Rangers in Combat: A Legacy of Valor
Excerpted from September/October 2007 issue of Assembly - magazine of record for the Long Gray Line:
What ingredients make an elite organization truly elite? The answer is by no means easily discernable. Practically every country in the world has its own elite forces, which possess various degrees of competency. If it were a matter of dedicated financing, resources, equipment, and training, U.S. Army Rangers would not have emerged as one of the world’s premier combat organizations. In fact, much of the American experience with Ranger units reveals a motley collection of small contingents, often slapped together in the midst of a conflict, and tasked to complete perilous missions with little or no support.
It is this history that Rangers in Combat by Lieutenant Colonel J. D. Lock examines, covering the exploits of Rogers’ Rangers during the French and Indian War to the 75th Ranger Regiment during the early months of Operation Enduring Freedom. Deviating from the traditional approach of simply relating historical events, LTC Lock provides a refreshing framework using the following themes to underscore how U.S. Army Rangers have become the premier military force of modern combat: Leadership, Determination, Survival, Intrepidity, Initiative, Boldness, Training, Fearlessness, Endurance, Daring, Valor, Personal Courage, Heroism, Planning, Cojones!, Confidence, Sacrifice, and Brotherhood.
Within this framework, LTC Lock assigns a theme to highlight a Ranger attribute during a particular conflict. The striking feature of these attributes is the crucial role that perseverance and fortitude plays during operations. As Rangers in Combat subtly evokes, military competence alone is not enough to ensure success. It takes dogged determination to succeed against daunting odds. History is replete with the failures of competent units that lacked these traits to push on despite hardships and misfortunes.
For most of their history, American Ranger units have been accustomed to operating with insufficient supplies, equipment, intelligence, and even manpower. They learned to depend on themselves, often operating independently for weeks at a time. It is this tradition that modern Rangers fall back on, and these traits then define why today’s Rangers are different from other elite organizations. Even if they were not the best equipped, resourced, and trained combat force in the world, U.S. Army Rangers would still dominate their adversaries. As LTC Lock illustrates, their tradition demands it.
Rangers in Combat is filled with thrilling and fast-paced action, placing the reader in the moccasins or boots of those that shaped American history. LTC Lock adroitly weaves tactical lessons in his observations at the end of each chapter. These insightful nuggets provide the interested reader with tactical guideposts. Indeed, this book serves not only as a history book, but also as a tactical manual for specialized operations.
Rangers in Combat is a superb book for the professional library as well as for military instruction. It has promise as an American military classic.
Rangers In Combat: A Legacy of Valor, by LTC (Ret.) John D. Lock ‘82, Wheatmark, 2007. Military history, soft cover, 405 pages, appendices, acronym glossary, index.
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Contents
Introduction
Author’s Note
Ranger Creed
Chapter 1: Leadership
French and Indian War:
Rogers’ Rangers – La Barbue Creek
Chapter 2: Determination
French and Indian War:
Rogers’ Rangers – Rogers’ Rock
The `Truth' Behind Rogers' Rangers Standing Orders
Rogers' Rules of Discipline
Rogers' Rangers Standing Orders
Chapter 3: Survival
French and Indian War:
Rogers’ Rangers – St. Francis Raid
Chapter 4: Intrepidity
American Revolution:
Francis Marion – Buffs Regiment
Chapter 5: Initiative
American Revolution:
Francis Marion – Ft. Watson Siege
Chapter 6: Boldness
Civil War:
Mosby’s Rangers – Stoughton Raid
Chapter 7: Training
World War II:
Darby’s Rangers - Cisterna, Italy
Chapter 8: Fearlessness
World War II:
2nd & 5th Ranger Battalions - Normandy (D-Day)
Chapter 9: Endurance
World War II:
5th Ranger Battalion - Zerf, Germany
Chapter 10: Daring
World War II:
6th Ranger Battalion - Cabanatuan Prison Raid
Chapter 11: Valor
Korea:
Eighth Army Ranger Company – Hill 205
Chapter 12: Personal Courage
Vietnam:
Sergeant First Class Gary L. Littrell – Hill 763
Medal of Honor Citation: Littrell, Gary L.
Chapter 13: Heroism
Vietnam:
Staff Sergeant Robert J. Pruden - Tay Ninh Province
Medal of Honor Citation: Pruden, Robert J.
Chapter 14: Planning
Operation Urgent Fury – Grenada:
1st & 2nd Ranger Battalions - Point Salines
Chapter 15: ˇCojones!
Operation Just Cause - Panama:
1st (+) Ranger Battalion – Omar Torrigos
Chapter 16: Confidence
Operation Just Cause – Panama:
2nd & 3rd (-) Ranger Battalions – Rio Hato
Chapter 17: Sacrifice
United Nations Operations Somalia II - Somalia:
Task Force Ranger - Mogadishu
Medal of Honor Citation: Gordon, Gary I.
Medal of Honor Citation: Shughart, Randall D.
Chapter 18: Brotherhood
Operation Enduring Freedom - Afghanistan:
Razor 01 & 02 – Battle of Takur Ghar
Chapter 19: Ranger Lessons Learned
Closing Observations
About The Book
