RANGER HANDBOOK - Arkansas Tech University

1 SH 21-76 UNITED STATES ARMYRANGER HANDBOOK "NOT FOR THE WEAK OR FAINTHEARTED RANGER TRAINING BRIGADEUNITED STATES ARMY INFANTRY SCHOOLFORT BENNING, GEORGIAAPRIL 2000 TABLE OF CONTENTSI RANGER CREEDII STANDING ORDERS ROGER S RANGERSIII RANGER HISTORYIV RANGER TRAINING BRIGADE HISTORYCHAPTER 1 LEADERSHIPPRINCIPLES OF LEADERSHIP1-1 DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES1-2 ASSUMPTION OF COMMAND1-7 CHAPTER 2 OPERATIONSTROOP LEADING PROCEDURES2-1 COMBAT INTELLIGENCE2-7 WARNING ORDER2-8 OPERATIONS ORDER2-11 FRAGMENTARY ORDER2-17 ANNEXES2-22 COORDINATION CHECKLISTS2-29 DOCTRINAL TERMS2-34 CHAPTER 3 FIRE SUPPORTCAPABILITIES3-2 CLOSE AIR SUPPORT3-4 CALL FOR FIRE3-5 CHAPTER 4 MOVEMENTTECHNIQUES4-2 TACTICAL MARCHES4-6 DANGER AREAS4-9 CHAPTER 5 PATROLLINGPLANNING CONSIDERATIONS5-1 RECONNAISSANCE

2 OPERATIONS5-6 COMBAT PATROLS5-13 AMBUSH5-14 RAID5-16 DEPARTURE/RE-ENTRY5-25 LINK-UP5-27 PATROL BASE5-30 MOVEMENT TO CONTACT5-34 CHAPTER 6 BATTLE DRILLSPLATOON ATTACK6-1 SQUAD ATTACK6-5 REACT TO CONTACT6-8 BREAK CONTACT6-9 REACT TO AMBUSH6-11 KNOCK OUT BUNKERS6-12 ENTER/CLEAR A TRENCH6-14 BREACH6-19 CHAPTER 7 COMMUNICATIONSAN/PRC-1197-1AN/PRC-1267-3 CHAPTER 8 ARMY AVIATIONAIR ASSAULT8-1 AIR ASSAULT FORMATIONS8-3PZ OPERATIONS8-5 SAFETY8-8 CHAPTER 9 WATERBORNE OPERATIONSONE ROPE BRIDGE9-1 BOAT POSITIONS9-8 EMBARKING/DEBARKING9-11 LANDING SITE9-11 RIVER MOVEMENT9-13 FORMATIONS9-14 CHAPTER 10 MILITARY MOUNTAINEERINGSPECIAL EQUIPMENT10-1 KNOTS10-2 BELAYS10-8 TIGHTENING SYSTEMS10-10 ROCK CLIMBING TECHNIQUES10-10 RAPPELING10-14 CHAPTER 11 EVASION/SURVIVALEVASION11-1 SURVIVAL11-1 NAVIGATION11-2 WATER11-4 PLANT FOOD11-5 ANIMAL FOOD 11-6 TRAPS AND SNARES11-8 SHELTERS11-17 FIRE BUILDING 11-19 CHAPTER 12 FIRST AIDLIFESAVING STEPS12-1 BITES AND STINGS12-1 NINE LINE MEDEVAC REQUEST12-2 HEAD INJURY12-4 ENVIRONMENTAL INJURIES12-5 CHAPTER 13 DEMOLITIONSMDI COMPONENTS13-1 DETONATION SYSTEMS13-2 DEMOLITION EFFECTS SIMULATOR (DES)

3 13-3 CHAPTER 14 RANGER URBAN OPERATIONSTYPES OF URBAN OPERATIONS14-1 PRINCIPLES OF URBAN OPERATIONS14-2 METT-TC CONSIDERATIONS14-2 CLOSE QUARTERS COMBAT14-5 BREACHING14-19I RANGER CREEDR ecognizing that I volunteered as a RANGER , fully knowing the hazards of mychosen profession, I will always endeavor to uphold the prestige, honor, and highesprit de corps of the the fact that a RANGER is a more elite soldier who arrives at thecutting edge of battle by land, sea, or air, I accept the fact that as a RANGER mycountry expects me to move further, faster, and fight harder than any shall I fail my comrades I will always keep myself mentally alert,physically strong, and morally straight and I will shoulder more than my share ofthe task whatever it may be, one hundred percent and then will I show the world that I am a specially selected and well trainedsoldier.

4 My courtesy to superior officers, neatness of dress, and care ofequipment shall set the example for others to will I meet the enemies of my country. I shall defeat them on thefield of battle for I am better trained and will fight with all my might. Surrender isnot a RANGER word. I will never leave a fallen comrade to fall into the hands of theenemy and under no circumstances will I ever embarrass my will I display the intestinal fortitude required to fight on to the Rangerobjective and complete the mission, though I be the lone ORDERS ROGERS RANGERS1. Don't forget Have your musket clean as a whistle, hatchet scoured, sixty rounds powderand ball, and be ready to march at a minute's When you're on the march, act the way you would if you was sneaking upon a deer.

5 See the enemy Tell the truth about what you see and what you do. There is an armydepending on us for correct information. You can lie all you please whenyou tell other folks about the Rangers, but don't never lie to a RANGER Don't never take a chance you don't have When we're on the march we march single file, far enough apart so oneshot can't go through two If we strike swamps, or soft ground, we spread out abreast, so it's hard totrack When we march, we keep moving till dark, so as to give the enemy the leastpossible chance at When we camp, half the party stays awake while the other half If we take prisoners, we keep'em separate till we have had time to examinethem, so they can't cook up a story between' Don't ever march home the same way.

6 Take a different route so you won'tbe No matter whether we travel in big parties or little ones, each party has tokeep a scout 20 yards ahead, 20 yards on each flank, and 20 yards in therear so the main body can't be surprised and wiped Every night you'll be told where to meet if surrounded by a superior Don't sit down to eat without posting Don't sleep beyond dawn. Dawn's when the French and Indians Don't cross a river by a regular If somebody's trailing you, make a circle, come back onto your own tracks,and ambush the folks that aim to ambush Don't stand up when the enemy's coming against you. Kneel down, liedown, hide behind a Let the enemy come till he's almost close enough to touch, then let himhave it and jump out and finish him up with your ROBERT ROGERS 1759 III-1 RANGER HISTORYThe history of the American RANGER is a long and colorful saga of courage, daring andoutstanding leadership.

7 It is a story of men whose skills in the art of fighting haveseldom been surpassed. Only the highlights of their numerous exploits are told primarily performed defensive missions until Benjamin Church s Company ofIndependent Rangers from Plymouth Colony proved successful in raiding hostileIndians during King Phillip s War in 1675. In 1756 Major Robert Rogers, a native ofNew Hampshire, recruited nine companies of American colonists to fight for the Britishduring the French and Indian War. RANGER techniques and methods of operation werean inherent characteristic of the American frontiersmen; however, Major Rogers was thefirst to capitalize on them and incorporate them into the fighting doctrine of apermanently organized fighting method of fighting used by the first Rangers was further developed during theRevolutionary War by Colonel Daniel Morgan, who organized a unit known as Morgan s Riflemen.

8 According to General Burgoyne, Morgan s men were ..the mostfamous corps of the Continental Army, all of them crack shots. Francis Marion, the Swamp Fox , organized another famous Revolutionary WarRanger element known as Marion s Partisans . Marion s Partisans, numberinganywhere from a handful to several hundred, operated both with and independent ofother elements of General Washington s Army. Operating out of the Carolina swamps,they disrupted British communications and prevented the organization of loyalists tosupport the British cause, substantially contributing to the American American Civil War was again the occasion for the creation of special units such asRangers.

9 John S. Mosby, a master of the prompt and skillful use of cavalry, was one ofthe most outstanding Confederate believed that by resorting to aggressiveaction he could compel his enemies to guard a hundred points. He would then attackone of the weakest points and be assured numerical America s entry into the Second World War, Rangers came forth to add to thepages of history. Major William O. Darby organized and activated the 1st RangerBattalion on June19, 1942 at Carrickfergus, North Ireland. The members were all hand-picked volunteers; 50 participated in the gallant Dieppe Raid on the northern coast ofFrance with British and Canadian commandos.

10 The 1st, 3rd, and 4th RANGER Battalionsparticipated with distinction in the North African, Sicilian and Italian campaigns. Darby sRanger Battalions spearheaded the Seventh Army landing at Gela and Licata during theSicilian invasion and played a key role in the subsequent campaign which culminated inthe capture of Messina. They infiltrated German lines and mounted an attack againstCisterna, where they virtually annihilated an entire German parachute regiment duringclose in, night, bayonet and hand-to-hand 2nd and 5th RANGER Battalions participated in the D-Day landings at Omaha Beach,Normandy; it was during the bitter fighting along the beach that the Rangers gainedtheir official motto.