GWOT and MOH recipients

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goon175
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GWOT and MOH recipients

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Present day and the G.W.O.T.
The 75th Ranger Regiment has been involved in every conflict in some degree or another in the 21st century. With the battalions’ flexibility, they are able to deploy for worldwide, no notice missions. On November 24th, 2000 the 75th Ranger Regiment deployed a Ranger Command and Control element and Regimental Recon Detachment (RRD) team two in support of TF Falcon in Kosovo.
After the tragic terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, the 75th Ranger Regiment was called on to spearhead the way into the G.W.O.T. and the call was answered in full force. On the night of October 19, 2001 components of Companies A and C, 3rd Ranger Battalion, conducted a daring low level parachute assault onto Objective Rhino, a desert airfield in south western Afghanistan, in order to capture key logistical information. During follow on missions, Company B, 3rd Battalion minus accomplished a successful night parachute assault into Bastogne DZ to secure a desert landing strip in support of a special operations raid.
In order to establish a Flight Landing Strip for follow on combat operations, Regimental Reconnaissance Detachment (RRD) Team 3 conducted a combat military freefall parachute drop onto Wrath Drop Zone in southeast Afghanistan on 10 November, 2001.
RRD Team 3 conducted a combat static line parachute drop onto Shiloh Drop Zone in southeast Afghanistan on 21 November, 2001 to establish a flight Landing Strip for follow on combat operations.
In the early morning hours of March 4, 2002, on a mountaintop called Takur Ghar in southeastern Afghanistan, Al Qaeda soldiers fired on an MH-47E helicopter carrying a Special Operations Force (SOF) reconnaissance element. The damage on the helicopter resulted in a Navy SEAL, Neal Roberts, falling out of the helicopter and began a chain of events that lead to Rangers performing at their best. After a failed attempt by a group of Navy SEALs to rescue Roberts, the plan was devised to send two QRFs to engage the enemy and recover the SEAL. Without knowing about the Navy SEAL attempt failing due to an ambush, the QRF of Razor One landed in the same exact area. They befell the same ambush and quickly reacted to secure their position. While the battle raged Razor One was able to contact the incoming QRF of Razor Two, and in response landed further down the mountain and hiked up to join the battle. Razor 2 made quick time of the trek they had and joined the fight, reinforcing the pinned down QRF Razor One. The battle of Takur Gahr ended with the death of all the Al Qaeda terrorists defending the mountain top and resulting in the death of seven US servicemen. Rangers demonstrated the will to defeat the enemy and took control of the situation effectively and quickly in order to uphold “never shall I leave a fallen comrade to fall into the hands of the enemy”.
On 28 March 2003, the 3rd Ranger Battalion was the first unit to airborne assault into Iraq to seize "Objective Serpent" in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. A few days later Company A, 3rd Battalion and sections of HHC, 3rd Battalion carried out a successful parachute assault on H2 Airfield in Western Iraq. On the night of March 31, 2003, Company B 3rd Battalion gained a foothold at the Haditha Dam complex and fought off elements from the Iraqi Republican Guard’s Hammurabi Division over the course of the next week.
On April 1, 2003, US Marines staged a diversionary attack, besieging nearby Iraqi irregulars to draw them away from the Saddam Hospital in Nasiriyah. Meanwhile, an element from a Joint Special Operations Task Force consisting of Rangers from 1st Ranger Battalion launched a nighttime raid on the hospital and successfully retrieved Lynch and the bodies of eight other American soldiers.
RRD Team 3 conducted a combat military freefall parachute drop onto Tillman Drop Zone in southeast Afghanistan in July, 2004 in order to emplace tactical equipment. The Regimental Reconnaissance Company Team 1 would again conduct a combat military freefall parachute drop with a tandem passenger into Afghanistan on 11 July, 2009 in order to emplace tactical equipment.
The never ending changes of warfare called for the need of an extremely flexible and sustainable Ranger Force. The Regiment Special Troops Battalion (TSTB) was activated July 17th, 2006 in order to answer that call. The RSTB conducts sustainment, intelligence, recon, and maintenance missions which were previously accomplished by small detachments assigned to the Regimental headquarters and then attached within each of the three Ranger Battalions. The activation of RSTB signified the change of the Ranger force conducting short term combat missions to continuous combat operations without the loss of effectiveness or flexibility.
Currently the 75th Ranger Regiment, with all of its battalions, continues to spearhead operations in multiple foreign countries from many different locations; never before seen in military history. They continue to work with all branches of the military- special operations, conventional and coalition forces, conducting joint special operations across the full spectrum of combat.
The 75th Ranger Regiment is the first unit in the military to be awarded the Global War on Terrorism, Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom streamer. “This is a great day not only for Fort Benning, the Rangers, but also for the Army.” Chief of staff General Schoomaker said. “I cannot think of a better place and a better way to recognize this great unit. Truly, the 75th Ranger Regiment leads the way and we are very, very proud of it.” These streamers represent the 75th Ranger Regiment’s constant engagements in the G.W.O.T. since Oct. 2001.
While maintaining a constant deployment rotation, Rangers are always training in and out of combat to prepare for their short to no-notice would-wide combat deployments. The Rangers are the best at what they do and continue to maintain operational capability through recruiting more volunteers to train to carry on the Ranger lineage.

Ranger Medal of Honor Recipients

Staff Sergeant Laszlo Rabel:
He earned the Medal of Honor in Vietnam while serving with the 74th Infantry Detachment (Long Range Patrol), 173rd Airborne Brigade at Binh Dinh Providence, Vietnam, November 13, 1968. Rabel smothered the blast of an enemy-thrown grenade with his body, protecting his fellow soldiers at the expense of his own life.
Specialist Robert D. Law:
He was awarded the Medal of Honor on February 22, 1969 while serving as a specialist four in Company F (Ranger) (LRRS), 52nd Infantry Regiment/75th Ranger Infantry Regiment (Airborne), 1st Infantry Division. During a firefight on that day, in Tinh Phuoc Thanh Providence, Republic of Vietnam, Law smothered the blast of an enemy grenade with his body, sacrificing his life to protect those around him.
Staff Sergeant Robert J. Pruden:
Received Medal of Honor for actions on November 29th, 1969 while serving as a Staff Sergeant in the 75th Ranger Infantry Regiment (Airborne). On that day, in Quang Ngai Providence of the Republic of Vietnam, Pruden was killed in a firefight with enemy forces. With full knowledge of the extreme danger involved, he left his concealed position and, fired as he ran, advancing toward the enemy to draw hostile fire. He was seriously wounded twice but continued his attack until he fell for a third time, in front of the enemy positions. SSG Pruden’s actions resulted in several enemy casualties and withdrawal of the remaining enemy force and he was later posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his Selfless actions to save his comrades.
Sergeant First Class Leroy A. Petry:
SFC Petry was assigned to Company D, 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment. His actions came as part of a rare daylight raid to capture a high-value target. On the day of the actions that would earn Petry the Medal of Honor, 26 May 2008, he was to locate himself with the platoon headquarters in the target building once it was secured. Once there, he was to serve as the senior noncommissioned officer at the site for the remainder of the operation. The operation involved about 70 Rangers, who encountered about 40 enemies, 12 of them armed. Almost immediately after getting out of their helicopters, the Rangers came under strong fire. Petry provided additional supervision to an assaulting squad during the clearance of a building, and afterward he took PFC Lucas Robinson to clear the outer courtyard. Three enemy fighters were in the courtyard, which had a chicken coop within it. The enemy fired on them; Petry was wounded by one round which went through both his legs, and Robinson was wounded, being hit on his side plate. Wounded, Petry led Robinson to the cover of the chicken coop and reported the contact and their wounded condition. Petry then threw a thermobaric grenade from cover. There at the chicken coop, they were joined by SGT Daniel Higgins, who assessed the wounds of the two soldiers. An enemy threw a grenade at their position which landed 10 meters from them; it detonated, knocked them to the ground, wounded Higgins, and Robinson was further wounded. Shortly thereafter the three were joined by SSG James Roberts and SPC Christopher Gathercole. Another grenade was thrown by an enemy which landed a few feet from Higgins and Robinson. Petry, knowing the risk to his life, moved toward the grenade, picked it up, and attempted to throw it in the direction of the enemy. Petry later recalled his immediate reaction was "get it out of here; get it away from the guys and myself. And I reached over, leaned over to the right, grabbed it with my hand, and I threw it as hard as I could, what I thought was at the time. And as soon as I opened my hand to let it go, it just exploded instantly. And I came back, and the hand was completely severed off." The detonation amputated his right hand, and sprayed his body with shrapnel. In throwing the grenade away, Petry likely saved the two other soldiers from serious injury or death. Petry then placed a tourniquet on his right arm. Roberts began to fire at the enemy, suppressing the enemy in the courtyard. An additional enemy combatant on the east end of the courtyard fired, fatally wounding Gathercole. Higgins and Robinson returned fire, killing the enemy. They were then joined by SFC Jerod Staidle, the Platoon Sergeant, and SPC Gary Depriest, a medic. Directing the medic to treat Gathercole, Petry was assisted by Staidle and Higgins to the casualty collection point.
"Far better is it to dare mighty things, to win glorius triumphs, even though checkered by failure... than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much, because they live in a gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat."
-Theodore Roosevelt

1/75 2006 - 2010
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goon175
Ranger
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Joined: July 13th, 2010, 7:55 pm

Re: GWOT and MOH recipients

Post by goon175 »

edited, standing by for corrections.
"Far better is it to dare mighty things, to win glorius triumphs, even though checkered by failure... than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much, because they live in a gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat."
-Theodore Roosevelt

1/75 2006 - 2010
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