Finalist, Army Historical Foundation Distinguished Book Award: An account of this elite unit serving in the last days of a segregated military: “Riveting.” —The Journal of African American History The 2nd Ranger Infantry Company (Airborne) was the first and only all-black Ranger unit in the history of the United States Army. The company’s life span covered ten months, from selection and training through a seven-month combat deployment in Korea, after which the unit was deactivated. The 2nd and 4th Rangers were among the units initially assigned to the Eighth Army and were considered to be “combat ready.” The 2nd Ranger Company battled North Korean and Communist Chinese forces near Tangyang, Majori-ri, and Chechon; conducted the first airborne assault in Ranger history near the town of Munsan-ni; and executed the heroic attack and defense of Hill 581. In their short time together, these men demonstrated courage, served with honor, and achieved a magnificent combat record. This is the first complete history of this elite all-volunteer unit whose members were drawn from the 3rd Battalion of the 505th Airborne Infantry Regiment and the 80th Airborne Anti-Aircraft Battalion. As a member of the unit, Edward L. Posey bases his account on firsthand experience, official records, interviews with survivors, and other material to produce a rich and worthy addition to the growing literature on the Korean War. Posey’s study explains the obstacles these patriotic men faced, their sacrifices, and their courageous actions on the far side of the world. “Outstanding . . . a shining example of what Americans are capable of accomplishing.” —John Conyers, Jr.

From the deadly shores of North Africa to the invasion of Sicily to the fierce jungle hell of the Pacific, the contribution of the World War II Ranger Battalions far outweighed their numbers. They were ordinary men on an extraordinary mission, experiencing the full measure of the fear, exhaustion, and heroism of combat in nearly every major invasion of the war. Whether spearheading a landing force or scouting deep behind enemy lines, these highly motivated, highly trained volunteers led the way for other soldiers -- they were Rangers. 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.

This Leavenworth Paper is a critical reconstruction of World War II Ranger operations conducted at or near Djebel el Ank, Tunisia; Porto Empedocle, Sicily; Cisterna, Italy; Zerf, Germany; and Cabanatuan in the Philippines. It is not intended to be a comprehensive account of World War II Ranger operations, for such a study would have to include numerous minor actions that are too poorly documented to be studied to advantage. It is, however, representative for it examines several types of operations conducted against the troops of three enemy nations in a variety of physical and tactical environments. As such, it draws a wide range of lessons useful to combat leaders who may have to conduct such operations or be on guard against them in the future. Many factors determined the outcomes of the operations featured in this Leavenworth Paper, and of these there are four that are important enough to merit special emphasis. These are surprise, the quality of opposing forces, the success of friendly forces with which the Rangers were cooperating, and popular support.

The U.S. Army Rangers have fought in every war the U.S. has waged from Roger's Rangers in 1756 to the LRRPs of Vietnam. During the Korean War, the Rangers succeeded in making the first combat jump in Ranger history, destroying enemy headquarters, and inflicting the first defeat on Communist Chinese forces. This is their story.

Filled with entertaining anecdotes and an insider's knowledge, Ranger Knowledge is a must-read for prospective rangers and armchair military enthusiasts everywhere. Written by a former 75th Ranger Regiment soldier, "Marty" will take you inside the Ranger Assessment and Selection Program and the Special Forces Assessment and Selection Program to teach prospective Special Operations soldiers the ins and outs of each unit's selection program. As someone who also runs a train-up program for soldiers going into the military on Ranger and Special Forces contracts, Marty is uniquely suited to write a program of instruction which walks would-be Special Operations troops through the course and tells them how to get from A to B and achieve their goals in the Special Operations community.

U.S. Army Rangers & Special Forces of World War II tells the story of the U.S. Army's elite Rangers and special forces largely through pictures. Never before has such an expansive view of World War II been offered in one volume. Furthermore, an extensive search of public and private archives unearthed an astonishing number of rare and never before seen images, some in color. Most notable are the nearly twenty exemplary photographs of Lieutenant Colonel William O. Darby's Ranger Force in Italy, taken by Robert Capa, who is considered by many to be the greatest combat photographer of all time. Complementing the period photographs are numerous color plates detailing the rare and often unique items of insignia, weaponry, and equipment that marked the soldiers whose heavy task it was to lead the way.

Written by an expert on modern Special Forces units and the operations they undertake, this book explains the evolution of the Rangers' missions in Panama, the first Gulf War, Somalia and the post 9/11 invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan. It reveals the training and organizational changes that the unit has undergone and investigates in particular how their doctrine and tactics have changed during the 14-year war in Afghanistan. At the beginning of the war the Rangers were an elite light infantry unit of picked men tasked with short duration recon raids and securing ground behind enemy lines in support of Special Forces; they have since evolved into a special-mission unit themselves – on the cusp of being assigned to the Joint Special Operations Command.