2nd Ranger Battalion (United States)

2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment
2nd Ranger Battalion Shoulder Sleeve Insignia
Active	October 1, 1974 – present 1943–1945
Country	United States of America
Branch	United States Army
Type	Light Infantry
Role	Primary tasks: Direct action Airfield seizure Special reconnaissance Airborne & air assault operations Personnel recovery
Size	Battalion
Part of	75th Ranger Regiment
Garrison/HQ	Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington
Nickname	Rangers
Engagements	World War II Operation Overlord Pointe du Hoc Battle for Brest Battle of Hurtgen Forest Operation Urgent Fury Operation Just Cause Operation Enduring Freedom Operation Iraqi Freedom
Commanders
Notable commanders	James Earl Rudder

The 2nd Ranger Battalion is a special operations light infantry unit of the United States Army that is currently based at Joint Base Lewis-McChord south of Seattle, Washington, United States. The 2nd was formed when the battalion was reactivated in 1974 and serves to this day as a battalion of the 75th Ranger Regiment.

History [edit]

World War II [edit]

Rangers demonstrating the rope ladders used to assault Pointe du Hoc

On 1 April 1943 the 2nd Ranger Battalion was formed at Camp Forrest, Tennessee, along with the 5th Ranger Battalion. Both battalions were officially activated in September 1943 and shipped to Great Britain where they were prepared for Operation Overlord as part of six Ranger battalions of the Second World War.

On 6 June 1944, Dog, Easy, and Fox Companies, commanded by Lt. Colonel James Rudder, landed at Pointe du Hoc from LCA landing craft and specially modified DUKW "Ducks" operated by the Royal Navy. The 225 Rangers had set off from Britain to launch an assault upon the cliffs overlooking the English Channel. In order to over-strength the 2nd Battalion, members of what was formerly the 29th Rangers were assigned as well.

Unfortunately, several landing craft containing Rangers and supplies capsized in the stormy waters and many Rangers drowned due to heavy equipment, but others were saved and hoisted into other DUKWs to participate in the attack. The Rangers had planned to land at the base of the cliffs at 0600 hours, however, because of a navigational error, they landed nearly an hour late. This cost the lives of more Rangers as well as the element of surprise. During the attack, the 190 remaining Rangers scaled the cliffs utilizing rope ladders, but only 90 Rangers were still able to bear arms after two days of relentless fighting. During the assault, 2nd Battalion managed to disable a battery of 155mm French artillery captured by the Germans, which was their primary objective. These guns were to be aimed at Utah Beach, however, the Rangers prevented their use, saving countless American lives on the shores of Normandy.

Meanwhile Able, Baker and Charlie Companies landed along with the 5th Rangers, the 1st Infantry Division and the 29th Infantry Division at Omaha Beach. They suffered heavy casualties but were able to complete their D-Day objectives. The 2nd Rangers were later involved in the Battle for Brest and the Battle of Hurtgen Forest where they lead the assault on Hill 400, Bergstein. The battalion was deactivated after the war together with the 5th and 6th Battalion.

Modern [edit]

The 2nd Ranger Battalion was reactivated on October 1, 1974 as an elite combat unit eight months after 1st Ranger Battalion. The modern Ranger battalions are strategic assets, prepared to conduct missions short-notice worldwide. In 1984 the battalion became part of the newly formed Special Operations Command, 75th Ranger Regiment.

The 2/75th participated in Operation Urgent Fury in October 1983. During the invasion of Grenada, the 2nd conducted a daring low-level parachute assault (500 feet), seized the airfield at Point Salines, rescued American citizens at the True Blue Medical Campus, and conducted air assault operations to eliminate pockets of resistance.^[1]

In December 1989 the battalion took part in Operation Just Cause. The 2nd and 3rd Ranger Battalions and a Regimental Command and Control Team, conducted a parachute assault onto the airfield at Rio Hato, to neutralize the Panamanian Defense Force rifle companies and seize General Manuel Noriega's beach house. Following the successful completion of these assaults, Rangers conducted follow-on operations in support of Joint Task Force (JTF)-South. The Rangers captured 1,014 Enemy Prisoners of War (EPW), and over 18,000 arms of various types. The Rangers sustained 5 killed and 42 wounded.^[1]

Recently, in October 2007, D Company was added to all 3 Battalions of the 75th Ranger Regiment.

Lineage and honors [edit]

In 1972 Company H, 75th Infantry (Ranger), 1st Air Cavalry Division, was deactivated at Fort Hood, Texas. However, in 1974 its colors were reactivated and its lineage passed to HHC 2nd Ranger Battalion. Company H saw service in the Cambodian Incursion of 1970, and as Company E, 52nd Infantry (LRP), commanded by Captain Michael Gooding, fought some of the most notable battles of the Vietnam War. The Tet Offensive—the largest battle of the war—in January 1968; the relief of the Marine combat base at Khe Sanh (Operation Pegasus)—the second largest battle of the war—in April 1968; and the massive air assault into the A Shau Valley (Operation Delaware), the most heavily fortified enemy-held area in South Vietnam.^[2] On April 19, 1968, as 11,000 men and 300 helicopters from the 1st Air Cavalry Division swung southwest to air assault A Shau Valley, one of the most daring long-range penetration operations of the war was launched by members of Company E, long-range reconnaissance patrol, against the North Vietnamese Army when they seized "Signal Hill" the name attributed to the peak of Dong Re Lao Mountain, a densely forested 4,879-foot mountain, midway in the valley, so the 1st and 3rd Brigades who would be slugging it out hidden deep behind the towering wall of mountains, could communicate with Camp Evans near the coast or with approaching aircraft as satellite communications were a thing of the future.^[3]

Unit Awards and Streamers [edit]

The 2nd Battalion has earned numerous unit awards and battle streamers.^[4] Among them are:

• Presidential Unit Citation (Army), Streamer embroidered EL GUETTAR
• Presidential Unit Citation (Army), Streamer embroidered SALERNO
• Presidential Unit Citation (Army), Streamer embroidered POINTE DU HOC
• Presidential Unit Citation (Army), Streamer embroidered SAAR RIVER AREA
• Presidential Unit Citation (Army), Streamer embroidered MYITKYINA
• Presidential Unit Citation (Army), Streamer embroidered VIETNAM ’66-’68
• Valorous Unit Award, Streamer embroidered VIETNAM – II CORPS AREA
• Valorous Unit Award, Streamer embroidered BINH DUONG PROVINCE
• Valorous Unit Award, Streamer embroidered FISH HOOK
• Valorous Unit Award, Streamer embroidered III CORPS AREA’69
• Valorous Unit Award, Streamer embroidered III CORPS AREA’71
• Valorous Unit Award, Streamer embroidered THUA THEIN-QUANG TRI
• Valorous Unit Award, Streamer embroidered GRENADA
• Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army), Streamer embroidered VIETNAM’68
• Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army), Streamer embroidered VIETNAM’69
• Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army), Streamer embroidered VIETNAM’69–70
• Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army), Streamer embroidered PACIFIC AREA
• Joint Meritorious Unit Award, Stream embroidered PANAMA
• Valorous Unit Award, Iraq^[5]
• Valorous Unit Award, Afghanistan^[5]

Notable 2nd Battalion alumni [edit]

• Specialist Tim Abell, television and movie actor; served in Charlie Company 2/75 as an enlisted man in 1976–1977.
• First Lieutenant John P. Abizaid served as a Platoon leader 1975–1976 in Alpha Company and later as the XO of Charlie Company from 1976 to 1977. He went on to command Central Command in the second Gulf War, taking over from General Tommy Franks. His change in intelligence methods lead to the capture of Saddam Hussein. He retired as a General.
• Lieutenant General David Barno, commanded 2nd Ranger Battalion from 1993 to 1994. Later became Commander, Military Operations-Afghanistan.
• Lieutenant Colonel Wayne A. Downing was the third Battalion Commander of the 2nd Ranger Battalion, and eventually commanded the 75th Ranger Regiment, and Special Operations Command. He retired as a General.
• Command Sergeant Major Frank Grippe, served for many years in the battalion and was latter the CSM of Central Command.
• Captain Gerald Heaney, WWII, landed at Normandy on the early hours of D-Day, Heaney was one of only three still on the front lines with the Rangers on VE Day. He served for nearly forty years as a federal judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit.
• Captain Robert L. Howard was nominated for three Medals of Honor for his actions in Vietnam. Two were downgraded, and he did earn one. Howard commanded Alpha Company from approximately 1975–1977. Howard was later inducted into the Ranger Hall of Fame.
• Sergeant First Class Matt Larsen, father of the Modern Army Combatives system, founder of the United States Army Combatives School.
• Second Lieutenant Leonard Lomell, served as platoon leader during the D-Day landings. Was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his actions.
• Sergeant First Class Leroy Petry, Medal of Honor recipient in the War in Afghanistan^[6]
• Colonel James Earl Rudder, commander of the 2nd Ranger Battalion during World War II, later major general USAR and president of Texas A&M University, led the Ranger assault on Pointe du Hoc on D-Day.
• Sergeant First Class Randy Shughart, Medal of Honor recipient sniper who was killed during the Battle of Mogadishu.
• Corporal Pat Tillman, an American football player who left his NFL career and enlisted in the United States Army in May 2002 and was killed on 22 April 2004.
• Sergeant Stephen Trujillo, awarded the Silver Star during Operation Urgent Fury, the first Silver Star awarded since Vietnam, after rescuing fellow Rangers from a downed aircraft while under direct enemy fire.
• Sergeant First Class David Alan Taylor, of Hudson, Florida was awarded the Silver Star for his actions after an IED exploded and wounded the Rangers in his vehicle in March 2002. After the explosion, his vehicle rolled over and trapped the Rangers inside of the burning HUMVEE as the Taliban charged. Protecting his men, Taylor successfully fought off the insurgents after an hour long fire fight and hand to hand combat. He was able to save all of his men.
• General Stanley McChrystal, commanded 2nd Ranger Bat from 94 to 96, later went on to Command US and ISAF forces in Afghanistan
• Command Sergeant Major Jeff Mellinger served as a platoon sergeant in B company circa 1981. He was the last active duty enlisted draftee soldier left in the United States military when he retired on 31 December 2011.
• SSG Sean Keough, awarded the Silver Star for his actions during a raid on a Taliban compound on October 7, 2011. During the raid several wounded Rangers became trapped in an alleyway. Keough positioned himself between the wounded Rangers and a charging insurgent, sustaining a gunshot wound in the process. Keough refused evacuation and stayed in the battle for an additional 9-hours.

See also [edit]

• Ranger Assault Group

United States Army portal

References [edit]

External links [edit]

• Brief history since reactivation in 1974
• Brief unit history during WWII
• List of 2nd Battalion Rangers killed
• Photographic history of Company H, 75th Infantry (Ranger) in the Vietnam War.

Further reading [edit]

• "Pointe Du Hoe 2d Ranger Battalion". Small Unit Actions. American Forces in Action Series. United States Army Center of Military History. 1946. CMH Pub 100-14.