75th Ranger Regiment
From Citizendium, the Citizens' Compendium
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Organized into the three-battalion 75th Ranger Regiment, U.S. Army Rangers are airborne infantry specializing in quick raids, such as seizing airfields, and in providing security for more highly specialized special operators carrying out direct action (e.g., prisoner capture, hostage rescue, high-value target destruction).
The Regiment stays at a high level of readiness; each battalion can deploy in 18 hours, and either land or parachute into the area of operations.
- lst Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Hunter Army Airfield, Ga.
- 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Fort Lewis, Wash.
- 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Fort Benning, Ga.
The Regiment and its battalions are qualified in:
- Infiltrating and exfiltrating by land, sea and air
- Conducting direct action operations, especially seizing airfields
- Conducting raids
- Recovery of personnel and special equipment
- Conducting conventional or special light-infantry operations, including as backup to covert special operations forces.
Structure
History
U.S. Army Rangers consider their lineage older than that of the nation; "Rogers' Rangers", of the French and Indian War, was the first American unit to have the Ranger designation. MAJ Rogers' tactical rules are still largely valid and are memorized by Rangers.
More modern Ranger units were organized, in battalion strength, in the Second World War. They were used for high-risk operations such as scaling a cliff to seize a German artillery position at the Battle of Normandy.
Ranger companies were created during the Korean War, but tended to be used as emergency reserves rather than on classic Ranger raiding.
