United States Army Rangers

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75th Ranger Regiment (Airborne)
- United States Army Rangers -

Coat of arms of the 75th Ranger Regiment (Airborne)


Coat of arms of the 75th Ranger Regiment (Airborne)
Lineup June 19, 1942
Country United States
Armed forces United States Armed Forces
Armed forces United States Army
Type Special unit
Insinuation United States Army Special Operations Command
Location Fort Benning
Nickname Army Rangers
Butcher Operation Torch

Operation Avalanche
Operation Husky
Operation Overlord
Invasion of Luzon
Operation Urgent Fury
Operation Just Cause
Operation Desert Storm (B Company of 1st Battalion only )
Operation Gothic Serpent (B Company of 3rd Battalion only)

The 75th Ranger Regiment (Airborne) (United States Army Rangers) is part of the United States Army Special Operations Command and, after the United States Army Special Forces Command (Airborne), represents the largest part of the United States Army's special forces . In addition, soldiers from other units also undergo training to become Army Rangers.

history

Depiction of Rogers Rangers at the United States Army Center of Military History
D-Day 1944 , Pointe-du-Hoc
US rangers in action during the Vietnam War

The Rangers traditionally refer to the ranger companies under Robert Rogers , who fought on the British side in the French and Indian War and were formed from the first settlers in the United States who fought against Indians and British or French troops using the land. His compiled training plan from reports of the "Rogers Rangers" are still the basis for the training of American special units for the Little War . Lieutenant Colonel in the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War Francis Marion is considered one of the founders of modern guerrilla warfare and a co-founder of the US Rangers for his ability to use ambush tactics, disrupt enemy communications and disrupt supplies, and free prisoners of war.

Rangers were also used in the American Civil War , especially on the Confederate side behind enemy lines.

The United States Army rangers were formed on June 19, 1942 in Northern Ireland from the ranks of the 34th Infantry Division . The British commandos , who provided training assistance, served as a model . In order to differentiate the new association from the British commandos, the name "Rangers" was chosen.

The first in command was Major William O. Darby . The Rangers (1st to 5th and the 29th Battalion) fought in the Second World War on the battlefields in Norway, North Africa during Operation Torch , in Italy in Operation Avalanche (Gulf of Salerno) and Operation Husky (Sicily) and in of Normandy in operation Overlord with a focus on Omaha Beach and Pointe du Hoc .

In the Pacific theater of war, the 6th Battalion was involved in the invasion of Luzon and the liberation of US prisoners of war. Especially that became known Merrill's Marauders (officially 5307th Composite Unit (provisional)), a major unit in brigade strength , which in the year 1943 in India was set up and trained in jungle and commando combat. The troops under their commander Brigadier General Frank D. Merrill intervened significantly in the Burma campaign in 1944 when they advanced behind the Japanese lines from the north, advanced over 1,600 km through the mountainous regions of the Himalayas and the Burmese jungle, Japanese supply lines at Maingkwan and interrupted in the Hukawng Valley and on May 17, 1944 the most important military airfield of the Burmese theater of war, the Myitkyina airfield took against a superior force. The supply took place through the air and for the first time helicopters were used to evacuate the wounded.

In the Korean War Rangers operated first as airborne troops . Due to the conventional military doctrine of the Cold War , however, the Rangers were disbanded after the Korean War.

During the Vietnam War , the Rangers were reorganized as long-distance spy ranger companies. There were a total of 15 companies. These were (with assignment):

With the exception of the A and B companies, all companies were stationed in Vietnam.

The current 75th Ranger Regiment was established in 1974 and has been the only permanent ranger unit ever since.

The Rangers' missions were Operation Urgent Fury in Grenada, 1983, Operation Just Cause in Panama, 1989, Operation Desert Storm in Iraq (only B Company of 1st Battalion), 1991 and Operation Irene in Somalia (only B Company 3rd Battalion), 1993.

assignment

Soldiers on patrol
Rangers during night reconnaissance

The training and equipment of the rangers is designed for both unconventional and classic operations. Basically, the Rangers are light infantry for quick operations deep in enemy territory. In addition to the general tactical reconnaissance in the depths of the operating room and the attack on key targets or key areas, their tasks include coup d'état and ambush in hunting , securing a landing zone for subsequent units in parachute jump or airborne deployment and the recovery of personnel and equipment. The association supports operations of the other associations of the United States Army Special Operations Command if necessary . In addition, the Rangers are able to take on all the classic operations that paratroopers or light infantry units can perform.

Due to their light armament, their ability to fight against mechanized units is limited. The ranger regiment itself has only limited anti-aircraft capabilities and no artillery, as well as little in-house replenishment capacities and other combat support. For longer deployments, this makes them dependent on the development of support from logistics at a higher level.

Their current role within the Army Special Operations Command is a command unit for direct coup-like combat operations ( direct action to take), which is also able to broad infanteristischer level larger targets such as airports.

At the operational level, the ranger units can be deployed worldwide within 18 hours, so that at least one battalion maintains a high level of combat readiness at all times ( Ranger Ready Force , RRF for short).

Motto and battle cry of the Rangers

The motto of the unit is "sua sponte", Latin for "of its own accord" or "voluntarily". The unofficial battle cry "Rangers lead the way!" ( German for "Rangers ahead!") Is probably on the orders of Brigadier General Norman Cota , deputy commander of the 29th Infantry Division , to the commander of the 5th Ranger Battalion during the Allied invasion of Overlord on Omaha Beach in Normandy during World War II. In the feature film The Longest Day ( The Longest Day ), with Robert Mitchum as General Cota this episode is also when g without the o.. verbatim quote, illustrated.

structure

Structure of the 75th Ranger Rgt. ( Military symbols )

The rangers of the United States Army are grouped in the 75th Ranger Regiment with staff at Fort Benning .

The regiment is divided into the regimental staff, three ranger battalions and a support association, each with a target staff of around 660 men. However, the total number is somewhat higher, as around 15% of the soldiers constantly take part in courses.

The Regimental Special Troops Battalion is divided into the staff and the staff company, a reconnaissance company, a telecommunications company, a field intelligence company and a training company.

The 1st Ranger Battalion in Hunter Airfield , Georgia, the 2nd Ranger Battalion at Fort Lewis in the State of Washington and the 3rd Ranger Battalion and the battalion staff in Fort Benning , Georgia , stationed .

Each ranger battalion is divided into a battalion staff with a staff company, four ranger companies and a support (supply) company.

The battalion staff company consists of a staff platoon with battalion command post, telecommunications group, mortar platoon, tactical and technical reconnaissance group, reconnaissance platoon, sniper platoon, service dog group with 18 service dogs, medical team, company supply group and company command group.

The battalion mortar train consists of a platoon, fire control group and two groups of mortars, each with two groups of mortars. The platoon is equipped with six 60 mm M224 mortars (platoon level), four 84 mm M252 mortars (company) and four 120 mm M220 mortars (battalion). Depending on the assignment, these are subordinated to or support the ranger companies for fire reinforcement.

The battalion sniper platoon consists of the platoon troop and two sniper groups, each with six 2-man sniper teams with M24, SR25 and M82 Barrett sniper rifles.

The reconnaissance troops of the battalion reconnaissance platoon are the first rangers to go into the target area during an operation, usually by air landing in gliding operation . There they carry out the first ground reconnaissance and mark and secure the landing zone for the following forces.

Each ranger company has three infantry platoons and one fire support platoon with heavy infantry and anti-tank weapons. The company command group consists of the company commander, company officer, company sergeant, a radio operator and the Joint Fire Support Team with the artillery fire control officer , artillery fire control sergeant and other soldiers. The company medical group consists of a medical sergeant and two medical officers per infantry platoon. Each company has eight HUMVEE's as support vehicles for the transport of supplies, ammunition and heavy infantry weapons .

Each ranger platoon consists of three 7-man groups with Colt M4 and 40 mm M203 grenade launchers as well as a machine gun group with three 2-man machine gun teams with an M240 L as well as a platoon with an officer and platoon sergeant as hunter sergeant and an artillery observer and radio operators.

Depending on the task, the regiment can put together special teams that are specially trained and equipped for diving missions, sabotage, air defense or for cooperation with other branches of the armed forces.

The Rangers are specially trained to capture enemy airfields and are often deployed in conjunction with the 82nd Airborne Division and the US Air Force Special Operations Units .

A ranger training brigade with three training battalions is subordinate to TRADOC .

Recruitment and training

Candidates must achieve a General Technical Score of 105 and a Physical Training Score of 240. Candidates must already have a Military Occupational Specialty that is compatible with the Rangers. This is followed by the Ranger Assessment and Selection Program (RASP), a selection process that was introduced in 2010 to find better soldiers. On average, just 37% of the candidates should successfully pass the RASP.

This is followed by a Ranger First Responder Course , in which the candidates learn the basics of military first aid. The further training of the rangers can include learning languages ​​or leadership skills at the Army Ranger School. The rangers can be trained as snipers or divers at other army schools.

equipment

As standard, ranger battalions are only provided with light equipment, which is intended to increase inconspicuous mobility in the field, air loading and air landing capabilities.

The M4 assault rifle serves as a handgun, which is gradually being replaced by the new FN SCAR . In addition, each group with Ranger M203 - grenade launchers equipped. The M240B is used as a machine gun, the Remington 870 as a bolt action shotgun , and the M24 SWS and the M110 as sniper rifles . Rifles of the types M14 and M21 are also occasionally used. Light anti-tank weapons are the heavy Panzerfaust and the anti-tank guided missile FFV AT 4 . Support weapons are 60-, 81- and 120-mm mortars and the Fliegerfaust FIM-92 Stinger .

The badge is worn on top of the left arm.

literature

Web links

Commons : US Army Rangers  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Military symbols at mapsymbs.com and at army.ca ( Memento of April 30, 2007 in the Internet Archive ), viewed on May 17, 2008 (English)
  2. ↑ 75th Ranger Regiment Official Site at [1] (accessed March 1, 2010)
  3. ↑ JOINING THE RANGERS. Retrieved August 26, 2014 .
  4. ↑ Michelle Tan: 75th's aim: More grads from Ranger course. Assessment program boosts success rate for soldiers up to E-5. In: Army Times. Gannett Government Media, September 3, 2011, accessed August 26, 2014 .
  5. ↑ training. Retrieved August 26, 2014 .