5th Ranger Battalion
Easy Company
Unit History
Duration of Unit Participation in W.W.II:
From: Activated September 1, 1943, Camp Forrest, Tennessee
To: Inactivated October 22, 1945, Camp Myles Standish, Massachusetts
Group photo of Easy Company, 5th Rangers in 1945
Ranger Candidates at Camp Forrest. 1943
Timeline/Geography of the 5th Rangers during W.W.II:
July 21, 1943: Constituted in the Army of the United States as the Fifth Ranger Battalion
August 1, 1943: Redesigned as the Fifth Ranger Infantry Battalion
September 1, 1943: Camp Forrest, TN – Activated
November 5, 1943: Fort Pierce, FL – Amphibious Training Base
November 20, 1943: Fort Dix, NJ – Assigned to ETOUSA
December 20, 1943: Camp Kilmer, NJ – Port of Embarkation
January 8, 1944: New York Harbor – Departed on the HMS Mauretania
Great Britain
January 18, 1944: Arrived in Liverpool, England
January 19, 1944: Leominster, England – Training
January 22, 1944: Leominster, England – Assignment changed from ETOUSA to VIII Corps
March 1, 1944: Achnacarry, Scotland – British Commando Training
April 3, 1944: Braunton, England – Assault Training Center, “Fabius” Exercises Amphibious
Maneuvers
May 6, 1944: Swanage, England – Cliff Scaling Training
May 17, 1944: Dorchester, England
June 1, 1944: Weymouth Harbor – Boarded HMS Prince Leopold & HMS Baudouin
June 6, 1944: Normandy, France – D-Day, Omaha Beach/Vierville sur Mer
June 7, 1944: St. Pierre du Mont/Pointe du Hoe (Hoc)
June 8, 1944: Grandcamp les Bains – Sluice Gate Bridge
June 9, 1944: Maise – Attacked Batteries/Osmanville
June 10, 1944: Attacked Costal Fortifications from Grandcamp les Bains to Isigny
RESEARCH PENDING: Bois du Molay
RESEARCH PENDING: Colombiers
RESEARCH PENDING: Foucarville – Guarded a German POW Cage
RESEARCH PENDING: Flamanville – Guarded beaches against German counter-invasion from Jersey and Guernsey Islands.
RESEARCH PENDING: St. Bonfosse
RESEARCH PENDING: Bauis
RESEARCH PENDING: St. Germain
RESEARCH PENDING: Mayenner
RESEARCH PENDING: Tragarantee
August 29, 1944: The beginning of the Battle of Brest
September 1, 1944: Fifth Ranger Battalion attached to the 29th Infantry Division
September 17, 1944: Assaulted fortified positions around Fort Du Portzic
September 18, 1944: All of Brest surrendered
Belgium
October 2, 1944: Arlon, Belgium – Bivouac Area
October 12, 1944: Differt, Belgium – Bivouacked in a Seminary, called by the Rangers: “Boys Town”Provided security for the 12th Army Group Headquarters
France
November 7, 1944: Toul & Nancy, France – Training
Rangers marching for embarkation on June 1st 1944
Activation and Recruitment
With the sucess of Ranger units in Italy and North Africa and the ever looming task of the invasion of France the US Army was very active in its recruitment of men for the Rangers. LtCol Rudder's 2nd Ranger Battalion was just finishing up training at Camp Forrest in Tennessee and now a new batallion under the command of Lt Col Owen Carter with 34 Officers and 563 enlisted men were arriving. The Battalion was activiated under the Army Ground Forces letter which provided the following conditions of its recruits.
-Under 28 years of age and able to meet the physical requirments of a parachutist except that he is not expected to jump from a plane in flight
-All personnel are required to qualify with all arms furnished to that unit
-Any person not able to meet those requirements will be transferred back to the unit from whence they came
Training
Camp Forrest, Tennessee
1 September- 5 November 1943
Training began on the 15th of September for the 5th Rangers. The training was intensive with a focus of physical and combat training. The program included wrestling, boxing, swimming, speed marches, contact excersises and log drills. Frequent live-fire excersises and night maneuvers were common place. Men became well versed in the use of all weapons uncludeing the M1, Thompson, BAR, 30 cal LMG, 45 cal pistols and 60mm mortars. They also became experts of judo, demolitions and survival. Many of the instructors were NCOs from the 1st Ranger Battalion. While at Camp Forrest Rangers wore a variation of the Ranger Diamond.
The entrance to Camp Forrest
Some of the drills were conducted in three and a half feet deep log rimmed pits that were forty feet square and lined with sawdust. Here men would conduct last man standing drills where platoons would attempt to toss each other out of the pit until one man remained. Games of "Capture the Captain" were also conducted as well. In this event two platoons would attempt to toss the others Lieutenant or Sergeant out of the pit while trying to protect theirs. These games helped to build the men's spirit and pride in their unit. They were trained to believe that they were the best Battalion in the United States Army. This aggressive training would only ensure they were prepared for hard tasks to come.
Fort Pierce, Floridia. Amphibious Training Base
5-20 November 1943
Training continued for the Rangers in Florida. In the hot, bug infested enviornment the Rangers continued their rigorous training in Raiders School which included the use and maintainance of rubber boats, costal raids, caturing small towns and strong points, and combined Naval Operations as their regular curriculum. Rangers were taught how to swim with full equipment and rifles with and without lifebelts, how to deal with overturned boats in the middle of the Atlantic and operations with landing craft. Even at this point in the training men and officers were being weeded out if they did not live up to Ranger expectations.
Rangers in combat training. Most likely 2nd Rangers at Camp Forrest
Physical Training was a constant priority
Fort Dix, N.J.
20 November-20 December 1943
Here the Rangers were assigned to ETOUSA and attached to the First US Army. This final segment of the Rangers stateside training continued with more speed marches and tactical five day problems. In comparison to Camp Forrest and Fort Pierce, Fort Pierce was a haven complete with a PX serving beer and USO dances. Their weapons training was also
greatly expanded and refined. Rangers learned how to operate
large crew served weapons and larger artillery pieces such as the
81mm mortar. Men were also introduced to and operated German
weapons. At Fort Dix is where Rangers would have first recieved
the iconic Ranger Diamond. Even at this late in the training men
were still being transferred out for not meeting Ranger
expectations. While at Fort Dix Rangers were shown the many
War Department Training films to prepare soldiers for deployment
overseas.The next stop after this was Camp Kilmer, N.J. for
embarkation to Europe aboard the HMS Mauretania. Once
arriving in England the Rangers continued their Camp Forrest
training which increased in intensity and were transferred to VIII Corps.
Unidentified Rangers training on an MG34
Examples of World War II era Training Films
British Commando Training. Achnacarry, Scotland
1 March-3 April 1944
This was perhaps the most memorable and difficult training the 5th Rangers recieved. It is this training that many Rangers attribute their success to. The rough terrain in scotland proved challenging. Amphibious landings and training was performed everyday. Rangers assualted beaches specially
designed to mimic the beaches that would be found at Normandy. Every single beach obstacle and anti assualt landing device photographed by the Army Air Corps in addition to anything G-2 could concieve as a possible obstacle was employed. After assaulting the obstacles the Rangers learned and practices the art of reassembling and utilizing rallying points. Rangers were trained to operate in small teams in the event of being seperated or the mission required it and being able to reorganize was crucial. The training revieved here many Rangers feel allowed them to survive the difficult tasks later placed upon them.
Rangers in Scotland on the range. Most likely 2nd Rangers
Assault Course and The "Fabius" Excersise . Braunton, England
3 April-5 May 1944
During this course the Rangers refined their skills at assaulting heavily defended strongpoints. They studied mines and demolitions and became even more familiar with explosives. Street fighting was a key part of their training along with fighting through the hedge hogs that were known to be prevalent through the Normandy countryside. It was here that Major Max Schneider took command of the 5th Rangers. From 27 April-5 May the 5th Rangers took part in the "Fabius" excersise. This was large scale dry run for Operation Neptune, the Invasion of France. It was after this excersise that the Rangers decided to paint the iconic orange diamond on the back of their helmets. During the excersise many units became intermingled and many soldiers followed the wrong leaders. This could lead to disastrous results if troops were taken from the assigned mission. Therefore both the 2nd and 5th Battalions began painting an orange diamond with the number of their battalion written in the center. It was at the Fabius excersise that it was decided that the 5th Ranger Battalion would land at either Pointe Du Hoc if the mission successful messge was recieved from the 2nd Rangers or Omaha Dog Green sector if the assualt was unsuccessful or if no message was recieved.
Rangers would be using British LCAs for the Invasion
Cliff Scaling Training and Boarding For Invasion
5 May-1 June 1944
For final preparation for the invasion the 5th Rangers did training on scaling cliffs with ropes and ladders. Further amphibious landings were practiced and practiced again. Since it was the mission of both the 2nd and 5th Ranger Battalions to destroy the gun batteries at Pointe Du Hoc the Provisional Ranger Group was formed with Lt Col Rudder in command on 9 May. Rudder commanded both Battalions and oversaw the assault on Pointe Du Hoc. On the 17th of May the Rangers were sent to Dorchester England and then finally Weymouth Harbor for boarding about the HMS Prince Baudouin. While onboard the Ship the Rangers
took part in final briefings and
preparations for the eventual invasion
into France. Each soldier was issued
20 francs for the invasion which
started many games of dice and
gambling. The Rangers remained
onboard for five days until the final
order was given to cross the
channel and begin the invasion.
Ranger LCAs being loaded onto davits aboard the HMS Prince Baudouin
Rangers climbing the cliffs
Combat
Normandy, France. D-Day
6 June- 10 June 1944
The Plan
Planning for the eventual invasion of northern Europe was in full force for many months and years before the beach landings on both sides. The German defences headed up by Field Marshall Erin Rommel were centered around bogging down and holding the Allied invasion force on the beaches so that mobile reenforcements could be deployed. These defence positions built by the Germans in preparation for the invasion needed to captured and destroyed by Allied troops. The emplacement designated for the Rangers were the captured French cannons placed on the top of steep faced cliffs in between the Utah and Omaha landing beaches. These six 155mm cannons were WWI french cannons that could easily fire on both Utah and Omaha beach. Allied
studies showed that if the Germans
used modern munitions in the
beach guns their range could be
nearly doubled to 25,000 yards
which would not only include both
beaches but the entire troopship
anchorage area. It was the job of
the Provisional Ranger Group,
consisting of the 2nd and
5th Ranger Battalions, the destroy
these emplacements. The group
was divided into 3 different Task
Forces. A, B, and C.
The Cliffs at Pointe Du Hoc, taken on April 2012
TASK FORCE A: 2nd Ranger Btn. Companies D, E, and F
-This Force would be tasked with scaling the cliffs at the Pointe and assualt the emplacements from the cliffside.
TASK FORCE B: 2nd Ranger Btn. Company C
-This Force with support for DD tanks from the 743rd Tank Battalion would land at Charlie Sector of Omaha beach and assault the guns if Force A failed.
TASK FORCE C: 5th Ranger Btn., 2nd Ranger btn. Companies A and B
-This Force would wait offshore of Pointe Du Hoc until 30 minutes after Force A landed. If mission succesful message was recieved then Force C would land at the Pointe and scale the cliffs, If a failure message or no message was recieved then Force C would land at the Dog Green sector of Omaha Beach and assualt the emblacements from the Vierville exit (D-1).
The Landings
Early in the morning of June 6th Rangers climbed into LCA landing craft
and began their journey to the beach. The first wave of 5th Rangers ("A", "B", "E" and half of Battalion Headquaters) were meant to land at Dog Green sector but were diverted to Dog White when LtCol Schneider noticed a high concentration of fire on Dog Green.
Recommended Reading
Lead the Way, Rangers
Henry S Glassman
Lt. Col. Richard P. Sullivan, commanding officer of the 5th Ranger Bn., gave Tec 4 Henry S. Glassman the project of composing a history of the 5th Ranger Bn. in WWII. This was to be done using the After Action reports written up and forwarded to the army command after each Ranger mission. It was to be entirely authentic, so that the surviving Rangers and their families could have a record to refer to in later years. It would also be sent to the families of Rangers killed in action and to former Rangers who were no longer in the outfit due to having been wounded in combat. A board of officers was appointed to review each chapter as it was completed and pass or reject it. All chapters were approved without changes.
Rangers in World War II
Robert Black
With first-person interviews, in-depth research, and a complete appendix naming every Ranger known to have served, author Robert Black, a Ranger himself, has made the battles of WWII come to life through the struggles of the men who fought to win the greatest war the world has ever seen.
Intact
John Raaen jr
Told from the viewpoint of Headquarters Company Commander John C. Raaen, Jr.-a US Army Captain at the time who eventually rose to the rank of Major General-the story begins a few hours before the invasion launched. It recounts Raaen's trip from the troopship to shore, the assault up the bluffs and off the beach, the battles inland through the hedgerows and villages of Vierville-sur-Mer and St. Pierre du Mont, the thrust to relieve the Ranger force at Pointe du Hoc, and finally the battle at Maisy Battery. An authentic nugget of American history, Intact draws heavily from several period documents written by Raaen during and shortly after the war and details precise locations of events wherever possible. Also included are appendices that contain the After Action reports of the Fifth Rangers and Motor Launch 304-the guideboat that led the Ranger forces assaulting Pointe du Hoc to the wrong objective-along with citations for the award of the Distinguish Service Cross to members of the Fifth Rangers.
The Battalion
Robert Black
A book about the 2nd Ranger Battalion. Even though it is a different Battalion it is the 5th's sister Battalion and gives much insight of the first hand experiance of being a 5th Ranger. The Battalion goes into exceptional detail on the D-Day assault of the gun positions at Pointe du Hoc, including how it almost ended in total failure and lists the names of the Rangers who fought in the 2nd Battalion. Unlike most books on the U.S. Army Rangers, this one also covers the many battles fought by the Rangers after D-Day