History 2nd Ranger Infantry Company (United States)

1 history

1.1 formation , training
1.2 korea
1.3 operation tomahawk
1.4 retraining , lull
1.5 hill 581
1.6 final battles , disbandment

history
formation , training

the u.s. army, until point typically did not allow african-american soldiers serve in special forces units, authorized african-americans apply become rangers. however, in spite of executive order 9981, had de-segregated u.s. military in 1948, army opted pool black applicants 1 company. 1950, units still de facto segregated, , in 82nd airborne division, ranger applicants came all-black units including 3rd battalion, 505th airborne infantry, 758th tank battalion , 80th anti-aircraft artillery battalion. many of applicants world war ii veterans had seen combat, , many others had served 555th parachute infantry battalion.

of pool of 5,000 applicants, on 2 october ranger training school selected 22 officers , 314 enlisted men first 3 ranger companies, entirely white. fourth, african-american company organized several days later. 2nd ranger infantry company (airborne) organized on 9 october 1950, assuming lineage of company of 2nd ranger battalion. had initial strength of 135 enlisted men , 5 officers under command of first lieutenant warren e. allen, company commander, , second lieutenant james c. queen, executive officer. had been designated 4th ranger infantry company (airborne), 2 companies switched designations, apparently prevent accusations of racial discrimination. unit formally activated on 25 october 1950 @ fort benning.

the 2nd ranger company on ferry in san francisco, en route korea in 1950.

the rangers trained extensively in reconnaissance, long-range patrols, motorized scouting, setting roadblocks, land navigation, camouflage, concealment, , adjusting indirect fire. undertook frequent live fire exercises, many @ night, simulating raids, ambushes , infiltrations. rangers trained 60 hours per week , ran 5 miles (8.0 km) each day , held 20 miles (32 km) speed marches, considered traditions ranger training world war ii. training numbered companies included of program used second lieutenant ralph puckett train eighth army ranger company. in spite of 30 percent dropout rate, of men completed course , graduated on 15 november 1950. rangers left fort benning on 3 december , traveled camp stoneman, california, 4th ranger company. sailed japan on 9 december aboard transport uss general h.w. butner bound front lines in korean war. company arrived @ yokohama, japan, on 24 december, , flown tachikawa air base taegu 5 days later.

korea

arriving in korea @ 11:15 on 30 december, 2nd ranger company attached 32nd regimental combat team, 7th infantry division, x corps regrouping in yonchon having been badly mauled in battle of chosin reservoir, battle signaled unexpected entry of chinese troops war. next day, division ordered tanyang , wonju block chinese southward advance along main roads , railroads in area. on 6 january rangers arrived @ changnim-ni regimental headquarters, used security element medical units protect them infiltration. rangers established counter-guerrilla patrols around regiment s main aid station , headquarters. first saw combat @ 02:00 on 7 january, driving off 20 north korean guerrillas had inadvertently run 1 of roadblocks. repulsed company-sized second attack on position. in action, rangers lost first killed in action, sergeant first class isaac baker, 3 wounded. north koreans had 50 killed. @ 09:00 9 january, 3rd platoon conducted patrol changnim ambushed advance north korean patrol, killing 11 while suffering 1 wounded in six-hour firefight 09:00 14:45. company created curfew, attacking encountered after dark, move disrupted communications , resupply local chinese guerrilla unit, instead opted move out of rangers area of operation.

on 14 january, rangers formed armored spearhead of 1st battalion, 32nd infantry attack on village of majori-ri, part of offensive push chinese forces tanyang area. company entered village @ 07:30 , ambushed battalion of chinese troops entrenched there in fortified positions. rangers able capture village , fend off counterattack heavy weapons, suffering 5 killed , 5 wounded while killing 100 chinese soldiers. however, moved reinforce u.s. infantry company advancing north, 2nd ranger company hit strong chinese counterattack, , forced withdraw after running out of ammunition. suffered 6 killed , 3 wounded.

—major general ned almond s controversial order keep 2nd ranger company segregated assigning non-ranger black troops , blocking white ranger replacements.

continued patrols , skirmishes in tanyang area, non-battle casualties frostbite , sickness in middle of korean winter, whittled down 2nd ranger company 67 men end of january. x corps commander major general ned almond ordered black replacements sent ranger company, though had not been trained rangers. action, seen racist move historians, done keep almond s troops segregated. although ranger replacements in short supply , order ensured company brought @ full strength, nevertheless reduced company s effectiveness. reinforcements many career fields, including many non-combat troops, joined company , had retrained.

the 7th infantry division reached full strength , saw action around chungju , pyeongchang part of effort push north korean , chinese forces above 38th parallel , away seoul. in february, 7th infantry division engaged in series of successful limited objective small unit attacks , ambushes before advancing cleared enemy hilltop positions throughout remainder of month. in time, 2nd ranger company acted probing force , spearhead attacks. on 20 february led 17th infantry regiment in attack on chuchon, taking town superior force of chinese troops. action undertaken several war correspondents observing battle, bringing international attention ranger unit. rangers commended particularly aggressive attack in pursued , surprised chinese column moving village, persisting in attack fixed bayonets when became apparent chinese force larger anticipated. chinese routed in heavy fighting. few days later, field commanders reported pentagon company performing extremely well, , pulled lines new mission.

operation tomahawk


captain warren allen, company commander, 1st lieutenant vincent willie wilburn, 2nd platoon leader, , 1st lieutenant james mother queen, company s executive officer, in front of company s command post @ tanyang pass in 1951.

on 28 february 1951, 2nd ranger company attached 187th airborne regimental combat team (rct), alongside 4th ranger infantry company, , began unit training jumps , tactical exercises in preparation combat parachute drop. these exercises continued throughout march 1951, of un force conducted aggressive operation ripper large-scale counteroffensive against chinese , north korean forces. follow-up attack, lieutenant general matthew ridgway, commander of eighth army, planned operation tomahawk, mission insert 187th rct , rangers behind chinese lines cut off chinese supplies , force them retreat north of seoul. during 3 weeks of training, rangers reinforced platoon of african-american rangers directly ranger school under lieutenant antonio anthony.

on 23 march, 187th , attached rangers dropped around munsan-ni, 24 miles (39 km) northwest of seoul, mission hold airhead interfere chinese , north korean logistical network, , linkup 6th medium tank battalion 18 hours after drop. force of 3,500 left taegu in 150 transports, on yellow sea , on north korean coast. 2nd ranger company dropped aircraft @ 09:15, first time in history u.s. army rangers conducted aerial insertion combat. suffering 2 rangers injured jump, force nonetheless able surprise , capture several positions of nk 19th division.

the rangers massed , moved south terrain feature known hill 151, linkup point 6th tank battalion. company surprised , overwhelmed chinese platoon in village 1 mile (1.6 km) north of hill, killing 6 , capturing twenty. took hill despite north korean resistance, killing eleven , capturing one, , forcing 2 platoons of north koreans retreat hill. rangers suffered 1 killed , 2 wounded. 18:00 had linked advancing 64th medium tank battalion of u.s. 3rd infantry division. on next 5 days, rangers commenced mopping north korean , chinese resistance, advancing 20 miles (32 km) north.

retraining , lull

in april, 2nd ranger infantry company reattached 7th infantry division, time 31st regimental combat team. company spent month training replacements, 400 enlisted men filtering company. may, process of transferring these men other units began u.s. army units throughout korea, driven necessity, began desegregating. rangers settled @ force of 123 men, among them first white member of unit, medic joe russo.

by may, rangers emplaced @ hill 258, on front lines between 31st rct , 7th marine regiment of u.s. 1st marine division. conducted frequent patrols along outpost network, encountering , engaging chinese troops. fortified hill , surrounding areas, served advance outpost warn 7th infantry division if chinese attacked. during period, fighting entered lull, , troops resumed rest , recuperation rotations. allen, pryor, , freeman left on 1 such rotation number of men, leaving queen , 80 enlisted men on hill.

hill 581

shortly after this, however, chinese infiltrators began appearing regularly in undermanned 2nd company s area, , 15 may, queen discovered chinese moving in force hill 581, several miles position, chinese fortify , attack hill 258. queen led platoon on sneak attack of chinese force on 17 may, covered 7th division artillery fire. @ 15:00, engaged surprised chinese, conducting double envelopment supported continued artillery fire. 17:00, rangers secured hill 581 chinese, suffered 50 killed , 90 wounded in attack.

chinese troops counterattacked in force @ 23:00, 2 battalions of infantry supported snipers , mortar fire. aided 7th division artillery fire, rangers held hill against chinese resistance. rangers repulsed 4 successive chinese assaults 1 of battalions, expending of grenades 02:00 on 18 may, , running short on ammunition 03:00. @ point, second chinese battalion commenced assault, surprising rangers , driving them peak of hill 581. queen counterattacked , retook hill 05:00. @ 06:45, chinese gave attack, having been severely mauled. in unsuccessful attempt take hill 581, chinese losses amounted @ least 120 killed , several hundred injured. rangers, having relied on tight interlocking crossfire , dug-in positions, suffered 10 wounded in battle. commanders in 7th infantry division stunned 2nd ranger company s effectiveness in fight, , result of action, company came considered model unit.

the 2nd ranger company moved east relieve 7th marines, reeling chinese attacks. in 3 days of intermittent fighting, company conducted number of search , destroy missions. culminated in attack on hill 545, estimated company of chinese troops, had pushed marines back, surprised rangers , forced withdraw, losing 15 killed rangers 2 wounded.

final battles , disbandment

in june 1951, peace talks underway in panmunjom, ranger company employed aggressively in offensive roles means secure better position un @ bargaining table. after number of operations north of 38th parallel 7th division, on 8 june rangers moved attack hill 772, operation crafted allen win strategically advantageous high ground position along front line. morning, company, support 7th division artillery, advanced on hill, first blanketed napalm strikes u.s. air force p-51 mustangs. chinese forces resisted sporadically withdrew @ end of day having lost 8 men killed , thirty wounded. against rangers had lost 7 wounded. on 11 july, rangers continued attack, backed 31st rct seized high ground near sanying-ni , forced chinese troops retreat further. in attack, 1 ranger killed , 8 wounded.

following this, lull in fighting along 38th parallel occurred, during both sides took time fortify positions , conduct fewer patrols. need offensive action diminished, on 10 july, u.s. army ordered deactivation of of ranger companies. in doing so, army noted establishment of ranger companies had been trial directed pentagon, had been completed. decision further clarified in relation 2nd ranger company, army stating racial differences had prevented company being used in offensive operations.

as result of decision disband ranger units, 2nd ranger company deactivated on 1 august 1951 while still in korea. many of other ranger units, of 2nd ranger company veterans folded 187th rct. airborne unit, believed sending men 187th, airborne skills used. nevertheless, in end turned out operation tomahawk last airborne jump of war , result, former rangers did not chance exercise these skills again.