HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

The 2nd Ranger Battalion, currently based at Joint Base Lewis–McChord south of
Seattle Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest regio ...
, Washington, United States, is the second of three ranger battalions belonging to the
United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...
's
75th Ranger Regiment The 75th Ranger Regiment, also known as Army Rangers, is the U.S. Army's premier light infantry unit and special operations force within the United States Army Special Operations Command. The regiment is headquartered at Fort Benning, Georgi ...
.


History


World War II


Formation of Ranger Battalions

On 1 April 1943 the 2nd Ranger Battalion was formed at Camp Forrest, Tennessee, along with the
5th Ranger Battalion The 5th Ranger Infantry Battalion was a United States Army Rangers, Ranger battalion activated during World War II on 1 September 1943 at Camp Forrest, Tennessee. By this time, while in maneuvers on the United States, they were commanded by th ...
. Both battalions were officially activated in September 1943 and shipped to Great Britain where they were prepared for
Operation Overlord Operation Overlord was the codename for the Battle of Normandy, the Allies of World War II, Allied operation that launched the successful invasion of German-occupied Western Front (World War II), Western Europe during World War II. The operat ...
as part of six Ranger
battalion A battalion is a military unit, typically consisting of 300 to 1,200 soldiers commanded by a lieutenant colonel, and subdivided into a number of companies (usually each commanded by a major or a captain). In some countries, battalions are ...
s of the Second World War.


Assault at Point du Hoc

On 6 June 1944, Dog, Easy, and Fox Companies, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel
James Rudder James Earl Rudder (May 6, 1910 – March 23, 1970) was a United States Army major general (United States), major general. As a lieutenant colonel, he commanded the historic Pointe du Hoc battle during the Invasion of Normandy. He also commanded ...
, landed at
Pointe du Hoc La Pointe du Hoc () is a promontory with a cliff overlooking the English Channel on the northwestern coast of Normandy in the Calvados '' department'', France. Pointe du Hoc was the location of a series of German bunkers and machine gun posts. P ...
from LCA
landing craft Landing craft are small and medium seagoing watercraft, such as boats and barges, used to convey a landing force (infantry and vehicles) from the sea to the shore during an amphibious assault. The term excludes landing ships, which are larger. Pr ...
and specially modified DUKW "Ducks" operated by the
Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against F ...
. The 225 Rangers had set off from Britain to launch an assault upon the cliffs overlooking the English Channel. In order to augment the strength of the 2nd Battalion, members of the
Provisional Ranger Group The Provisional Ranger Group was a provisional regiment of U.S. Army Rangers that was formed for the D-Day landings in Normandy, France, in World War II. Formation On 2 April 1944, two elite American units, the 2nd Ranger Battalion and the ...
were assigned as well. Several landing craft containing Rangers and supplies capsized in the stormy waters and many Rangers drowned due to heavy equipment, but others were saved and hoisted into other DUKWs to participate in the attack. The Rangers had planned to land at the base of the cliffs at 0600 hours, however, because of a navigational error, they landed nearly an hour late. This cost the lives of more Rangers as well as the element of surprise. During the attack, the 190 remaining Rangers scaled the cliffs utilizing rope ladders, but only 90 Rangers were still able to bear arms after two days of relentless fighting. During the assault, 2nd Battalion managed to achieve their primary objective, disabling a battery of 155mm French artillery captured by the Germans. These guns were to be aimed at Utah Beach, however, the Rangers prevented their use, saving American lives on the shores of Normandy.


Omaha Beach

Meanwhile, Able, Baker, and Charlie Companies landed along with the
5th Rangers The 5th Ranger Infantry Battalion was a Ranger battalion activated during World War II on 1 September 1943 at Camp Forrest, Tennessee. By this time, while in maneuvers on the United States, they were commanded by the Major Owen Carter. Later, ...
, the 1st Infantry Division, and the 29th Infantry Division at
Omaha Beach Omaha Beach was one of five beach landing sectors designated for the amphibious assault component of operation Overlord during the Second World War. On June 6, 1944, the Allies invaded German-occupied France with the Normandy landings. "Omaha" r ...
. They suffered extremely heavy casualties but were able to complete their D-Day objectives. Able suffered up to 96% casualties with just two men making it off the beaches. The 2nd Rangers were later involved in the Battle for Brest and the
Battle of Hürtgen Forest The Battle of Hürtgen Forest (german: Schlacht im Hürtgenwald) was a series of battles fought from 19 September to 16 December 1944, between American and German forces on the Western Front during World War II, in the Hürtgen Forest, a are ...
where they led the assault on
Hill 400, Bergstein A hill is a landform that extends above the surrounding terrain. It often has a distinct summit. Terminology The distinction between a hill and a mountain is unclear and largely subjective, but a hill is universally considered to be not as ...
.


Deactivation

The battalion was deactivated after the war, together with the 5th and 6th Battalion.


Reformation of the modern day 2nd Ranger Battalion

The modern day 2nd Ranger Battalion also draws heritage from the 5307 Composite Unit, also known as Merrill's Marauders. This unit was consolidated with Company H, 475th Infantry before eventually being deactivated after the end of the war.


Post-WWII


Korean War

In 1950, the 2nd Ranger Battalion was redesignated as the 2nd Ranger Infantry Company and activated to serve during the Korean War before being inactivated. Later, in 1960, while still deactivated, it was consolidated with 4th Company, 2d Battalion, 1st Regiment,
1st Special Service Force The 1st Special Service Force was an elite American–Canadian commando unit in World War II, under the command of the United States Fifth Army. The unit was organized in 1942 and trained at Fort William Henry Harrison near Helena, Montana i ...
and eventually was redesignated as Headquarters and Headquarters Company,
10th Special Forces Group The 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne) (10th SFG (A), or 10th Group) is an active duty United States Army Special Forces (SF) Group. 10th Group is designed to deploy and execute nine doctrinal missions: unconventional warfare (UW), foreign in ...
.


Okinawa

In 1954, Company H, 475th Infantry was redesignated as Company H,
75th Infantry Regiment (Ranger) The 75th Infantry Regiment (Ranger) (officially 75th Infantry Regiment or 75th Infantry) was initially a parent regiment for all the US Army Ranger units during the Vietnam War and the early 1980s and then the headquarters for the Ranger batta ...
and was reactivated for a short time before being inactivated in Okinawa.


Vietnam War

During the Vietnam War, Company H, 75th Infantry was reactivated and served as a
LRRP A long-range reconnaissance patrol, or LRRP (pronounced "lurp"), is a small, well-armed reconnaissance team that patrols deep in enemy-held territory.Ankony, Robert C., ''Lurps: A Ranger's Diary of Tet, Khe Sanh, A Shau, and Quang Tri,'' revised ...
unit during the war, becoming the longest serving in LRP/Ranger history and the most decorated. It was deactivated for a short time in 1972. Following the success of the 1st Battalion,
75th Infantry Regiment (Ranger) The 75th Infantry Regiment (Ranger) (officially 75th Infantry Regiment or 75th Infantry) was initially a parent regiment for all the US Army Ranger units during the Vietnam War and the early 1980s and then the headquarters for the Ranger batta ...
which was raised in 1974, the 2nd Battalion, 75th Infantry was activated later that year, inheriting its colors and lineage from Company H, 75th Infantry.


Reorganization

In 1986, the 2nd battalion, 75th Infantry was reorganized and consolidated with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 10th SFG (which was formerly Company A, 2d Ranger Infantry Battalion), thus inheriting its World War II 2nd Ranger Battalion heritage. It was concurrently redesignated as 2nd Battalion, of the newly formed
75th Ranger Regiment The 75th Ranger Regiment, also known as Army Rangers, is the U.S. Army's premier light infantry unit and special operations force within the United States Army Special Operations Command. The regiment is headquartered at Fort Benning, Georgi ...
.


Grenada

The modern Ranger battalions are strategic assets, prepared to conduct missions on short-notice worldwide. The 2/75th participated in
Operation Urgent Fury The United States invasion of Grenada began at dawn on 25 October 1983. The United States and a coalition of six Caribbean nations invaded the island nation of Grenada, north of Venezuela. Codenamed Operation Urgent Fury by the U.S. military, ...
in October 1983. During the invasion of Grenada, the 2nd conducted a low-level parachute assault (500 feet), seized the airfield at Point Salines, rescued American citizens at the True Blue Medical Campus, and conducted air assault operations to eliminate pockets of resistance.


Panama

In December 1989 the battalion took part in
Operation Just Cause Operation or Operations may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media * ''Operation'' (game), a battery-operated board game that challenges dexterity * Operation (music), a term used in musical set theory * ''Operations'' (magazine), Multi-Man ...
. The 2nd and 3rd Ranger Battalions and a regimental command and control team, conducted a parachute assault onto the airfield at Rio Hato, to neutralize the Panamanian Defense Force rifle companies and seize General Manuel Noriega's beach house. Following the successful completion of these assaults, Rangers conducted follow-on operations in support of Joint Task Force (JTF)-South. The Rangers captured 1,014 enemy
prisoners of war A prisoner of war (POW) is a person who is held Captivity, captive by a belligerent power during or immediately after an armed conflict. The earliest recorded usage of the phrase "prisoner of war" dates back to 1610. Belligerents hold priso ...
(EPW), and over 18,000 arms of various types. The Rangers sustained 5 killed and 42 wounded.


War on Terror


Beginning of operations in Afghanistan

Following the
September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks, commonly known as 9/11, were four coordinated suicide terrorist attacks carried out by al-Qaeda against the United States on Tuesday, September 11, 2001. That morning, nineteen terrorists hijacked four commercia ...
, the battalion has continuously deployed in support of the Global War on Terrorism. In March 2002, 2nd Battalion deployed to
Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordere ...
in support of
Operation Enduring Freedom Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) was the official name used synonymously by the U.S. government for both the War in Afghanistan (2001–2014) and the larger-scale Global War on Terrorism. On 7 October 2001, in response to the September 11 at ...
and conducted numerous air assaults, raids, patrols, and ambushes against anti-coalition forces. In December 2002, elements of 2nd Battalion again deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, followed in February 2003 by the whole battalion. This period marked the first time in history of the modern ranger regiment that a ranger battalion was required to conduct long-duration and sustained combat operations.


Beginning of operations in Iraq

The battalion participated in the
2003 invasion of Iraq The 2003 invasion of Iraq was a United States-led invasion of the Republic of Iraq and the first stage of the Iraq War. The invasion phase began on 19 March 2003 (air) and 20 March 2003 (ground) and lasted just over one month, including 26 ...
at the start of the
Iraq War {{Infobox military conflict , conflict = Iraq War {{Nobold, {{lang, ar, حرب العراق (Arabic) {{Nobold, {{lang, ku, شەڕی عێراق (Kurdish languages, Kurdish) , partof = the Iraq conflict (2003–present), I ...
. On 26 March 2003, B company supported Navy SEALs from
DEVGRU The Naval Special Warfare Development Group (NSWDG), abbreviated as DEVGRU ("Development Group") and commonly known as SEAL Team Six, is the United States Navy component of the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC). The unit is often referre ...
in the Objective Beaver mission. On 1 April 2003, 290 Rangers from 2/75th and 1/75th took part in the successful rescue of PFC Jessica Lynch. 2nd Battalion was also the first American force with boots on the ground in
Baghdad Baghdad (; ar, بَغْدَاد , ) is the capital of Iraq and the second-largest city in the Arab world after Cairo. It is located on the Tigris near the ruins of the ancient city of Babylon and the Sassanid Persian capital of Ctesiphon ...
so they could established a base of operations for follow on units and later participated in operations to capture known and wanted terrorists operating within the country. From November to December 2003, the battalion deployed again to Afghanistan and Rangers pursued enemies in the most remote regions of the country. Despite extreme altitudes and bitter cold, the battalion conducted mountain patrols at altitudes upwards of 9,000 feet, mobile patrols through major population centers, and conducted air assaults and
direct action Direct action originated as a political activist term for economic and political acts in which the actors use their power (e.g. economic or physical) to directly reach certain goals of interest, in contrast to those actions that appeal to oth ...
raids on heavily defended enemy objectives.


Further operations in Iraq and Afghanistan

From March to May 2004 and July to October 2004, the battalion deployed to both Iraq and Afghanistan.


Death of Zarqawi

On 7 June 2006, Rangers from 2nd platoon of C company, accompanied Delta Force operators to a farmhouse in the village
Hibhib ) , nickname = , settlement_type = Town , motto = , image_skyline = , imagesize = , image_caption = , image_flag = , flag_size = , image_seal = ...
, northeast of Baquba, Iraq, where JSOC had tracked down
Abu Musab al-Zarqawi Abu Musab al-Zarqawi ( ar, أَبُو مُصْعَبٍ ٱلزَّرْقَاوِيُّ, ', ''Father of Musab, from Zarqa''; ; October 30, 1966 – June 7, 2006), born Ahmad Fadeel al-Nazal al-Khalayleh (, '), was a Jordanian jihadist who ran a t ...
(the leader of AQI). An
F-16C The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is a single-engine multirole fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force (USAF). Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it evolved into a successf ...
airstrike was called in which destroyed the house. US forces recovered the severely wounded Zarqawi who succumbed to his wounds shortly thereafter.


Honoring decorated Rangers

On May 19, 2017, over 150 Rangers from 2nd Battalion were honored with combat decorations for their work during
Operation Freedom's Sentinel Operation Freedom's Sentinel (OFS) was the official name used by the U.S. government for the mission succeeding Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) in continuation of the War in Afghanistan as part of the larger Global War on Terrorism. Operation F ...
. They included one Ranger who received the
Silver Star The Silver Star Medal (SSM) is the United States Armed Forces' third-highest military decoration for valor in combat. The Silver Star Medal is awarded primarily to members of the United States Armed Forces for gallantry in action against an e ...
, 5 Rangers who received the
Bronze Star The Bronze Star Medal (BSM) is a United States Armed Forces decoration awarded to members of the United States Armed Forces for either heroic achievement, heroic service, meritorious achievement, or meritorious service in a combat zone. Wh ...
with "V" device, and 5 more who received the Joint Service Commendation Medal with "V" device.


Night Raid in Nimruz Operation

On 24 November 2018, members of 2nd Battalion conducted a night raid against al-Qaida senior leaders in Kash Rod district,
Nimruz Nimruz or Nimroz (Dari: ; Balochi: ) is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan, located in the southwestern part of the country. It lies to the east of the Sistan and Baluchestan Province of Iran and north of Balochistan, Pakistan, also border ...
province, alongside the obscure Afghan Ktah Khas partner force. During the raid, Army Ranger Sgt. Leandro Jasso was killed by friendly fire from a Ktah Khas operator. All Ktah Khas operators denied shooting Jasso. In total, 10 enemy fighters were reported killed that night. The Rangers and Afghan troops destroyed a large enemy weapons cache, evacuated their casualties, and extracted back to base.


Ranger Casualties

As of 4 July 2022, 25 Rangers in (or previously in) 2nd Battalion have been killed during the War on Terror, 20 of them in combat.


Lineage

The 2nd Battalion of the 75th Ranger Regiment traces its lineage to two units; Company H, 475th Infantry Regiment (previously known as the 5307th Composite Unit (Provisional), or " Merrill's Marauders") and Company A, 2nd Ranger Battalion. The units originally had separate lineages, but were then consolidated in 1986. * Constituted 3 October 1943 in the Army of the United States in the China-Burma-India Theater of Operations as an element of the 5307th Composite Unit (Provisional) * Consolidated 10 August 1944 with Company H, 475th Infantry (constituted 25 May 1944 in the Army of the United States), and consolidated unit designated as Company H, 475th Infantry * Inactivated 1 July 1945 in China * Redesignated 21 June 1954 as Company H, 75th Infantry * Allotted 26 October 1954 to the Regular Army * Activated 20 November 1954 on Okinawa * Inactivated 21 March 1956 on Okinawa * Activated 1 February 1969 in Vietnam * Inactivated 15 August 1972 in Vietnam * Redesignated 1 October 1974 as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2d Battalion, 75th Infantry, and activated at Fort Lewis, Washington (organic elements concurrently constituted and activated) * Headquarters and Headquarters Company consolidated 3 February 1986 with former Company A, 2d Infantry Battalion (see ANNEX); 2d Battalion, 75th Infantry, concurrently redesignated as the 2d Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment


Annex

* Constituted 11 March 1943 in the Army of the United States as Company A, 2d Ranger Battalion * Activated 1 April 1943 at Camp Forrest, Tennessee * Redesignated 1 August 1943 as Company A, 2d Ranger Infantry Battalion * Inactivated 23 October 1945 at
Camp Patrick Henry Camp may refer to: Outdoor accommodation and recreation * Campsite or campground, a recreational outdoor sleeping and eating site * a temporary settlement for nomads * Camp, a term used in New England, Northern Ontario and New Brunswick to descri ...
, Virginia * Redesignated 29 July 1949 as Company A, 2d Infantry Battalion * Activated 15 September 1949 in the
Panama Canal Zone The Panama Canal Zone ( es, Zona del Canal de Panamá), also simply known as the Canal Zone, was an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the Isthmus of Panama, that existed from 1903 to 1979. It was located within the terr ...
* Inactivated 4 January 1950 in the Panama Canal Zone * Redesignated 25 October 1950 as the 2d Ranger Infantry Company and allotted to the Regular Army * Activated 28 October 1950 at Fort Benning, Georgia * Inactivated 1 August 1951 in Korea * Redesignated 24 November 1952 as Company A, 2d Ranger Infantry Battalion * Activated 1 July 1955 in
Iceland Iceland ( is, Ísland; ) is a Nordic island country in the North Atlantic Ocean and in the Arctic Ocean. Iceland is the most sparsely populated country in Europe. Iceland's capital and largest city is Reykjavík, which (along with its s ...
* Inactivated 11 March 1960 at Fort Hamilton, New York * Consolidated 15 April 1960 with the 4th Company, 2d Battalion, 1st Regiment,
1st Special Service Force The 1st Special Service Force was an elite American–Canadian commando unit in World War II, under the command of the United States Fifth Army. The unit was organized in 1942 and trained at Fort William Henry Harrison near Helena, Montana i ...
(activated 9 July 1942), and consolidated unit was redesignated as Headquarters and Headquarters Company,
10th Special Forces Group The 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne) (10th SFG (A), or 10th Group) is an active duty United States Army Special Forces (SF) Group. 10th Group is designed to deploy and execute nine doctrinal missions: unconventional warfare (UW), foreign in ...
, 1st Special Forces * Consolidated 30 September 1960 with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 10th Special Forces Group (activated 11 June 1952), and consolidated unit designated as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 10th Special Forces Group, 1st Special Forces (organic elements concurrently constituted and activated 20 March 1961) * Former Company A, 2d Infantry Battalion, withdrawn 3 February 1986, consolidated with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2d Battalion, 75th Infantry, and consolidated unit redesignated as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2d Battalion 75th Ranger Regiment (remainder of 10th Special Forces Group, 1st Special Forces—hereafter separate lineage)


Unit awards and streamers

The 2nd Battalion has earned numerous unit awards and battle streamers. Among them are: * Presidential Unit Citation (Army), Streamer embroidered EL GUETTAR *Presidential Unit Citation (Army), Streamer embroidered
SALERNO Salerno (, , ; nap, label= Salernitano, Saliernë, ) is an ancient city and ''comune'' in Campania (southwestern Italy) and is the capital of the namesake province, being the second largest city in the region by number of inhabitants, after ...
*Presidential Unit Citation (Army), Streamer embroidered
POINTE DU HOC La Pointe du Hoc () is a promontory with a cliff overlooking the English Channel on the northwestern coast of Normandy in the Calvados '' department'', France. Pointe du Hoc was the location of a series of German bunkers and machine gun posts. P ...
*Presidential Unit Citation (Army), Streamer embroidered SAAR RIVER AREA *Presidential Unit Citation (Army), Streamer embroidered MYITKYINA *Presidential Unit Citation (Army), Streamer embroidered VIETNAM 1966–68 * Valorous Unit Award, Streamer embroidered VIETNAM – II CORPS AREA *Valorous Unit Award, Streamer embroidered VIETNAM – BINH DUONG PROVINCE *Valorous Unit Award, Streamer embroidered VIETNAM – CAMBODIA FISH HOOK 1970 *Valorous Unit Award, Streamer embroidered VIETNAM – III CORPS AREA 1969 *Valorous Unit Award, Streamer embroidered VIETNAM – III CORPS AREA 1971 *Valorous Unit Award, Streamer embroidered VIETNAM – THUA THEIN-QUANG TRI PROVINCES 1968 *Valorous Unit Award, Streamer embroidered
GRENADA Grenada ( ; Grenadian Creole French: ) is an island country in the West Indies in the Caribbean Sea at the southern end of the Grenadines island chain. Grenada consists of the island of Grenada itself, two smaller islands, Carriacou and Pe ...
1983 *
Meritorious Unit Commendation The Meritorious Unit Commendation (MUC; pronounced ''muck'') is a mid-level unit award of the United States Armed Forces. The U.S. Army awards units the Army MUC for exceptionally meritorious conduct in performance of outstanding achievement or s ...
(Army), Streamer embroidered VIETNAM 1968 *Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army), Streamer embroidered VIETNAM 1969 *Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army), Streamer embroidered VIETNAM 1969–70 *Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army), Streamer embroidered PACIFIC AREA *
Joint Meritorious Unit Award The Joint Meritorious Unit Award (JMUA) is a US military award that was established on June 4, 1981, by Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger and was implemented by Department of Defense Directive 1348.27 dated July 22, 1982. The Joint Meritori ...
, Stream embroidered PANAMA 1989 *Valorous Unit Award,
IRAQ Iraq,; ku, عێراق, translit=Êraq officially the Republic of Iraq, '; ku, کۆماری عێراق, translit=Komarî Êraq is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered by Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq ...
*Valorous Unit Award,
AFGHANISTAN Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordere ...


Notable 2nd Battalion alumni

* General
Austin S. Miller Austin Scott Miller (born May 15, 1961) is a retired four-star general in the United States Army and former Delta Force commander who served as the final commander of NATO's Resolute Support Mission and United States Forces - Afghanistan from Sep ...
, current commander of
Resolute Support Mission Resolute Support Mission (RSM) or Operation Resolute Support was a NATO-led multinational mission in Afghanistan. It began on 1 January 2015 as the successor to the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), which was completed on 28 Decem ...
. Former platoon leader in A company, 2nd battalion,
75th Ranger Regiment The 75th Ranger Regiment, also known as Army Rangers, is the U.S. Army's premier light infantry unit and special operations force within the United States Army Special Operations Command. The regiment is headquartered at Fort Benning, Georgi ...
. Miller also served with Delta Force. *First Lieutenant
John P. Abizaid John Philip Abizaid (born April 1, 1951) is a retired United States Army general and former United States Central Command (CENTCOM) commander who served as the United States Ambassador to Saudi Arabia from 2019 to 2021. Abizaid retired after 34 ...
served as a Platoon leader 1975–1976 in Alpha Company and later as the XO of Charlie Company from 1976 to 1977. He went on to command
CENTCOM The United States Central Command (USCENTCOM or CENTCOM) is one of the eleven unified combatant commands of the U.S. Department of Defense. It was established in 1983, taking over the previous responsibilities of the Rapid Deployment Joint Tas ...
during the second Gulf War. His change in intelligence methods led to the capture of
Saddam Hussein Saddam Hussein ( ; ar, صدام حسين, Ṣaddām Ḥusayn; 28 April 1937 – 30 December 2006) was an Iraqi politician who served as the fifth president of Iraq from 16 July 1979 until 9 April 2003. A leading member of the revolution ...
. He retired as a General. *Lieutenant General
David Barno David William Barno (born July 5, 1954) is a retired Lieutenant General (United States), lieutenant general of the United States Army. He was commander of Combined Forces Command-Afghanistan from 2003–2005. Early life Barno is a native of E ...
, commanded 2nd Ranger Battalion from 1993 to 1994. Later became Commander, Military Operations-Afghanistan. *Brigadier General James Emory Mace, recipient of Distinguished Service Cross (Vietnam), 2nd Ranger Battalion Commander and the first Commander of the Ranger Training Brigade; 15th Annual Ranger Hall of Fame inductee 2007. *Lieutenant Colonel
Wayne A. Downing Wayne Allan Downing (May 10, 1940 – July 18, 2007) was a four-star United States Army general born in Peoria, Illinois. He graduated from the United States Military Academy with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1962 and held a Master of Busine ...
was the third Battalion Commander of the 2nd Ranger Battalion, and eventually commanded the 75th Ranger Regiment, and Special Operations Command. He retired as a General. *Captain
Gerald Heaney Gerald William Heaney (January 29, 1918 – June 22, 2010) served for nearly forty years as a United States Circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, from his appointment by President Lyndon B. Johnson in Novemb ...
, World War II, landed at Normandy on the early hours of D-Day, Heaney was one of only three still on the front lines with the Rangers on VE Day. He served for nearly forty years as a
federal judge Federal judges are judges appointed by a federal level of government as opposed to the state/provincial/local level. United States A US federal judge is appointed by the US President and confirmed by the US Senate in accordance with Article 3 of ...
on the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. *Captain
Robert L. Howard Robert Lewis Howard (July 11, 1939 – December 23, 2009) was the most highly Military awards and decorations, decorated officer of Vietnam United States Army Special Forces (United States Army), Special Forces and Medal of Honor recipient ...
was nominated for the Medal of Honor three times for his actions in Vietnam, receiving it once. Howard commanded Alpha Company from approximately 1975–1977. Howard was later inducted into the Ranger Hall of Fame. *Sergeant First Class Matt Larsen, father of the
Modern Army Combatives Combatives is the term for hand-to-hand combat training and techniques within the Army branch of the United States military. History Sometimes called Close-Quarters Combat (CQC or close combat), World War II-era American combatives were large ...
system, founder of the
United States Army Combatives School Combatives is the term for hand-to-hand combat training and techniques within the Army branch of the United States military. History Sometimes called Close-Quarters Combat (CQC or close combat), World War II-era American combatives were larg ...
. *Second Lieutenant
Leonard Lomell Leonard G. "Bud" Lomell (January 22, 1920 – March 1, 2011) was a highly decorated former United States Army Ranger who served in World War II. He is best known for his actions in the first hours of D-Day at Pointe du Hoc on the coast of Nor ...
, served as platoon leader during the D-Day landings. Was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his actions. *Sergeant First Class
Leroy Petry Leroy Arthur Petry (born July 29, 1979) is a retired United States Army soldier. He received the U.S. military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor, for his actions in Afghanistan in 2008 during Operation Enduring Freedom. Born in Santa ...
, Medal of Honor recipient in the War in Afghanistan *Colonel
James Earl Rudder James Earl Rudder (May 6, 1910 – March 23, 1970) was a United States Army major general. As a lieutenant colonel, he commanded the historic Pointe du Hoc battle during the Invasion of Normandy. He also commanded the US troops at the Battle of ...
, commander of the 2nd Ranger Battalion during World War II, later major general USAR and president of
Texas A&M University Texas A&M University (Texas A&M, A&M, or TAMU) is a public, land-grant, research university in College Station, Texas. It was founded in 1876 and became the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System in 1948. As of late 2021, T ...
, led the Ranger assault on Pointe du Hoc on D-Day. *Sergeant First Class Randy Shughart, posthumous Medal of Honor recipient; a sniper with Delta Force who was killed during the Battle of Mogadishu. *Corporal
Pat Tillman Patrick Daniel Tillman Jr. (November 6, 1976 – April 22, 2004) was an American professional football player in the National Football League (NFL) who left his sports career and enlisted in the United States Army in May 2002 in the afterma ...
, an American football player who left his NFL career and enlisted in the United States Army in May 2002 and was killed on 22 April 2004. *Sergeant Stephen Trujillo, awarded the
Silver Star The Silver Star Medal (SSM) is the United States Armed Forces' third-highest military decoration for valor in combat. The Silver Star Medal is awarded primarily to members of the United States Armed Forces for gallantry in action against an e ...
during
Operation Urgent Fury The United States invasion of Grenada began at dawn on 25 October 1983. The United States and a coalition of six Caribbean nations invaded the island nation of Grenada, north of Venezuela. Codenamed Operation Urgent Fury by the U.S. military, ...
, the first Silver Star awarded since Vietnam, for rescuing fellow Rangers from a downed aircraft while under direct enemy fire. *General Stanley McChrystal, commanded 2nd Ranger Batt from 1994 to 1996, later went on to Command US and ISAF forces in Afghanistan *SFC Jason Everman, musician best known for playing in grunge bands
Nirvana ( , , ; sa, निर्वाण} ''nirvāṇa'' ; Pali: ''nibbāna''; Prakrit: ''ṇivvāṇa''; literally, "blown out", as in an oil lampRichard Gombrich, ''Theravada Buddhism: A Social History from Ancient Benāres to Modern Colombo.' ...
and
Soundgarden Soundgarden was an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1984 by singer and drummer Chris Cornell, lead guitarist Kim Thayil (both of whom are the only members to appear in every incarnation of the band), and bassist Hiro Yamamo ...
before enlisting in 1994. *Sergeant
Mat Best Mathew Alfred Best is an American internet personality, entrepreneur, and a former United States Army Ranger. Best joined the United States Army shortly after graduating high school, eventually serving five deployments with the 2nd Ranger Battali ...
, Vice President of Black Rifle Coffee Company. *Sergeant
Kris Paronto Kristian Joaquin "Tanto" Paronto (born March 2, 1971) is an American author, businessman, and former U.S. Army Ranger and CIA security contractor. He is known for his actions while part of the CIA annex security team during the 2012 terrorist at ...
,
CIA The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA ), known informally as the Agency and historically as the Company, is a civilian intelligence agency, foreign intelligence service of the federal government of the United States, officially tasked with gat ...
Global Response Staff The U.S. Central Intelligence Agency's Mission Center for Counterterrorism (often referred to as the Counterterrorism Mission Center or CTMC, formerly the Counterterrorism Center, or simply CTC) was established in 1986, and is a division of the CI ...
security contractor during the 2012 attack on the U.S. diplomatic outpost in Benghazi, Libya, former member of B Company, 2nd Ranger Battalion. * Sergeant First Class Vincent “Rocco” Vargas, Actor, Writer, and Producer *Master Sergeant
Joshua Wheeler Joshua Lloyd Wheeler (November 22, 1975 – October 22, 2015) was a United States Army soldier who was killed in Iraq during Operation Inherent Resolve. He was a master sergeant assigned to the elite Delta Force, and was the first American servi ...
, Delta Force operator and
Silver Star The Silver Star Medal (SSM) is the United States Armed Forces' third-highest military decoration for valor in combat. The Silver Star Medal is awarded primarily to members of the United States Armed Forces for gallantry in action against an e ...
recipient, formerly with 2nd Battalion. He was the first American service member killed in action as a result of enemy fire while fighting ISIS militants and the first American to be killed in action in Iraq since November 2011. *Sergeant John Whitley, Acting US Secretary of the Army. * Specialist
Luke Elliott Sommer Luke Elliott Sommer (born June 26, 1986, in Peachland, British Columbia) is a former US Army Ranger and bank robber. After almost two years under house arrest in Canada, he pleaded guilty on May 27, 2008 to the August 7, 2006 robbery of a branch ...
, bank robber.


See also

* H Company, 75th Infantry (Ranger) – 2nd Battalion's lineage


Notes


References


External links


2nd Battalion, SOC.milList of 2nd Battalion Rangers killedArchivedPhotographic history of 1st Cav LRRP Rangers in VietnamHonor Our FallenArchived
on 4 July 2022


Further reading

* {{DEFAULTSORT:002 Ranger 002 Military units and formations established in 1943 Military units and formations disestablished in 1945 Military units and formations established in 1974 2nd Ranger