History of US Army Commandos Special Forces

Among many elite troops in the United States, Rangers (also known as Commandos or Special Forces) is an elite force with a long history and powerful fighting capacity. They have a glorious history and excellent traditions. With fearless spirit and perseverance, they have fulfilled the role of the world police in various places and won international recognition and praise. Rangers are light infantry. They can use various means of transportation to quickly enter the war zone to perform their tasks, so they often finish their tasks before other special forces arrive. Just like the motto "Ranger, be a striker" and the black beret and ribbon armband embroidered with the words Ranger, it has always been a symbol of the glory and dignity of Rangers. Rangers rank quite high among the world's special forces, ranking third in 2007, second only to the special forces of Delta Force and the United States Army.

1942 European theater of World War II On May 26th, Major General Lucian K. Truscott wanted to build an American army that could fight alongside British commandos. In addition, in order to highlight American characteristics, this army was named "Rangers" and was led by Major William O. Darby. 1 June, 94219th1Ranger Battalion was officially born in Northern Ireland. Most of the soldiers came from 1 Armored Division and 34th Infantry Division, and received battlefield survival and amphibious landing training at the Scottish Commando Training Center. About a month later, 44 rangers and 5 officers joined forces with Canadian and British commandos to take part in the Dieppe raid, becoming the first American army to fight the Germans in Europe. After that, Darby, the battalion commander who was promoted to lieutenant colonel, led the Ranger Battalion into North Africa, and carried out infiltration and destruction tasks in Albania and Tunisia, thus creating a precedent for infantry divisions. Because of the brilliant results, the rangers were not only praised by the president, but also expanded to the sixth battalion one after another. The 3rd and 4th Ranger Battalions 1 merged with the chemical, engineering and artillery units of the Army to form the' 66 15 Ranger Unit (6615 Ranger Unit), which will continue to be led by Darby. During the period of 1943, 66 15 rangers all achieved brilliant results in the Italian theater. During World War II, the more famous battles of the Rangers were the 2nd and 5th Battalions that participated in the Normandy landings. On the D day of 1944, the main force of Normandy landing was the 7 th and 5 th Legions, and the rangers belonged to the 5 th Legion. The main force of the 5th Corps is the 29th Infantry Division, 1 Infantry Division is on the right, and the' Temporary Commando' composed of the 2nd and 5th Commando Corps is on the left. It is generally believed that the characteristics of American infantry in World War II are young, highly educated and generally lacking in combat experience, but for rangers, the battlefield is where they play their skills. On the day of landing, American troops were violently attacked by the German 352nd Infantry Division. When other infantry were suppressed by fire, the strictly trained rangers quickly broke through the defense line regardless of life and death. Although the casualties were extremely heavy, such as the establishment of 70 people in Company C of Battalion 2 (the unit where Captain jonny miller was played by Tom Hanks in the movie "Saving Private Ryan"), 58 people were killed or injured after landing, and even the whole company was dissolved. However, the heroic behavior of the Rangers not only touched the infantry of the 29th Division who fought side by side, but also won the praise of General Norman D. Kota, deputy division commander of the 29th Division, thus leaving an immortal wisdom saying, "Rangers, lead the way!" . After the war, six Ranger battalions were also disbanded. Other lesser-known rangers during World War II included the 29th Ranger Corps from the 29th Infantry Division and the 5307th mixed detachment of the Burma Theater codenamed "Meryl Predator". Among them, the 5307th mixed detachment was led by Brigadier General Frank. Merrill, then an American wheat detachment in the Kuomintang army. Fight side by side with the New 38th Division, the New 22 nd Division, the New 30 th Division and the New 50 th Division of the Kuomintang Army led by General Sun Liren. They went deep into the jungle of Myanmar, repelled the Japanese18th Division which tried to attack China from the southwest, and left a glorious page in the history of China's Anti-Japanese War. The 5307 mixed detachment was reorganized into the 75th Infantry Regiment on 1954, which is the predecessor of the 75th Ranger Regiment.

Korean war

During the Korean War, the biggest change of the Rangers was that they had airborne capability, and the operational establishment was very different from that during World War II. During World War II, all the rangers fought independently, while during the Korean War, each ranger company with a strength of 1 12 was assigned to an infantry division with a strength of 18000 as the pioneer of each division. Rangers are responsible for covering, searching, blocking or assaulting in the division's actions. 1950, the army appointed Colonel John Gibson Van Gauteng to select a group of Ranger candidates to go to Fort Benning, Georgia for training, most of whom came from the 82nd Airborne Division. The training time is mostly at night, and the training subjects include light weapons operation, night skydiving, amphibious landing, blasting and fighting. And every soldier must be familiar with the Korean terrain. The first batch of trained 1 Ranger Airborne Company arrived in South Korea on 1950 12 17 and was incorporated into the 2nd Infantry Division. Then, the 2nd and 4th assault companies joined the war zone, the 2nd company was incorporated into the 7th Infantry Division, and the 4th company was attached to the 9th War Department and 1 Cavalry Division. From 1950 to 195 1, various ranger companies have thrown themselves into the battlefield. They infiltrated our territory by amphibious means, constantly harassing the rear of Chinese people's Volunteer Army and the Korean People's Army. With the end of the Korean War, all commandos were disbanded.

Vietnam War

The 75th Infantry Regiment with long-range detection capability was established in Okinawa on 1954 and was adapted from the 475th Infantry Regiment. The predecessor of the 475th Infantry Regiment was the famous 5403rd Mixed Detachment during World War II. February 1969, 1, the long-range reconnaissance company and the long-range reconnaissance company from nine infantry divisions, the captain of India's defense, joined Vietnam and was transferred to the 75th Infantry Regiment to become the rangers of 13 Company. Rangers during the Vietnam War were very different from the past, including selecting soldiers from various army units and training in Vietnam, as well as the division of operational responsibility areas by various units during combat. From selection, training to combat, leading cadres at the grass-roots level are under unified command and are no longer controlled by the central high-level officials. Different from the passive attack of ordinary infantry, rangers often take the initiative to attack in groups of 1 six or even two. They use air drops and helicopters to descend, or they use vehicles, speedboats and feet to go deep into enemy-occupied areas. In addition to investigating enemy situations or surprise operations, they also infiltrated enemy areas to assess the damage of B-52 bombers in' arc' bombing operations. Due to the excellent performance of the Rangers in the Vietnam War, creighton abrams, the chief of staff of the US Army, changed the 75th Infantry Regiment into a permanent 75th ranger regiment, becoming the first permanent Ranger of the US Army.

change

In the history of American war, cavalry has always been a commando team born in response to the war, so with the end of the Vietnam War, rangers can't escape the fate of dissolution. However, in 1974, General creighton abrams, chief of staff of the Army, thought that a permanent ranger force should be established to cope with the ever-changing international emergency. So 1 and the 2nd Ranger Battalion were established in Georgia. 1 Battalion was stationed at Hunter Army Air Force Base in Georgia, and the 2nd Battalion was stationed in Louisburg, Washington.

Iran's "Desert One" Action

The incident took place at the American Embassy in Tehran, the capital of Iran, 1980. The United States wants to send troops to rescue people in the embassy and calls this operation "Desert One". Originally planned by the army 1 special forces combat detachment, the famous Delta Force rescue. Nine RH-53D sea stallion helicopters were used to transport American and embassy personnel to the airport in eastern Tehran, so that all personnel could leave Iran by transport plane. The Rangers sent C Company of 1 Ranger Battalion, which belongs to the 75th Infantry Regiment, for support. The task was to destroy the enemy in the airport and ensure the safety of aircraft and personnel. Rangers received simulated drills in Egypt to deal with various emergencies, but I don't know whether it was improper command or poor equipment maintenance. On the eve of the operation, two RH-53D helicopters collided in the air, and 1 helicopter suddenly broke down, which not only forced the operation to be exposed in advance, but also made the rescue task more difficult. As the action was exposed, the enemy was not only unprepared, but also immediately dispersed the hostages to various areas, forcing the action to be cancelled. Commando Company C and Delta Force, who have been on standby in Egypt, can only return home in frustration. Grenada's "Emergency Fury" operation 1983, the US military finally got rid of the shadow of the Vietnam War and ushered in a large-scale victory of 1 after the Vietnam War. The invasion of Georgia by the United States is a temporary means for the government to realize certain political interests, and the US military does not have enough preparation time. When the US military used a large number of heavy weapons to attack the Cuban army, they did not forget a group of American medical students in Yanshui Cheng Lan Campus. Rangers not only joined the Army Rapid Deployment Force (RDF) attack, but also joined the action to save students. The task of the Rangers 1 is to occupy the Salt Cave Airport and the campus and let the paratroopers of the 82nd Airborne Division land smoothly. However, the SEALs of this operation could not land smoothly to provide information. 11On the morning of October 25th,1Company B of Ranger Battalion took the lead in parachuting into Salt Water Point Airport. Immediately after landing, the commando team was attacked by two Russian BTR-60PB armored vehicles and the Cuban army. However, with the support of rangers using shoulder-fired recoilless M67 guns and AC- 130H gunboats, the rangers immediately destroyed the enemy's armored vehicles and built fortifications. Immediately afterwards, Company A of 1 Battalion and Rangers of Battalion 2 parachuted in succession, quickly clearing the enemies around the airport and covering the smooth landing of the 82nd Airborne Division. Although the Cuban army tried to recapture the airport one after another, they were all repelled by the superior firepower of the US military. Different from the mentality of the US military not seeking victory in the Vietnam War, the political and operational objectives of the US military's sending troops to Gedao this time are the same. Therefore, whenever the light cavalry meets a powerful Cuban army, they will ask gunboats to bomb each other or the air. When the jungle becomes a scorched earth, the soldiers will clean up the battlefield. At the same time, however, 1 Battalion C commandos who went to Richmond Hill Prison to rescue hostages were not so lucky. Due to intelligence misjudgment, the UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter loaded with rangers was exposed to enemy anti-aircraft fire, and the helicopter was shot down without any air support. Other seriously damaged helicopters immediately retreated and landed on nearby naval vessels. The second wave of rescue operations was carried out smoothly with the support of the Marine Corps. The rangers are supported by AC- 130H gunboats and AH- 1S cobra helicopters. 1 Battalion Rangers took three CH-46 helicopters to rescue students from other areas. When they arrived at the scene, the rangers not only missed the landing site, but also 1 the helicopter crashed into a tree, but the rangers overcame many difficulties and successfully rescued all the students. The last mission of the Rangers in Doug was that the 2nd Battalion and Company C of Battalion 10/October 27th, 1 were ordered to attack the enemy training base near Yanshuidian airport. The troops went by four UH-60 helicopters, but when landing, 1 helicopter suddenly broke down and collided with two other helicopters. The accident not only destroyed three helicopters, but also caused three deaths and four injuries to the soldiers of the second battalion. But the rest of the rangers easily occupied the base without a task, because the enemy had left the area. Of course, the U.S. own goal incident has caused an indelible shadow in the glorious history of rangers. Panama's "just cause" action19841kloc-0/0. On 3 October, the rangers continued to add the third battalion to become the permanent rangers of the third battalion. In 1989, the rangers once again played a pioneering role in the "just invasion" in which the United States sent troops to capture the strongman noriega. Rangers 1 Battalion, 3rd Battalion Company C, and regimental gold detachment parachuted into Doriga International Airport, quickly advanced to Panama City and occupied the headquarters of the National Defence Force. On the other hand, the second battalion, the third battalion, Company A and Company B, which parachuted into Lilleharto Airport, were not so smooth. They were savagely attacked by the Panamanian Defence Forces. Although the rangers quickly occupied the airport with the support of AC- 130 gunboats, five soldiers were killed. Then, they raided the Panama Mountain Special Forces in the south. Because the troops were on vacation, the rangers easily captured them. After Panama was occupied, the Rangers immediately took on the task of maintaining order and protecting the safety of public facilities. 1990 rangers return home with honor. This * * * operation caused 5 deaths and 42 injuries, and captured enemy troops 10 14 and more than 8000 weapons/kloc-0.

the Iran-Iraq war

During the Gulf War, 75th ranger regiment went to the Middle East as the general reserve of the Allied Forces. 199 1 operation desert storm, 1 assault battalion company a 1 platoon and rearrangement (reinforced platoon) and company c assisted the allied rapid reaction forces in raiding Iraqi military positions. The regimental company conducted a large-scale airborne exercise in Kuwait. Although the rangers did not fully participate in the first-line battle this time, their strong combat effectiveness has a great deterrent effect on Iraq. 1August 1993 to1June 1993, during the "Restore Hope" operation in Somalia, Company B of the 3rd Battalion of Commandos formed a task force and went to Somalia to support the United Nations Peace Forces. In addition to helping refugees, they also carried out seven missions to hunt down the reactionary warlord Aidid. One of the most intense missions took place during the day of June 5438+1October 3, when the Rangers and Delta Special Forces jointly went to Mogadishu, the capital of the country, to raid military points in search of Aidid and his two important deputies and cronies. At the beginning of the operation, the special warfare team quickly subdued the enemy, but the helicopter stranded in the air attracted more enemy troops. As a result, two helicopters were shot down, causing many casualties, and the rest of the team members were surrounded by large forces and could not leave. Although the allied forces launched four rescue operations in succession, they all met with tenacious resistance from the enemy. It was not until the evening that the Coalition sent two task forces, including SEALs and Rangers, two Malaysian mechanized companies, 1 Pakistan Chariot Platoon and Air Force Special Forces to the rescue. After fierce fighting, the allies finally rescued the trapped players, but they also paid a considerable price. Generally speaking, the allied forces paid the price of 18 dead and 80 injured, and the light cavalry itself suffered the loss of 1 missing and 1 captured. Among them, there were few survivors of the second Black Hawk helicopter, and even two snipers who went to reinforce were killed. The failure of this operation lies in the lack of intelligence and reckless action in broad daylight, which not only caused heavy casualties to the special forces, but also dragged the bodies of the players to the city by Suojun, which is a great shame. At that time, this action was the one with the heaviest casualties and the greatest negative impact after the Vietnam War, and the large-scale sacrifice of rangers was the indirect reason for the resignation of Cohen, then Secretary of Defense of Clinton Administration. However, the sacrifice and dedication of rangers once again won unanimous praise from all countries in the world.