby,anArkansas-bornWest Point graduatewhosechosen armycareer was intheartillery, wasstationedatCarrickfergus, some 20miles (32km) northof Belfast, buthadalready requestedmoreactive assignments. On June 8 he was ordered to form aCommando-style unit but in theearly summer of 1942 theUS forcesinBritain were small compared to what they wouldbecomeby 1944. NeverthelessDarbyset about raisingsuitablerecruits fromwhatwasavailablelocally. Thesewerethetwodivisions thatcomprisedtheUS VCorps, the34thInfantry and1st Armored, andvarious support units.COMMANDO TRAINING AT ACHNACARRYOver the followingdays Darby interviewed potential recruits, bothofficers andmen, andby the 19th, the day that the 1st Ranger Battalionwas officially activated,he had apoolof some 2,000 personnel to work with. These were quickly whittleddown to around 570men - 20percent abovetheofficial establishment figureof 26officersand447otherranks - butDarbyexpectedmany volunteers to fall by thewayside during training. Theraw materials Darby had to work withwere of many backgrounds andcame fromacrosstheUnitedStates. Thelargestgroup,some60percent, hadbeenservingwiththe34thDivision, andweremainlyfromIowa, MinnesotaandNebraska. A further30percentweredrawnfromthe1st ArmoredDivisionandtheremaining10 percent weremainlysupport troops fromVCorps' medical, logistical andsignal units.On the 25thDarby andhis recruits wereinspectedby General Robert Laycock, the commander of the British1stSpecial ServiceBrigade, anexperiencedCommandogroupunderwhosedirectiontheRangers wouldreceive their initial specialist training.The Rangers transferred to the west coast of Scotland three days later and were basedat AchnacarryCastle, a fewmiles north ofFort Williamclose toLoch Arkaig. Achnacarrywas home to the British CommandoTraining Depot and its commanding officer,Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Vaughan, wastasked withdirectingtheRangers' trainingprogramme. Vaughan, a long-servingofficerwithrecent experienceoftheCommandoraidsontheLofotenIslandsand Vaags0innorthernNorway, hadcreateda demandingandrealisticcourse. Theprogrammehehaddevisedconsistedofthreepartsandwasundertaken by both officers and men. First, speed marches over the area's ruggedmountainsandvalleys, whichgrewfromthreeto16miles(5-25km), coupledwithtimedobstaclecoursesbuilt uptheRangers' strength and stamina. Next, theywereshownhow touse theweaponsandequipment appropriatetolightly equippedraiding12forces. Finally, theyweretaught thetactical skillstheywouldneedtocarryout theirspecialist role, such as scouting and patrolling, silent killing, mountaineering, river-crossingandstreet-fighting. Three-dayexerciseswereused toevaluate theRangers. Bytheendof the first weekDarby's original 20percent surfeit ofrecruitshadturnedto a10 percent deficitasmanymenfell by thewaysideandwerereturnedto their originalunits.The Achnacarry training ended in late July and on August 1 the Rangers retraced theirsteps toFort Williamtobeginthenext state of their preparations - amphibious warfaretraining directed by the Royal Navy. This was conducted at HMS Dorlin, ashoreestablishment near Acharacle on the coast of Argyll and ideally placed to make use of theadjacent WesternIsles. The six Ranger companies were billeted in pairs at Glenborrodale,GlencripesdaleandRoshven,whileDarbyset uphisheadquartersat Shielbridge. EarlytrainingcentredonKentrabeachclosetoDorlin, wheretheBritishhadestablishedarealisticcoursetotest theRangers'abilitieswithassault boats. Other skillsdevelopedincludednavigation, cliffassault andraidsoncoastal batteries. Onceagain,three-dayexercises wereused toput theory intopractice.BLOODING AT DIEPPEIt was during thisperiod that a handful ofRangersgained first-handexperience of realcombat. Operation Jubilee, the raid on the port of Dieppe on August 18-19, wasdesigned to test the strength of the German defences in northern France and thefeasibilityofseizinga port,whichwasseenasanessential prerequisite forany futurelarge-scale invasion of Nazi-occupiedEurope. Although the bulk of the forces committedtoJubileeweredrawnfromtheCanadian2ndDivision, itwasplannedasanall-armsoperation, one involving 237warshipsandsome 74squadrons of aircraft. Anumber of13Above: Training was a major part of the Rangers' lifethroughout the war, with the emphasis on physicalexercise and realistic battle conditions.At the start thetraining took place alongside their British counterparts- the Commandos - in Britain (as here in August1942).SPEARHEAD: RANGERSThis page: More views of training emphasising theskills needed to become a Ranger - physicalendurance; climbing skills; unarmed and armedcombat. Most of the early photos, such as these, weretaken in Scotland as British Commando instructors(seen far right) put the Rangers through their paces -including jumping off the remarkable 20-foot (6m)barrier on the Commando assault course in Argyll(below right) with full pack, M1917Al helmet and Mlrifle!Many of the Rangers'exercises were conductedusing live firing to ensure the most realistic possibletraining environment. The preponderance of trainingphotos of Rangers - and all special forces - againstaction shots is caused by the very nature of theirmissions. They tended to take place at night or in lowlight conditions, often in situations where a Press orService photographer would have been a hindrance.READY FOR WAR15DIEPPEThe first American ground forces to see actionagainst the Gennans, three Rangers were killed (;I:)and several captured. Those of the 1st RangerBattalion who took part were: l-Lt. Leonard EDirks, l-Lt. Robert Flanagan, 2-Lt. M.Shunstrom, 2-Lt. EdwinV.Loustalot*, 2-Lt. JosephH. Randall*, Capt. Roy AMurray, S/Sgt. GinoMercuriali, S/Sgt. Kenneth D. Stempson, S/Sgt.Lester E. Kness, S/Sgt. Merritt M. Bertholf, Sgt.Albert TJacobsen, Sgt. Alex Szima, Sgt. DickSellers, Sgt. Edwin C. Thompson, Sgt. Harold R.Adams, Sgt. JohnJ. Knapp, Sgt. Kenneth GKenyon,Sgt. lloydN. Church, Sgt. Marcell GSwank, Sgt.Marvin L. Kavanaugh, Sgt. Mervin THeacock, Sgt.Theodore Q. Butts, Sgt. Tom Sorby, T/4 Howard WHenry*, TIS Joe C. Phillips, TIS John H. Smith, TISMichael Kerecman, TIS William S. Brinkley; Cpl.Franklin M. Koons, Cpl. William R. Brady, Pfc.Charles EGrant, pfc. Charles R.Coy, Pfc.Reilly; Pfc. ClareP. Beitel, Pte. Donald GJohnson,pfc. Donald L.Pfc. Edwin R. Furm, pfc.ErwinJ. Moger, Pte. Howard rHedenstad, Pfc.Howard WAndre, pfc. James C. Mosely, Pfc.James O. Edwards, pfc. Owen E. Sweazey, pfc.Pete M. Preston, pfc. Stanley Bush, pfc. WalterA. Bresnahan, pfc. William E. Lienhas, pfc.William S. Girdley, Pvt. Don A.EalWood, Pvt.Jacque M. Nixon.SPEARHEAD: RANGERSCommandounits werealsodeployedaswas a small detachment of Rangers - 44menandfiveofficers under CaptainRoyMurray. Alsoonhandwas Truscott, whoactedasanobserver.Thebulkof theRangerswereattachedtothetwoBritishCommandosthat wereearmarkedtoneutralizetheGermancoastal batteriestotheeast andwest of Dieppe.FortyRangersincludingMurraywereassignedtoNo.3Commandounder Lieutenant-Colonel J.EDurnford-Slater andthis forcesailedfromNewhavenonthesouthcoast ofEnglandlate on the 18th. Their missionwas tocome ashore at twobeaches codenamedYellow 1 and Yellow 2 some fivemiles (8km)to theeast of Dieppe and thensilence thecliff-topbatteryat Bruneval, whichhadbeendesignated'Goebbels'. TheCommandosand Rangers crossed the English Channel in 27slow-moving wooden landingcraftknown as Eurekas as part of a flotillathat included SteamGun Boat No.5, withDurnford-Slater andMurray onboard, Motor Launch 348 andan anti-aircraft vessel.Theplanwassoonindisarray. Fourof theEurekasturnedbackbecauseof enginefailureandtheremainder thenraninto a small Germanconvoysome 8 miles(13km)from their target at around 0347hours on the 19th. In the subsequent firefight many oftheEurekassufferedheavydamage, weresunkordispersed, andthesteamgunboatwasvirtuallywrecked. Durnford-SlaterandMurraywerethereforeunabletoplayanyfurther part in Jubilee. Only oneEurekareachedthe target areaonschedule but its mencould do little more than direct harassing fire against Goebbels battery beforewithdrawing after some 90 minutes. Six other Eurekas did make a landing but they were25minuteslateandthetroopscameashoreindaylight. Some50men, includingahandful of Rangers, were soonpinneddownby heavy fireandwereunable tomake anyprogress inland. One of the Rangers, Lieutenant Edwin Loustalot, was mortally wounded,becomingthe first US soldier tobe killedinEuropeanland fightingduring World War II.The remainder of theparty were eventually takenprisoner.Theattackonthecoastal batterycodenamed'Hess' somesixmiles(10km) tothewest of DieppewasledbyLordLovat'sNo.4Commando,whichincludedsixRangers(four sergeantsandtwocorporals),andprovedmuchmoresuccessful. Their crossingin16READY FOR WARHMSPrince Albert, a convertedferry,wasuneventful and twoassault parties, knownasGroupOneandGroup Two, weresuccessfullylandedaround Varengeville-sur-Mer. LordLovat ledGroup Twoashoreat a beachcodenamedOrange 2,whichlaysome 2 miles(3 km) from Group One's target, Orange I.This pincer attack against Hess was conductedwithsurpriseandgreat speedandthedefenderswerequicklyoverwhelmedandthebatteryneutralized. OneoftheRangers, Corporal FranklinKoons, becamethefirst USsoldier to kill a Germanin combat andhis sniping skills during the actionearnedhim aMilitary Medal, which was presented by Lord Louis Mountbatten, head of Britain'sCombinedOperations. By 0730theactionwasoverandLovat'smenwerewithdrawnwithout difficulty.Theactionagainst Hesswastheonlyclear-cut successof thewholecontroversialoperation.The main landing by the Canadians stalled on the beaches and ended in heavylosses - some3,400menorcloseto70percent ofthoseengaged- butJubileedidhighlightshortcomingsinequipment andtacticsforamphibiouswarfare. TheRangersalso sufferedin this learningprocess.Darby recordedsevenofficers andmenmissinginaction - either killedor takenprisoner - andseveninjured.Consequently four officersand39menreturned fromtheDiepperaidand their experiences wereused toimprovethebattalion'samphibioustraining. DespiteJubilee'sfailure, theRangers' roleintheoperationmade front-pagenewsintheUnitedStates. TheNewYork Post ledwiththebanner headline'WeLandinFrance' whiletheNewYork WorldTelegramsomewhatoptimistically proclaimed that 'USTroopsSmashtheFrenchCoast'.PREPARING FOR OPERATION TORCHTheRangers' time atHMSDorfin came toanend shortly after theDieppe raidand theymoved from the west toeast coast of Scotland. At Dundee, they were partnered with theBritish No. 1Commandotoundertakejoint trainingthat emphasizedtechniquesforneutralizing all manner of coastal defences, such as batteries and pill boxes. Theprogramme lasted untilSeptember 24, whenthe1st Battalionboarded atrain that tookit toGlasgow. TheRangerswereassignedtotheUSII CorpsandattachedtotheUS1stInfantry Division. Both the division andDarby'smenhadbeenearmarkedtoplay aleadingroleintheforthcoming invasionofNorth Africa, Operation Torch, which wasscheduled to open in early November.BetweenSeptember 29andOctober 25, theRangers honed the skills they had beentaught over thepreviousmonthsand weregivensomefinal lessonsonthebest wayofloading both themselves and their equipmentinto assault craft of various types. On the26ththemonthsof preparationcametoanend. After travellingtoGourock, a fewmileswest of Glasgow, the battalionboarded threeformer Glasgow-Belfast ferries, the RoyalScotsman, Royal Ulsterman and UlsterMonarch, whichhadbeencommandeeredbythe Royal Navy as amphibious assaulttransportsandwerepreparingtotakethemtoNorth Africa.17Above: Another view of 'Zip' Koons, who gained famefor his fighting at Dieppe; note the 1st Rangersshoulder flash.Left: 1st Ranger Battalion exercise on a wet autumnday in Scotland, October 31, 1942 - one of a series ofphotographs taken on this exercise(see also pages18,19 and 68).SPEARHEAD: RANGERS18READY FOR WAR,... Above and Opposite: Landing craft training, ScotlandOctober 31,1942.Left: Well it started fine!Preparing kit for their nextexercise, men of 1st Rangers, October 9, 1942.19INACTIONOPERATION TORCH - THE INVASION OF NORTH AFRICABelow: Lieutenant Colonel WilliamO. Darby on aspeed march with his men, December 5, 1942, NorthAfrica(see biography page 81).The 1st Ranger Battalionwas assigned to Major General LloydFredendall's CentreTaskForcefor Operation Torch. Fredendall'soverall rolewastoseizetheport of OraninAlgeriaina widelydispersedthree-prongedassaultand, asidefromtheRangers, hiscommandincludedtheUS1st Armoredand1st Infantry Divisions.Darby'smenwereassigned to spearhead the easternmost of Fredendall's three landings by combat teamsdrawn fromthe 1st Infantry Divisiononbeaches near the smallport of Arzew some 25miles(40km) east of Oran. Darby'schief taskwastoneutralizetwo Vichy Frenchcoastal batteries thatcouldpotentiallydevastate theassault craftcarryingthetwoofthe 1st Division's regimental combat teamsthat were scheduled to land at threebeaches codenamedZ Green, Z WhiteandZRed inArzewBaytotheimmediatesoutheast ofArzewitself. Onebattery, knownas Fort delaPointe, wassitedat theharbour's northernedgeandcontain.edthreecoastal guns surroundedby barbedwireandbehindwhichlaya small Frenchfort withwallsabout20feet (6m) high. Thesecondandpotentially more threatening target, theBatterieduNord, containing four105 mmguns, wasonhighground north of the fort andoverlookedboth the harbourandArzewBay. Darby formulateda planof attack after studyingairphotographsofhis objectives and the area surrounding Arzew.He opted to split his command into twogroupsandassault thebatteriessimultaneously,therebycapitalizingontheelementof surprise. Asmaller group under Major HermanDammer was ordered to sail directlyinto Arzewharbour to tackle theFort delaPointe while thelarger party under Darbyhimself was to come ashore some four miles (6km)north of the Batterie duNord andattack it fromtherear.Lateon November7, astheCentre TaskForce'sshipssailedeastwardsome15miles(24km) offshore towardArzewBayandroundedCapCarbon, Ulster MonarchandRoyal Ulsterman withDarby's four Ranger companies - C, D, Eand F- onboarddroppedout of theconvoyandfollowedthecoastlineduesouthtothesmall landingbeachnorthof theBatterieduNord that hadpreviouslybeenidentifiedfromtheairphotographs. Nearing their target under cover of darkness and a sea fog, theRangersembarkedin 10 Landing Craft, Assault, whichwere backedby a pair of Landing Craft,Support. One of the assault craft became stuck in its davits, pitching its occupants intothewatersbelow. All were quicklyrescuedandtheremainingcraftheaded for shore,althoughtheyhadtobeguidedinbythecaptainof theUlster Monarch, whohadspotted that they were initially headingin the wrong direction.This last-minute coursecorrectionallowedtheRangerstoreachtheir allocatedbeach, landundetectedsavefor a surprisedandeasily capturedFrenchsentry,andthenquickly scale the cliff that20IN ACTIONMILESMEDITERRANEAN SEAIo KILOMETRES5Pointe de l'AguilleBatterieSup.",",Fort defa Pointe \

Fort du Nord No. 1

/' Damesmebarred their exit fromthebeach. Darby's assault group moved towards its objectivebyfollowing thecoast road to within twomiles (3km)of the battery and then followed awadithatled to theridgelineontopof whichlay theBatterieduNordand a smallersupportingdefensive work calledtheFortduNord.As Darby made his waytoward histarget, thetwo Ranger companies that hadremained with the main invasion force sailing toward Arzewdisembarked intofiveassault craftfromtheRoyal Scotsman at 0100hoursonthe8th. ChristenedDammerForce, the men of Companies Aand Bheaded for shore in silence. Finding the boom thatmight have delayed their attack open rather than closed as expected, they sailedundetected and on schedule intothe harbour - but on the wrong course. A swiftrealignment broughtthembackontrackandtheymadetheirwaybetweentheouterjettyand main pier as planned. Momentslater theassault craft reachedalowbutslantingseawall andtheirrampscamedown, leavingtheRangerstoscramblenoisilyover theslipperysea defenceswithsomedifficultyandthen maketheir waytothebattery. Surprise was total despite the noise. ThreeVichyFrench soldiers were captured atgunpoint as theRangers made their approachand thebarbed wire surrounding theFortdelaPointewas swiftly cut. Theattackersboundedover a low wall, fired a fewshots tomake their presenceknown,andwithin15 minuteshadcapturedthegunsandaround60prisoners.Darbynowcommencedhisassaultagainst theBatterieduNord. CompanyD withfour 81mmmortars wasdeployedin a convenient ditchsome 500 yards (500m) fromthe battery to provide covering fire while CompaniesC, Fand Eapproached its northernperimeter and began cutting paths through the 14-foot (4 m) wide barbed wireentanglementsthat skirtedtheposition. As thistaskwas beingcompletedthe VichyFrenchopenedfirewithseveral machinegunsthat threatenedthemomentumof theattack. Darbycalleddownmortar fireand,after justeighthighlyaccuraterounds,theFrench fire died away and the Rangers stormed into the compound. Some headed for thebattery's control tower, others thrust bangalore torpedoesinto thebarrels of thecoastal21Above: The Rangers'landings at Arzew, orth Africa,November 8, 1942. It wasn't the largest operation theRangers would take part in during the war, but it washandled effiCiently and the objectives were taken.Right and Opposite:Operation Torch - the assaultcraft, ovember 8, 1942. The photo on page 23is oneither Ulster Monarch or Royal Ulsterman and shows81mm mortar rounds being loaded into an assaultcraft preparatory to the attack.Note theUS flag andwhite armbands(see also photos on page 24). Thesewere worn to identify friendly forces during the attack.Opposite, Below: Physical exercise on board thetransport during the journey to North Africa,ovember 5,1942.Below: Training continued, even in Africa; this showsRangers preparing to assault a gun position,December 12, 1942. Most of the Rangers spent the endof 1942 and the beginning of 1943 attached to 5thArmy Invasion Training Center at Arzew where theytook part in exercises as demonstration troops. This ispart of the area assaulted in earnest on November 8.Note the fixed bayonets: the Rangers often used theM1rifle and M1905 bayonet.SPEARHEAD: RANGERSAbove: The official caption identifies this as forcingthe doors on a building captured during the fightingon November 8. The general lack of interest exhibitedby the troops shows that the action was over by thistime.Note the white identification armbands in thisand the photograph below.SPEARHEAD: RANGERSguns, while others stormed though theposition's mainentrance. The bulk ofthegarrisonhadtakenshelterinanundergroundpowderstoreand,afterbeingthreatened bygrenadesand bangaloretorpedoesthrowndown itsventilator shafts, they surrendered.The battery was securely in Darby's handsby 0400hoursat a cost of twoRangerskilledandeightwoundedandhewas able to signal hissuccess to theinvasion fleet lying offshore.As the main landings got underway around Arzew theRangers conducted. variousmopping-upoperationsaroundthebatteriesandharbour. At dawnDarby turnedhis attentions to theFort duNord. Vichy machine guns openedfireas he was attempting to persuade the garrison to surrender by telephonebut Darbywasabletosecurethe fort commander'sagreement asRangermortar fire struck the positionandsilenced the fire.Darby and asmall partyof his men movedtowardstheir objectivebut onceagain machinegunsopeneduponthemanda Rangercompanydecidedtoforcetheissuebyassaultingthe fort. Somemenwerehaltedbyitsmoatbutothersstormedacrossthedrawbridgeandbrokethroughthemaingateway. Thegarrisonsurrendered immediately and the Rangers marched themaway to the Batterie du Nord.Meanwhile, afterneutralizingtheBatteriedelaPointe, Dammer Forcefannedouttooccupykeypoints, suchasthesmall oil refinerynorthof theharbour, anddealtwithVichy snipers who were harassing the Rangers. Ahillside cemetery between the two fortswas cleared beforedawnandthentheRangersdealt withsimilar resistanceintheharbour area, chiefly around the piers and warehouses, and silenced abattery of 75 mmfieldguns firingon Alliedshipping.Most of the Ranger companies remained in Arzewover the next three days tocompleteitspacificationandmaintainorder,but twoweredetachedtoaidunits fromthe 1st Infantry Division as its regimental combat teams pushed southeast andsouthwest fromtheir landingbeaches. Lieutenant Max Schneider'sCompany Emovedoutontheafternoonof the8thtosupport the1st Battalion, 16thInfantryRegiment'spushalongthecoastroadrunningsoutheast fromArzew. Therendezvous took place at0700onthe 9thandSchneider was orderedtomovedowntheroadtowards the townofLaMacta. Some 800 yards (700m)east of Port-aux-Poules the company was hit bylight firefromconcealedpositionsona lowridge. Thiswasbrushedasideand, after asuccessful envelopingattack just a mile fromLaMacta, Schneider'smencaptured theirobjective. Company C was first tasked with defendingthe headquarters of the 1stDivisionat thevillageof Tourvilleonthe8thbut thenaidedthe1st Battalion, 18thInfantry Regiment, in its assault onS1. Cloud some 12 miles (20 km) southwest of Arzew.TheRangersestablishedblockingpositionssouthof thetownunder coverof darknessbut at dawnonthe9thwerehit byintenseenemyfireat closerange. Thecompanycommander, Lieutenant Klefman, was killed but the S1. Cloud garrison surrenderedduring the afternoon.Bothdetachedcompanies returned to Arzewonthe10th.TheRangers' roleinOperation Torch, whichhadcost them a mere four killedand11woundedandled to the capture of several hundredprisoners, endedwith the actions atLaMactaandS1. Cloud, andDarby'smenwerenot initially involvedin the subsequent,somewhat badly handled Allied drive eastward toward German-heldTunisia. For the nextthreemonthstheywereattachedtotheFifthArmyInvasion TrainingCenter atArzew,honingtheir own skills particularly in night fighting and teaching seaborne assaulttechniquestootherunits. At theendof January1943thebattalionunderwent somereorganization: CompanyD gaveupitsmortarsandregaineditspurelyassault role,while an entirely new Company Gwas formed frommore than100 freshvolunteers. Thespellat the trainingcentreendedat thebeginningof February.Onthe1st the battalionboarded32Douglas C-47 transportsat Oranandwas flownto Youks-Ies-Bains airfieldnearTebessaclose to the Algerian-Tunisianborder.25Above: Full marching order for 1st Rangers as theymarch past agaves on December 5, 1942.Below left: This is aphotograph closer to the action.It shows Rangers in position on the Batterie du Nordon November 8following the brief battle for Arzew.Note the M1919A4 Browning .30 machine gun, thestandard support weapon for the Rangers.SPEARHEAD: RANGERSTHE BATTLE FOR TUNISIABelow: The advance towards Kasserine, Tunisia 1943.LIBYAGolfe de GabesRoute ofRommel'sGerman forcesAfter landing, the Rangers moved tothe headquartersof General Lloyd Fredendall,commander of theUSII Corps, whichlay a little to theeast ofTebessa,andDarbywasbriefedonhisnext operations. Theproposedmissionshad twoaspects. First, toconducta reconnaissancein strength to identify the Axis divisions, bothItalianandGerman, thatwere retreating into centralTunisia fromneighbouringTripolitania along the coast by wayof Gabes. Second, they were to maskthe redeployment of Allied units awayfromsouthern and centralTunisia, to meet athrust by Colonel-General JOrgen von Arnim's FifthPanzer Army from TunisandBizerteinthenorthof thecountry, by conductinghit-and-runraidsandaggressivepatrolstomisleadtheenemyastothereal strengthof theoppositiontheyfaced. Threeraidswereplanned- against Italianpositionssomefivemiles (8km) fromStationde Sened, against theDjebel el Ank, andMedilla. Observationof theenemyat SenedrevealedthattheRangersfacedtroopsfromtwoof theItalianArmy's better formations - theCentauro Divisionand theBersaglieri.Darby began the first raidonFebruary 11, setting out towards Sened, whichlay some32miles (56 km) from the Rangers' encampment at Gafsa, at thehead of half of the 1stBattalion - Companies A, Eand EThe first 20 miles (32km)were by truck and jeep butthentheraidersdismountedat a front-lineFreeFrenchoutpost andconductedthe finalapproachonfoot. Bydawnonthe12th theyhadcoveredsome 8 miles(13km) moreand layjust four milesfromtheirtarget. Darbyordered his men to hide up during daylight toavoid detection fromenemy ground observers andreconnaissance aircraft, and laid plans for theattack. The final approach to Sened began ataround midnight, and at 600 yards (550 m)distanceDarbyorderedhismenintoa skirmishline for theassault. TheRangershadsofarbeenundetected but some 200 yards (200 m) from thetarget, the Italians opened fire withmachine guns.Nevertheless, theattackcaught most of Sened'sgarrisonby surprise as Darby's men swept into thepositions. Aided by mortar fire, the Rangersquickly overcame any opposition. Many of theItalians fled, but around50 werekilledandmanymorewounded. TheRangers, whohadonemankilled and 18 wounded, also captured 10prisoners fromthe 10th Bersaglieri Regiment.With dawn on the 12th less than three hoursaway, Darby now ordered a rapidwithdrawal. Hiscommandwasdividedintotwocolumns, oneofwhichincludedthewounded, andbothset offonthe 12-mile (20 km) trudge back to friendly lines.Bothgroupsreturnedwithout further loss - thefaster column arrived at dawn on the 12th and theslower with the wounded during the followingday.Senedwasanoperationof thetypethat hadbrought Robert Rogers' fame in the eighteenthcentury and its success was recognized by theawardsgiventothe1stBattalion. Darby, fourofhis fellowofficersandnineenlistedmenreceivedtheSilver Star; the Italianswho hadfaced theTUNISIA.....\"'"'"'., \

.... q'Cq.'.40 MILESII50 KILOMETRES ooI"""'/ ,)-- Gafsa;' EI Guettar Djebel el Ank

ii"'"'"'ALGERIA "'"'i\'.26Rangers took to calling them the 'Black Death'.However, the Rangers were unable to capitalize on their success at Senedas the otherplanned raids werecancelled duetoamajortwo-pronged German attackthat waslaunchedagainst theKasserinePassincentral Tunisia. DevisedbyFieldMarshal ErwinRommel, whohad recently returned to North Africa after anillness, the intentionwas forarmouredunitstostrikethroughthepass that ranthroughthe WesternDorsalerange,capture the Alliedbase at Tebessaand then turnnorthwards toencircle the Alliedforcesbattlinginnorthern Tunisia. TheRangers, whowereactingas a rearguard,pulledout ofGafsaonthe14thandthreedayslater theymovedintopositiontocover theeasternentrance toDernaiaPass, asecondroute southof Kasserine that alsoled toTebessa. TheRangerswerestrungoutover twomiles(3km) of front inhill-toppositionssome fourmiles (6 km) fromthe vital Gafsa-Kasserine road at Feriana fromwhere aroutebranched westwards through the Dernaia Pass towardsTebessa. Axis troops wereadvancing along the Gafsa-Kasserine road and the Rangers were ideally placed to reportonthesetroops' movements. TheGermansdidnot assault Dernaiadirectlybut kept itunder periodic artillery fireandlaunched variousprobes andreconnaissance operations.The Rangers also conductedpatrols andhad firefights with the enemy but there werenomajor attacks to deal with, although one company was flung into the battle for Kasserineon the 22nd.TheRangersremainedat Dernaia Passuntil March1, whentheywerewithdrawnfromthefront lineandwent intocampat Djebel Kouif. Onthe13ththeyset out forGafsa, some50miles(80km) southeast of Dernaia, onceagainandreachedthe townthreedayslater. Gafsawasthejunctureof twoimportantroads that lednortheastandsoutheast throughpasses tothecoastof central Tunisiaandwastobethespringboardfor attacks by Patton's USIICorps after the end of the fighting at Kasserine. The northernadvancetowardsSfaxbywayofSenedandMaknassywasledby theUS1st ArmoredDivision, whilethe US 1st InfantryDivision and the 1st Rangers were tasked withcapturing Axis-heldEI Guettar, fromwhere roads lead northeast to Sfax and southeast toGabes. TheRangerswereorderedtoprobeEI Guettar todiscoverthestrengthof thedefencesandonMarch18 theymovedagainst their objectiveunder cover ofdarknessonly to find that theoasishadbeenabandoned.WithEI Guettar as a forwardbase, II Corps' attack towards thecoast coulddevelopand theRangerswere ordered toseize the commandingheights of Djebel el Ank, whichoverlookedtheroutes toSfax andGabes. Theseenemy positionswere only fivemiles(8km) fromEI Guettar, but were too strong to attack frontally, so Darby pulledhis men backtoGafsaandlaunched themon a 12-mile (20km)flankingmarchlateontheevening27Above: The white armbands have gone as the Rangersmarch back from an exercise on December 5,1942.Above: Troop movement during the Battle of Sened.An extremely successful use of the Rangers saw theItalian troops at the Station de Sened in a surpriseattack. Darby and thirteen other Rangers receivedSilver Stars for the action.SPEARHEAD: RANGERSof the 20th. The lightly equipped Rangers made good progress, although theaccompanying combat engineers with their heavy mortars found the going more difficult.By0600on the 13thDarby was ready to assault the enemy positions. The attackcommenced, withtheRangers neutralizingenemystrongpointsone byone, oftenatbayonet point,despite facingheavymachine-gunandartillery fire. Twohourslater thecombat engineersbegandroppingmortar roundsontheremainingAxisemplacements.Themainbattleendedsuccessfullyintheearlyafternoon, whentheUS1st InfantryDivision's 26thRCT arrivedtooccupy thedjebel, but theRangerscontinuedmopping-up operations until 1400 hours, whenDarby wasable toreport thecaptureof boththeheights and 200prisoners.Theswift lossof Djebel el Ankbrought about a seriesof counterattacksfromtheGermans, whoimmediatelyattackedthehighgroundstretchingina curvefromtheDjebel el AnkinthenorthtoDjebel Berda, somefivemiles(8km) southof the EIGuettar-Gabesroad, that wasnowoccupiedby the1st InfantryDivision. Onthe24ththeRangersweremovedtoaidtwobattalions of thedivision's 18thInfantryRegimentwhichwerestrugglingtobeat off Germancounterattacksagainst theirpositionsontheDjebel Berda. Darby'smeninitially settleddownonthedjebel'sHill 772butall of thebattalion bar Company Dwere flung into action against a German attack on the isolatedbattalions. For threedaysthe Rangersfought on, oftensurrounded, but their actionallowed the two battalions to withdraw in good order. The Rangers were relievedby unitsof theUS9thInfantryDivisionandwithdrawnfromthefightingaroundEI GuettaronMarch27,althoughthebattlecontinuedforseveral days. The1stBattalionreceivedaPresidential Unit Citation for this actionsome12months later.Darby now foundhis battalion divided to undertake patrolling duties as the campaigninTunisia entered its final phase.Two companies were stationed at Gafsa, two at Madjeneel Fedj, some25miles(40km) north,andtwoatSidi bouSid, a further 35miles(56km)to the north.The last Axis forces in North Africa finally surrendered on May 13 but the Rangers hadalready departed to prepare for their next operation. On April17 they had movedby roadandrailtoNemours, close to Oranin Algeria, where the battalionestablished a base andtraining facilities. Two days later Darby, who had requested the expansion of the Rangers,wasinformedthat hewastooverseethecreationof twonewbattalionsandthat theyhad tobe ready for actioninsix weeks. Darby decided to split his existing battalion intothree two-company groups anduse these experiencedmenas thecore of the new units.As a2ndBattalionhadbeen activatedin the United States on April 1, Companies AandB consequentlyformedthebasisforthe3rdRangersunder Major HermanDammer,Companies EandFwent to the 4thRangers under Major Roy Murray, whileCompaniesCandDwereusedtorebuildthe1st Battalionunder Darby. Withtimepressing,DarbyscouredNorthAfricafor potential recruitsandcandidatesweredespatchedtoNemoursto undergo training withDammer. The twonew units were formerly activatedonMay 21but were giventhetitleProvisional until June21. The wholecommand, which wasreinforcedby the 83rd ChemicalMortar Battalion (equipped with 4.2-inch mortars), wasdesignatedtheRanger Force(Provisional) but wasmorecommonlyknownasDarby'sRangers.THE INVASION OF SICILYDarby'sRangershadbeendetailed for a leadingroleinOperationHusky, the Anglo-USinvasion of Sicily. The Rangers were earmarked to spearheadlandings by theUS SeventhArmy under General GeorgePattonat twopointsonthe island's west coast - the townsof LicataandGela.Astheinvasiondrewnear, Darbymovedwiththethe1st and4th28IN ACTION29While the Rangers were preparing for the invasion ofSicily, in the United States and United Kingdom othercadres were preparing. These photographs were takenon awet February 26,1943, at the Commando Depot(later the Commando Basic Training Centre), whichhad been established at Achnacarry Castle, near FortWilliam, in the Highlands of Scotland in March1942.The depot was commanded by the formidable Lt-ColCharles Vaughan(see Spearhead 10 Commandos)who is in both photographs.Above:Top brass at the Commando Depot watching29th Rangers parade: from left to right in the front -Capt Joy, depot adjutant; ].M. Pate, Minister of WarTransport; Maj Gen. Gerow;Brig. Robert Laycock, chiefof the Special Service Brigade; and Lt-Col. Vaughan.Left: Major-General Gerow talks to Sgt John O'Brien ofthe 29th Rangers. Nearest the camera is Lt-Col.aughan. (See also pages 44-45 for furtherinformation on 29th Ranger Battalion.)Below: Gela was a significant target on the east ofSeventh Army's landings on Sicily. The Rangerssecured their objective, threw aperimeter around thecity and held it against counter-attacks. This is thecathedral on]uly 11, 1943, the day after the landings.SPEARHEAD: RANGERSBattalions to the vicinity of Algiers tolinkup withthe1st Infantry Divisiononceagain,whileDammer moved hiscommandtocamps around Bizertein northern Tunisiatosupport Major General Lucian Truscott'sUS 3rdInfantry Division.The1st and4thRangersboardedthelandingshipsUSSDickman, HMS Albert andHMS Charles.They were to act as aspearhead force to tackle Axis defences at Gela beforethe mainlandingby the 1st Infantry Divisionbegan. Estimates suggested that the targetandits environs weredefendedby three fixedshore batteries, a battery of 77mm fieldguns, twomortarcompaniesandmorethana scoreof machine-gunpositions. DarbyplannedforhistwobattalionstolanddirectlyoppositeGela, totheleftandrightof a2,000-yard(1,800m)pier that jutted out into the harbour fromthedeadcentre of thecoastal town. The1st Rangersweretolandtothenorthof thepier andthenswingwestwardtoneutralize afort, while the 4thRangers swungeastward todealwithothercoastal defences. Half anhour after the initial assault the1st Battalion, 39thEngineers,wasscheduledtolandonthe1st Rangers'beachtobe followedat 30-minute intervalsby the 83rdChemical Mortar Battalionand asecondbattalion of engineers respectively.The1st Battalionengineers, fightingas infantry, wereorderedto fill thevacuumleft bythe flankingattacks of the twoRanger battalions.At around 0130hoursonJuly 10, theRangers clamberedinto their 48assault craftfrom their landingships, a task made difficult because of 40mph(64 km/h)windsandroughwaters,andheaded for their forminguppoint some fivemiles(8km)fromtheirdropping-off point. Thefinal runin,whichtooksome30minutes, beganat 0245. Theenemywerealert toimminent attackbut theirfire, although heavyand directedbysearchlights,waslargelyinaccurateandtheRangersmadedirectly for shorewithlittledifficulty. As expectedthepierwasprimedfordemolitionanditscentral sectionwasdemolishedjust asthetheattackerspassed, but fewcasualtieswerecausedandtheassault waves made for shore, some arriving five minutes early. Many boats reached theirallotted target without difficulty but others beachedon sandbars and theRangers had towadeashore. Somemade it easily but others, particularlyinthe4thBattalion,becamecasualties whenthey ran intobarbedwireanda minefield. Thetwobattalionsnextmoved through the edges of Gela, meeting only light resistance fromoccasional snipers,and then began the task ofneutralizing the flankingdefences. Aided bysalvoesfromthe cruiser USS Savannah, the 1stBattalion quickly overcame thedefenders of the fort, whilesimilar successes were achievedby the 4thRangers.These missions complete,Darbyreassembledhisforcesonthe beaches and led themintoGela to form a perimeter toprotecttheongoingunloadingoftroops and supplies. At around0700 hours the Italians pushedtanks of their Gruppo MobileEinto the town and these werebeaten off thanks to asingle37 mmanti-tankgun managedby Darby and Captain CharlesShunstrom,bazookasandsatchel30IN ACTIONPortoEmpedocle- SYRACUSE

_ Campobello- Niscemi, -Butera

XXUS18l/' RANG;,SEVENTHARMY60KILOMETRESMediterranean Seao 40MILESt-I-------1.....ocharges.A greater threat developedaroundmidday, when18Germantanksrumbled Above: The Rangers'Sicilian campaign, which startedtowardthe townsupportedbyelements of theItalianLivorno Division.Onceagainthe at Gela and Licata and ended on the coast opposite theattackwasrepulsedbytheRangers, whobolsteredtheirownmeagrefirepowerwith toe of Italy.roundsfromthemortars, a number ofcaptured77mmfieldguns, andoffshorenavalsupport. A third attack by abattalion of enemy infantrystalled some2,000yards(1,800m)fromthe townthanks to themassed firepower of the 83rdChemical MortarBattalion.By early afternoonGelawas firmly heldby the Allies and the Axis troops werewithdrawinginto thehighgroundaround the town.Onthe12thDarbywasorderedtoadvancetowardsSan NicolaandMonteDeltaLapa,mountains thatriseprecipitously out of thecoastal plainandguardtheentranceto a pass some four miles(6km)northwest of Gela that leads toLicataandits invasionbeaches. As the 1st Infantry Division battled inland for the town of Niscemi, Darby movedagainst theenemyholdingthepeakswitha commandreinforcedbytheengineerandmortar units that had landed with the Rangers two days previously and anewly attachedarmoured infantry detachment.The armoured infantry and engineers assaulted SanNicola while the twoRanger battalions struck against Monte DeltaLapa. Under cover ofdarknesstheRangersclimbedthesteep-sidedpeakbut ranintoa hail of artillery firefrom concealed batteries.The attack stalled and only regained its momentum whenDarbycalleddownfiresupportfromtheSavannah that provedhighlyaccurate. TheRangerstook some 600 prisoners during the battle and linked up with the 3rd Division, which hadbeenpushingsouthwards fromLicata, the followingday.Darby's next task was to assault the inland town of Butera, some 4,000feet(1,200 m) above sea level and eight miles (12 km) inland due north of Gela. Fire support31Below:S/Sgt Francis P Padrucco of 1st Rangers wasawarded the Silver Star for his actions during theassault on Gela,Sicily. His left arm carries the1stRanger Battalion's shoulder flash; next the white 5and Adisplayed on a blue field against a redbackground denoting Fifth Army; finally his staffsergeant's stripes.SPEARHEAD: RANGERSwasprovidedby18 self-propelled75mmhowitzersandtheSavannah. Theadvance, atwo-prongedattack,commencedunder cover ofdarkness shortly after midnight.Someof the troops moving directly onButerapushed forwardat a rapidrate, forcingDarby tohalt theimminent artillerybombardment. AlthoughGermanofficersattemptedtoforcetheItalians to fight, theyhadlittlesuccessand the small party of Rangers occupied thetownwithunexpectedease.While Darby was securingGela and battling for Butera, Major HermanDammer's 3rdRangershadlandedonbeaches some threemiles(5km)west of Licata to thenorthofGela, pavingthewayforthearrival oftheUS3rdInfantryDivision's7thRegimentalCombat Team. The firstwaves cameashoreunhinderedat 0400on the10th but quicklyraninto sporadically heavy machine-gunand artillery fire fromenemy positions onhighground. Theseweresoonovercomeandthe battalion turnedeastwards, movingalong aridge that randirectly intoLicataitself. The townwas quickly occupiedand the battalionremainedthereuntil themorningof the12th, whenit advancedinlandtoCampobelloto the north. Dammer's Rangers next moved via truck andon foot to first Naro and thenFavarainthevanof a northwardssweeptoclear thecoast of theenemy. FromFavarathe troops moved westwards towards the town of Agrigento, which was held by asizeableItaliangarrison.The plan to capture Agrigento involved aregiment of the 3rd Division moving directlyonthe target while theRangers tackled a highpeak knownasMontaperto, fromwhereAxis artillery could fire down on any force moving on the town, as the first stage of aflankmarcharound Agrigento. Some threemiles(5km)out ofFavara theRangers, whowereattemptingto clear aroadblockbarringtheir wayforwards, were struckby intenseartillery fire, but they were able tobreak throughthe Italiandefences andcapture some165 prisoners within the hour. The main attack onMontaperto opened on the morning ofJuly16and, despiteenemyartilleryfire, theRangersscrambledupthepeak'ssteepslopessupportedby theirmortars. ThisfireforcedtheItaliangunnerstoabandontheirartillery pieces and afortuitous round also hit the battery's ammunition dump.Montaperto was quickly occupied and Dammer's men then swept over an adjoining pieceof highground, where theenemy hadcommandand observationposts.Here, theItalians surrendered without afight.After thecaptureof MontapertotheRangersagainmovedsouthwardinthedirectionof PortoEmpedocle, a coastal townlyingjustnorthof Agrigento. Frompositionsinanalmondgrovesome2,000yards(1,800m) fromthetown, thebattalion, minusonecompanyleft toguardtheleftflankandrear, launchedapincer attack fromeast andwest at around1430 onthe16th. While the the twocompaniesunderDammer attackingfromtheeast quicklyovercamepocketsofresistance,threecompaniesunderMajor AlvahMillerhadtofight hardtocrushGermantroopsholdinga walledcemeteryandcoastal defencepositions. PortoEmpedocle was declared secure by 1600. On the 17th the 3rd Battalionestablishedacamp near Montaperto but duringthefollowing day moved toRaffadalio north of Agrigento, where it remained for aweek and thenrejoined therest of Darby'scommand, whichwasnowbasedat Ribera, a fewmilesfarthernorth.Some sevendays after the landings and initial exploitationphase of Husky, theAllieshad control of severallinked and expandingbeachheads and were poised todrive through Sicily toward their ultimate objective - Messina. Patton's USSeventh Army in the westernhalf of islandwas detailed to support the main driveby General Bernard Montgomery's British Eighth Army in the east. However,Montgomery encounteredstubbornresistance that slowedhis advance to a crawland Patton, facing lesser opposition, decidedtostrikeout for Palermoon the32IN ACTIONisland's northwest coast rather thanrelievesomeof thepressure facedby theBritish.Several units, part of anewly activatedProvisional Corps under Major GeneralGeoffrey Keyes, were committed to thedrive on Palermo. Darby was givencommandofForce X, whichcomprised thethree Ranger battalions, the 39thRegimental CombatTeam,and a battalionof 155 mm guns, and ordered to follow thecoast road that looped round the northeastof theisland.Darby initially left his Ranger battalionsclosetoRiberaandlateonJuly 20set offto locate the 39th RCT. After passingthrough Sciacca, he located the unit atMenfi at 0300 hours the followingday andthe advance along the coast began twohours later. TheobjectivewastocaptureCastelvetranoandthenmarchonMarsalaon the island's west tipbefore swingingdue east toreachPalermo. TheRCT successfully Above: By July 21, 1943, the Rangers had reached theovercame Axis forces defending the line of theBelice River and Castelvetrano fell on the capital of Sicily - Palermo.22nd,theday that other UStroopsenteredPalermo. WithPalermosecured, theRCT,reinforcedby the 1st and 4thRangers, swept though northwest Sicily, taking Marsala andthen liberatingTrapani on the north coast some 40 miles (64 km) west of Palermo. Withina fewdays, ForceX andtheaccompanying82ndAirborneDivisionwerein positionaround San Guiseppetothesouthof Palermo, markingtheend of theliberationofwesternSicily. Force Xwas immediately disbanded.Whilethe1stand4thBattalionswereplacedinreserveandestablisheda campatCorleone tothesouthofPalermo, the3rdBattalion, whichhadbeenheldback at Menfiduring the drive to clear western Sicily, movedup to the front and was attached toTruscott's3rdInfantry Division for a second time. Thedivisionwaspushing towardsMessinaonthenortheast tip of the island andhad reached Sant'Agata di Militello on the sole coastal road,Highway113, between PalermoandMessinaandsome50miles(80km) short of itsobjective.The 3rd Battalion, soon joined by Darby and a1st Battalion company, served withthedivision's7thRegimental Combat TeamandwaspitchedintobattleagainstGermanrearguards in the Caronie Mountains who were attempting to protect the ongoingwithdrawal of forces fromMessina to the Italian mainland by way of the Straits of Messina.On August12 theRangers firststormedthehighgroundofPopodi Marco, four miles(6km)southwest of Capo d'Orlando, andthenaided the drive of the7thRCT towardsNasoonHighway 113.The next target was Patti, some 35miles (56km) fromMessina.For thisoperationtheRangers fought alongside thedivision's 15thRegiment. While theregimentpushed on the objective by launching an amphibious assault, the Rangers moved inland bytruck to San Angelo di Brolo and launched asimilarly successful attack from the mountains.The Rangers' next target was Monteforte, whichwas taken with the aid of adetachment ofpack howitzers transported by mules. By dawn on the 16th Darby was holding high groundabove the townof Sanbruca, just four miles(6km)west of Messina, andpoisedtomoveagainst the final Allied objective. The followingday, once the Germans had completed theirlargely successful evacuationtomainlandItaly, theRangersmarchedinto thecoastal city,marking theend of the 38-day campaign.Several Alliedunits were withdrawn from the Mediterranean theatre after the capture33SPEARHEAD: RANGERSof Sicilyto preparefor the D-Day landings in June 1944. Although Rangers weredestinedtoplayakeyroleduringOperationOverlord, thesewerenot part of Darby'scommandasboth heand hismenwereearmarkedfortheforthcominginvasionandoccupationof theItalianmainland. OnAugust 18Darbyandhis threebattalionsweregathered together and moved back across the island to Palermo to rest, receivereplacementsandpreparefor theirnexttask - theforthcomingassault ontheItalianmainland. Duringtheir timeat PalermoDarby'scommandwasexpandedtoinclude aRanger Cannon Companyconsistingof four half-track-mounted75 mmguns underShunstrom.OPERATION AVALANCHE - THE SALERNO LANDINGSBelow: Operation Avalanche - the landings at Salernoon September 9,1943 - saw the Rangers used as aflank guard for General Mark Clark's Fifth Army. Thelandings at Salerno were the largest amphibiousoperation of the war up to that date and were stronglyresisted by the Germans. The counter-attacks ofSeptember 12-14 came close to pushing the Allies intothe sea. It was only the weight of fire from offshoreand the Allied air bombardment that enabled thebeach-head to remain secure.On September 3Montgomery's British Eighth Army launched Operation Baytown,crossing the Straits of Messina fromSicily andmakingunopposedlandings at ReggiodiCalabriaonthevery tipof theItalianmainland. Sixdayslater, just hoursbeforeItalyannouncedanarmistice, theAllieslaunchedthetwootherprongsof theirinvasionofsouthernItaly. OperationSlapstick saw theBritish1st AirborneDivisionput ashore fromwarshipsat theport of Tarantointhesoutheast, whileGeneral MarkClark'sUSFifthArmy began Operation Avalanche, alarger assault against beaches in the Gulf of Salerno,some45 miles (72 km) south of Naples on thewest coast. Salernowas chosen inpreferencetoa large-scalelandingonthemoredistant Adriaticcoast as AlliedaircraftonSicilycouldonlyguaranteecover overtheformer area, thenearbyextensiveportfacilitiesat Napleswereseenas a potentially valuableprizeanditplacedthe Alliesonthemost direct routenorthwards toRome.TheRangers'roleinAvalanchewas toactas a flankguardtothemainamphibious Pigoletti S. Mango

10IBattapagliaMILESIKILOMETRES 10oIoGulf of SalernoSarnoS.MauroRANGERS9th September 1944MEDITERRANEAN SEA34IN ACTIONassaultsof Clark'sBritishX Corpsand US VI Corpsbysecuringthe25-mile(40km)lengthoftheSorrentoPeninsulaandtheLattari Mountains, whichdividetheGulfsofNaples andSalerno. Darby's command, whichwas temporarily attached to XCorps, wastolandat a pointsome10miles(16km) northwest of themorenortherly of thetwomainlandingsitesandaroundsevenmiles(10km) west of Salernoitself.Onceashorethe various battalions were to push inland and establish blocking positions in the3-4,000-foot (1,000m) mountainstocontrol thevariouspassesthroughwhichanyGermanreinforcementsfromtheNaplesareawouldhavetotravel toreachthemaininvasionbeaches. The target areahad threemainpasses .- Cava-Noceraat theeastern,inland extremityof the peninsula, which was the most direct routefromNaplestoSalernoandthoughwhichHighway18snaked; theChiunzi Passsome5 miles(8km)west of Cava-Nocera; andthePimontePass, a tunnelledroute thatrannorth-southtoCastellammareonthesouthernshores of theGulf ofNaples. Afourthroute, the AmalfiDrive, also circled around the peninsula's coastline by way of Sorrento andCastellammareandwasanotherpotential, if morecircuitous, pathfor GermantroopsheadingforSalerno. ThecaptureofthehighgroundwouldallowtheRangerstospotenemy troopmovementsinthesurroundinglowlandsandcall downnaval gunfire fromAlliedwarshipsinthe Gulf of Salernoonany potentialtargetsby radio.The Rangers were transported to a 1,000-yard-long (900 m) narrow stretch of beacharoundMaiori onthepeninsula'ssoutherncoast inthreeLandingShipsInfantry(LSI)andfiveLandingCraft Infantry(LCI), guidedtotheirobjectivebya Britishdestroyer.Because of a shortage of landing craft - sufficient toland just one battalionat atime -the firstassault wavewasplacedin theLCls, while the follow-onunits were shuttled toshoreintheLandingCraft Assault carriedbytheLSls. The4thRangers ledtheway,landing in the dead centre of the beach at around 0320 hours on September 9. Completesurprisehadbeenachievedandthebattalionquicklyestablishedblockingpositionsoneithersideof thebeachheadandneutralizedcoastal defencesinthevicinityof Capod'OrsonearMaiori, whilethenext waves, comprisingthe1st and3rdRangers, werebrought ashoreinquick successionandthenpushedrapidlyinlandtowards theChiunziPass.WithinthreehoursoflandingtheRangershadaccomplished their primarymission.Speed and surprisehad enabled them quickly to overpower what limited opposition theyencountered. By0800hoursthe1st and3rdRangersweredigginginon MonteSt.Angelo diCava and Monte di Chiunzi, 2,500-3,000-foot (900 m) heights on the easternedgeof thepass, whiletheaccompanying509thParachuteInfantryBattaliontookupposition on 4,000-foot (1,200m) MonteCerettoon thewestern edgeof the pass.Daylight revealed that theRangersindeedhadpanoramic views of the surroundinglowground, particularly the towns of Pagani andNocera, andcouldeasily bringdownnavaland artillery fireonany German forcesheading for Salerno alongHighway 18 or by railthroughNocera. Astheseunitsconsolidatedtheirpositions, the4thBattalionpushedwestwardalongthe Amalfi Driveandthenmovednorthward throughthePimontePassto takeCastellammare. The peninsula and its passes were effectively barred totheGermans by the 12th.TheGermanresponse to theRangers' landingwas swift. The 4thBattalionwassoonpushedout of Castellammareandwithdrewwestwardto VicoEquensabywayofthecoastal Amalfi Drive. As they retreated the troops destroyed bridges and sections of raisedroadway to slow their pursuers. The battalion held on to its positions aroundVico Equensafor thenext twoweeksin the faceof frequentGermanattacks but thenwithdrew alongthecoast roadtothepeninsula'ssouthcoast. NewpositionswereestablishedaroundPimonte and thenearby route that randirectly northwards through thePimontePass toCastellammare. ThebattalionfacedGermanpressureontwo fronts - fromwest toeast35Above and next page: After Salerno, the Rangersfought effectively on the Italian Front - so much sothat the1st and 3rd Battalions received a PresidentialUnit Citation(see box page 37). This sequence ofphotographs taken on November 10, 1943, showsCompany D, 3rd Ranger Battalion, on patrol.SPEARHEAD: RANGERSalongthe Amalfi DriveandfromnorthtosouththroughthePimontePass - but thelocal terraingreatlyaideditsdefence. Theroadinthepassranthroughan800-feet-long(250m)tunnel andtheRangersduginat its southernentranceandonthehighgroundeither side. A75 mmgun mounted on ahalf-track was sited on the tunnel'sentranceandthis, coupledwithvariousotherstrongpoints, ensuredthat the Germans could not forcetheir waythroughthe pass. TheAmalfiDrive, with the sea on one side and mountains on the other alsoprovidedideal defensiveterrainand, onceagain,theGermansweredeniedanalternativeroutetoSalernoas theRangers tookupstrongpositions some twomiles west of Amalfi.Darbyhadexpectedhismissiontolast perhapsjust a fewdays,certainlynomore thana week, yet hisRangershadtoremaininthehills for 21days.The rapid breakout fromSalerno by Clark's Fifth Armynever materialized as theGermansfought stubbornlytothrowtheAllies back into the Mediterranean. As the pressure at Salernomounted, itbecameevenmoreimperative that theRangersslow theflowof enemyreinforcementsmovingsouthfromNaples. Thankstoexcellent observationon the high ground overlookingHighway 18 andfirst-rate ship-to-shore communications, accurate gunfire from aBritish battleship, two cruisers and ashallow-draught monitorsignificantly reduced the flow of German reinforcements to the Salernobeaches. However, theRangershad tocontendwithsometimesacuteshortagesofsupplies, particularly foodandammunition,duringtheirstay in the mountains andhad tobeat off numerous localized Germancounterattacks, while enduring frequent artillery and mortarbombardments.The Alliedbreakout fromSalerno finallybeganon the 20th. Clark'sVI Corps first droveeastwardina loopingattack towardNaplesand,three days later, was joined by XCorps, which pushed directlynorthwardsalongHighway18 towardstheport. Abletoobservethislatter push, Darby orderedhis men to strike for Pagani, close to Noceraat the northern end of the Chiunzi Pass, and also reoccupyCastellammare. With the Germans abandoningtheir positions in astagedwithdrawal tothelineof the VolturnoRivernorthof theport,the Rangers madesteady progress by way of Pompeii and MountVesuvius insupport of the US82ndAirborneDivision. Naples wasliberatedonOctober 1 andtheRangersmovedin. Darby'scasualtiesin the passes and subsequent advance totalled 13 killed and 21seriously woundedinthe1st Battalion, sevenkilled,onemissingand14 woundedinthe3rdBattalion, andeight killed, eightmissingand21woundedinthe4thBattalion. The1stand3rdRangersreceivedPresidential Unit Citationsfor their staunch defenceof theChiunziPass.WINTER FIGHTING IN THE APPENNINESThe occupation of Naples proved tobeno more than abrief respite forthe Rangers. On October 3they ended their attachment to XCorps andcameunder the direct commandof theUSFifth Army. Just threedayslater Darbywasorderedtoprepare twoofhis battalions forrenewed36IN ACTIONPRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION1ST AND 3RDRANGER BATTALIONSThe 1st and 3rdRanger Battalions, with the followingattachedunits:319th Glider ReId Artillery Battery;Headquarters Battery, 80th Airborne AntiaircraftBattalion;BatteryD, 80th Airborne Antiaircraft Battalion;BatteryE, 80th Airborne Antiaircraft Battalion;Battery~ 80th Airborne Antiaircraft Battalion;Medical Detachment, 80th Airborne AntiaircraftBattalion;Company H, 504thParachute Infantry Regiment;2nd Platoon, Company A, 307th AirborneEngineerBattalion,are cited for outstandingperformance of duty in actionduring theperiod10th to 18th September 1943.These units, comprising asingleRang:er force, landedat Maiori, Italy, with the mission of seizinghigh groundcontrollingChiunzi Pass and securing the left flank of theFifth Army inits pushnorthwardi n t ~ theplain ofNaples. The position heldby this forcewas vital not onlyfor flank security, but'also forooservationof theplainand of theGerman supply routes and communicationslines to the Salerno battlefrontDuring this period, theRanger force was subjected toalmost continuous mortar -and artillery fire andwasrepeatedly attackedby a determinedenemy. Hostileforces were estimated to outnumber theRangers and- attached units by approximately eight to one, butdespite superior enemy numbers, theRanger forceheroically fought off every attempt to dislodge it.Because of its limited strengthand the large areaassigned to it for defense, the force held the line thinly,marked with strongpoints withgaps coveredby fire.Severalmajor counterattacks were repelled during theperiod andnumerous enemy patrols were stopped, oftenin bitter, dose-in fighting, w-ith theRanger forceusing itsmortars, artillery, automatic weapons, and grenades withdevastating effect.The officers andmen of these units fought withoutrest or relief and with limited foodand water supplies.The continuous nature of the enemy fire and activity wassuchas to try the men to the limits of their endurance.Although overwhelming enemy forces drove almostconstantly at the sparsely heldpositions, thedetermination and courage of the 1st and 3rd RangerBattalions and their attached units offset theenemysuperiority innumbers and made possible the successfulaccomplishment of a vital mission.DwightD. EisenhowerChief of StaffOffidal:Edward EWitselMajor-GeneralThe Adjutant Generalcombat bytheendofthemonth. Bythe12ththeAlliedadvancetowardsRomehadfalteredalongthe VolturnoRiverinanareasome40miles(64km) northofNaples thatKesselringhadordereddefendedtotheutmost inorder that hecouldprepareevenstronger defences - theGustavor WinterLine - along the Garigliano andRapido Rivers. The Ranger battalions movedback south to the Sorrento Peninsula and established acamp at San Lauaro,where they spent some two weeks resting, training and receivingreplacements.By theendof October theAllieshadreachedtheBernhardorReinhardLine, anouterdefensivezonecoveringtheapproachestotheGustavLinethat ran almost directly north-south across the central Italian mainland some10miles (16 km) east of Monte Cassino. It was herethat the Rangersreturnedto combat. The 4thBattalionwas the first toleave SanLazzaro andon November 1 joinedtheFifthArmy's US3rd Divisionon the Volturno,where theyhelpedsecure a crossingover theriver; the1st Battalionleft itsbase late on the 8thand completed the 30-mile (48 km) journey by truck tolink up with the US 45th Division around Venafro at 0130 hours thefollowing day. It was later joined by the 3rd Battalion, whichwas initially heldbackat SanLauarotointegrateitslargerbodyofreplacements, andthenboth took part in fightingsouthwest of Venafro, servingsuccessively withtheUS 45thand36thInfantry Divisions.The 1st Battalionimmediatelymoved intoposition. Venafro, some 12miles (20km)dueeast of Cassino, was surroundedby commandingheightsthat providedexcellent positions forspottingenemy troopmovements. TheRangers occupied MonteCorno, supported by the83rd Chemical MortarBattalion and the Ranger Cannon Company, whilethe 509th ParachuteInfantry Battalion took charge of the adjacent Monte' SanCroce. On the 11ththe mortars and cannon company supported asuccessful attack by theparatroopers on the ridge that ranbetween the twopeaks andgave themanuninterruptedview of theGerman-occupiedvillageof Concacasalle. The1stRangers, joinedbythe4thBattalionfromthemiddleofthemonth,spentseveral weeks in the mountains.There were no major battles, but the Rangersconductedpatrolsandreconnaissancemissions, andusedtheirmortarstoharass theGermans aroundConcacasalle. The weather was bitterly coldandthe conditions, allied to frequent enemy shelling, ensured that the twoRangerunitssuffereda steadystreamof casualties. The3rdBattalionhadalsosufferedduringthefighting. ItwastaskedwithleadingtheassaulttotakeMonteRotondoand the village of SanPietroonhighgroundalong theeasternedge of theplain thatleads toCassino, but was stoppedsome 800yards(700m) outsidethevillage. Whenthisadvancestalled,thebattalionwas transferredtoCeppagnaclose toDarby's other twounits.TheRangers' timearound Venafrocame toanendinmid-December. The1st and4thBattalionsdeparted forLucrinoStationonPouuoli Bay tothewest ofNaples onthe14th, andthe3rd followedsixdays later. Thevariousunitswerebadlydepleted,havingsufferedcasualtyratesof around40percent during their time in the mountains due to the prolonged combat and theadverse weather. During the Christmas period they were allowed to relax andreorganize. Darby had recently been promoted to full colonel during avisit toClark'sheadquartersat Casertanorthof Naplesandhisvariousunitswereredesignatedthe6615thRanger Force(Provisional) onJanuary16, 1944.Aside fromthe1st, 3rdand4thRangers, this formationincludedthe 509th37SPEARHEAD: RANGERSAbove: Italy, January1,1944 - 80 men of 1st RangerBattalion line up to receive decorations fromBrigadier-General Theodore Roosevelt.The Anzio landings, part of a plan to force the GustavLine, took place on January 22, 1944. Training forthem involved three weeks of amphibious practicesand physical exercise.Right: January 14, 1944. Men of 2nd Platoon,Company A, 1st Rangers do their usual log exercises.Above right: January 16, 1944. Soldiers of 3rd RangerBattalion photographed at Baia in front of the landingcraft that will take them to the Anzio landings.By the29th all but six of the 767 men from the 1st and 3rdBattalions were either dead or prisoners.Far right: January 14, 1944. 1st Rangers load intoBritish LCAs for beach-landing manoeuvres nearNaples.38IN ACTION39Above: November 10, 1943: a medic treats a legwound sustained during a skirmish by Pfc John Bradyof the 3rd Ranger Battalion.Above right: Operation Shingle - the landings atAnzio by US and British forces under the command ofGeneral Lucas. This map shows the Rangers' part inthe battle.Below right: 1st Ranger Battalion troops boardvessels at Baia.SPEARHEAD: RANGERSParachuteInfantryBattalion, the83rdChemical MortarBattalion, CompanyH, 36thEngineer Regiment, and the half-track-mounted Ranger Cannon Company. Theregrouping was a prelude to what was tobe Darby's fourthand final amphibious assault- OperationShingle, thelandingsby the Anglo-US VI Corpsunder Major General JohnLucasat Anziosome40miles(64km) southofRome,whichweresupposedtobreakthestalemateatCassinobyestablishinga threateningbeachheadbehindtheGerman, lines and forcingthem to retreat northwards.ANZIO - THERANGERS' NEMESISAfter somethreeweeksof vital amphibioustrainingforthenewrecruitsarrivingatPozzuoli, theRangersboarded their assaultvesselsanchored off BaiaonJanuary 20inpreparationfor the120-mile(190km) voyage northwardstoAnzio. Thetransportscomprised PrincessBeatrix, WinchesterCastle, a pairof landingcraft, tank, a singlelanding ship, tank, andHMSRoyal Ulsterman, whichhadseen service with theRangersduringtheArzewlandingsandwhosepresencewasseen asa favourableomen. TheAnzio operation opened early on January 22, with the Rangers undertaking thespearheadrolebylandingonbeachesat Anzioitself. The1st and4thRangerscameashore first, beginningat 0200hours, andquickly fannedout throughAnziowithsomemakingfor Nettunotothe east. Opposition was extremelylight and the engineersaccompanyingDarby'scommandsetaboutclearingbeachobstaclesandmines, whilelanding craft returnedwiththe3rdBattalion. Theportwassecuredby 0800hoursandthroughout theday theRangers extended their perimeter by linkingup withtheBritish1st InfantryDivisionat Peter Beachtothenorthof Anzio andthe US3rd InfantryDivisionat X-RayBeacharoundNettuno.Forthenext twodays, thebeachheadexpandedslowlyasmoreandmoreAlliedtroopspouredashore. TheRangersheldthecentral sector of theperimeter, a flat areabisectedby drainage ditches anddottedwithwoodlandbetweenoneroadrunningduenorth from Anzio to Carroceto and another fromNettuno to Padiglione. It quickly becameapparent that the Germans, who were rushingreinforcements into thearea whileLucasfailedtocapitalizeontheelement of surprise, heldthehighgroundoverlookingtheAlliedpositions andcouldraindown artillery fireon the Anzioplainat will. TheRangersinitially engagedinpatrol work but for the most part kept to their foxholes.However, onthe 25thDarby was orderedto supportanadvanceby theBritish1st DivisiontowardsCarroceto.The 4th Battalionled the way, having to negotiate numerous drainage ditches,while theremainingtwobattalions initially remainedinreserve.Supportwasprovidedby a USparatrooperbattalionanda detachmentof tankdestroyers. WhiletheBritishfacedstubbornresistanceat Carroceto, theRangershadtodeal withsnipers, enemymortar fire, and frequent firefights.However, the subsidiary role at Carroceto was only aprelude to a muchmore ambitious operationtobreak out of thebeachhead.By late JanuaryLucas, whowasunder increasingpressure fromhis superiors toactdecisively, felt compelled to launch amajor breakout fromAnzio. This called for asimultaneous two-prongedeffortonthenight of the 28th, onebyBritishforcesinthedirectionof CampoleonefromCarrocetoandthesecondtotheeast bythe US3rdDivision. TheRangers, supportedbytheUS504thParachuteInfantryRegiment, weretaskedwithleadingthe3rdDivision'sattack,whichwasdirectedtowardsthetownofCisterna. Theplanwas for theRangerstoadvanceunder cover of darknesssome fourmiles (6 km) beyond the northeast sector of the existingAllied perimeter, captureCisterna and thenhold it for afew hours until larger forces arrived on the scene. Cisternawasof considerableimportancetotheongoingItaliancampaign asit wasa hubofcommunicationsrunningsoutheast fromRometo MonteCassino. In German hands40o MILESIo KILOMETRES5IRANGERS22 JanIN ACTION_____________. DEFENCE LINE28thFEB-24thMAY 1944Above: AGerman casualty lies next to hisKiibelwagen, Anzio.Right and Below right:As a footnoteto Anzio, thesetwo photographs, taken]une 21, 1944, show aguerrilla band formed of escapees from a Germanprison train. Anumber of these men were Rangerswho had been captured during the attack on Cisterna.They escaped and operated behind enemy linesdisrupting enemy communications before reachingtheir own forces.Below:Burying the dead during the Italiancampaign.SPEARHEAD: RANGERSHighway 7 and the railway that ran throughCisternawereusedtoferrytroopstotheGustavLine; if thetown was inAllied handsthen thesevering of these two arteries might lead toaGermanwithdrawal fromCassinoandfacilitatearapiddriveon theItalian capital.Theplanwas for theRangers tocrawlforwardfromtheexistingfront lineinvirtual singlefilealong a ditch, theFossadi Pantano, whichwasanoffshoot of thewestern branch of the MussoliniCanal andendedjust twomiles(3km) short ofCisterna. They would thendebouchonto theopenlandoutsidethetownandfollowthelineof theroadrunningbetweenit andNettunobywayofthevillageofIsolaBellato their objective.Itwasatricky plan, but one that the Rangers weretrained for and experienced enough to accomplish,and intelligence indicated that the local oppositionwas expected to be light. However, eventsconspiredagainst theRangers even beforetheyopenedtheir attack. Returningfromaplanningmeeting shortly before commencing their unit'sspearhead attack against Campoleone, severalBritish officers took a wrong turningandwere killedin a German ambush. Consequentlya new unit had tobeassigned the task andits officers briefedonwhatwasexpectedofthem. Thisinevitablycauseda delayandthe twin-prongedoffensivedidnot openuntilthe night of the 29th - some 24hours later thanintended. In theinterim theGermanshad moved forces into the area of Cisterna in preparation for launching amajorcounterattack on the Anzio beachhead. Rather than facing just elements of theHermannGoring Division, the Rangers were now also confronted by units fromthe 26thPanzergrenadier and 715thInfantry Divisions.Unaware of these developments, the Rangers opened the advance on Cisterna late onthe29th. The advancewas led bythe1st and 3rd Battalions, which had infiltratedbetween the opposing front lines, seemingly without being spotted, by 0100 hours on the30th. The4th BattalionandtheRanger Cannon Company, tasked withclearingtheAnzio-Cisterna road for follow-on forces, moved off at 0200 hours but had advanced just800 yards (700 m)before being hit by heavy enemy fire. As dawnbroke the difficulty ofthesituationbecameevident - theleadingtwobattalionswerewell shortof Cisternaandwere fightinginisolatedcompaniesandplatoonsagainst a muchstrongerenemyforce. Worse, the 4thRangers was first delayedby heavy fighting at IsolaBella and thenbrought to a complete halt at Femina Morta well short of the other battalions. News alsoreachedDarby that thecommander of the3rdBattalion,Major AlvahMiller, hadbeenkilledby a shell firedby a tank.TheRangers' predicamentbecame clearer at around 0830hours. The1st Battalion'scommander, Major Jack Dobson, radioed that hewas surroundedsome 800 yards shortof Cisternaandthat Germanfirewascausingheavylossesamonghistroopsintheiropenpositions. The3rdBattalionwasin a similar situation. The 4thBattalionandunitsof theUS 3rd Infantry Division struggled to relieve the trappedRangers but were unabletobreak. through. Byearlyafternoon,the1stand3rdBattalions - what remainedofthem - were at the end of their tether. Some Rangers fought on until killed, others, manyof themwounded, surrendered, and ahandful withdrewto friendly lines.The 4th42IN ACTION43Below: It wasn't only in Britain that Rangers werebeing selected and trained. This photograph (and thatopposite)are of Fort Jackson, South Carolina, on April22, 1943, as Ranger recruits undergoe live firetraining. Established on June2, 1917, the new ArmyTraining Center was named in honour of MajorGeneral AndrewJackson, the seventh president of theUnited States. The first military unit to be organizedhere was the 81st 'Wildcat'Division. In 1939 FortJackson was organized as an infantry training centre.Four firing ranges were constructed, and more than500,000 men received some phase of their traininghere. Today the camp is the largest and most activeInitial Entry Training Center in the United States Army,providing training to almost 50 percent of the menand women who enter the service each year.SPEARHEAD: RANGERSBattalionitselfwaseffectivelysurroundedbut heldonuntil relievedonthemorningofthe 31st. Supportedby other troops it finally capturedFeminaMorta, but this was atriflecomparedtothevirtual annihila