Rangers at War by Shelby L. Stanton

Author:Shelby L. Stanton [Stanton, Shelby L.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-0-307-78982-2
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
Published: 2011-03-02T00:00:00+00:00

AIRBORNE EAGLE RANGERS

At the beginning of 1969 the Department of the Army reorganized the 75th Infantry under the combat arms regimental system to become the parent regiment for long-range patrol companies that were retitled to share a common ranger heritage. Accordingly, during the first week of February 1969, General Zais received an Army Department message ordering the activation of Company L (Airborne Ranger), 75th Infantry, from the assets of Company F, 58th Infantry. Company L was activated with paperwork retroactive to 1 February, and the actual Camp Eagle ceremony formally transforming Company F into ranger Company L was held on 13 February 1969.14

The rangers were known as either “Lima Rangers” (L in conformity with ICAO phonetic alphabet adopted by the U.S. military in 1956) or the “Airborne Eagle Rangers,” a term that combined their distinguishing paratrooper qualification with the division’s “Screaming Eagle” nickname. The ranger company was always kept as a parachutist unit, although by this stage of the war the 101st Airborne Division was removed from “jump status” and declared an airmobile formation. Ranger teams within the company were designated after countries, cities, and automobiles.

The ranger company’s mission was to give the division a long-range reconnaissance, surveillance, and target acquisition patrol capability. The company was assigned to the 2d Squadron of the 17th Cavalry, but missions and utility methods were assigned by the intelligence section based on brigade requirements. As a result, many early ranger patrols involved exploratory probes ahead of rifle company airmobile assaults.

Ranger integration with the 2d Squadron of the 17th Cavalry guaranteed responsive aerial support. A gunship was in immediate support of each team on patrol. Unfortunately, after the gunship expended its ammunition and departed, the rangers often experienced long delays before another gunship arrived. When available, a pair of gunships were always welcome. Ranger First Lt. Kevin J. Henry remembered, “There have been times when Cobras have spotted one of our ambushes from the air and remained in the area waiting for us to call if we need help. It’s a great feeling when you’re way the hell out there with a strong possibility of enemy troops all around, and you look up and see a couple of Cobra [gunships] flying overhead.”

In May 1969, Maj. Gen. John M. Wright Jr. assumed command of the 101st Airborne Division. He instituted additional division incentives to increase the flow of ranger volunteers. The official division recruiting pitch for the Airborne Eagle Rangers emphasized the “great personal satisfaction that a Ranger gets out of his job.” The seasoned professionals were more likely to volunteer because of more practical military reasons, as Sgt. First Class José Mendoza explained: “I just feel safer. In a line unit there is just too much noise and I like the idea of knowing where the enemy is instead of the other way around.”15

General Wright established a divisional “Reconnaissance Zone” across the western mountains and valleys adjacent to the Laotian border. The zone was designed as a buffer between enemy-held portions of Laos and populated regions of coastal Vietnam.

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