DEP'ers with OPT 40 Front and Center!

jakeshoe · Post by **jakeshoe** » June 26th, 2004, 3:48 pm

Jake is conducting a ranger History course on this forum.

First round of questions:

When was the 1st Ranger Bn. formed in WWII? Date?
What was the location?
Who commanded it?
How long did they have to form?

Blacksrt4 · Post by **Blacksrt4** » June 26th, 2004, 7:44 pm

With the help of Ray80 here are the answers.

When was the 1st Ranger Bn. formed in WWII? Date?
June 7, 1942

What was the location?
Carrickfergus, Northern Ireland

Who commanded it?
Major William O. Darby

How long did they have to form?
It was created by order of General Marshall on June 1, 1942, so it formed in six days.
Volunteers came from the 34th Infantry and 1st Armored.

jakeshoe · Post by **jakeshoe** » June 26th, 2004, 9:22 pm

OK,
I also want to know your literary sources.

June 7th is not correct for the date of activation.

But it was a somewhat significant date so I'll give ya another try.

Date of activation?

Middle name of Commander?

Colonel Darby was might brave,
we buried him in a shallow grave...

Blacksrt4 · Post by **Blacksrt4** » June 27th, 2004, 12:49 am

OK date of activation was, 19 june 1942
and middle name was Orlando.

http://www.armyranger.com/mod.php?mod=u ... page_id=48

Bell · Post by **Bell** » June 27th, 2004, 8:56 am

blacksrt4 wrote:OK date of activation was, 19 june 1942
and middle name was Orlando.

http://www.armyranger.com/mod.php?mod=u ... page_id=48

Ok? OK what? Getting kinda chummy ain't ya?

RLTW
Bell

jakeshoe · Post by **jakeshoe** » June 27th, 2004, 9:50 am

So how long did they have to form?

Who trained them?

Oh,
I check your source and that's too easy..

Who was Major Darby's XO?
What component of the armed forces was he from?

On what date was Darby promoted from Captain to Major? and from Major to Lt Colonel?

jakeshoe · Post by **jakeshoe** » June 27th, 2004, 6:46 pm

Where are all my motivated, dedicated, hardcore DEP'ers?

Oh, I forgot they don't exist.

Ray80 · Post by **Ray80** » June 27th, 2004, 7:16 pm

Ranger Jakeshoe,
Since blacksrt4 volunteered to post last time, I will post this time, adding that we both did research on this.

Ranger jakeshoe wrote:So how long did they have to form?

Assuming that the official date of activation was June 19, 1942 and selection started on 8 June, the unit
had 11 days to form. [1]

Ranger jakeshoe wrote:Who trained them?

The Original Rangers were trained by the British Commandos.[1]

Ranger jakeshoe wrote:Who was Major Darby's XO?

Major Darby's XO was Herman W. Dammer of New York. [2]

Ranger jakeshoe wrote:What component of the armed forces was he from?

Dammer was "a National Guard cavalry lieutenant before volunteering for Ranger training in 1942."[2]

Ranger jakeshoe wrote:On what date was Darby promoted from Captain to Major? and from Major to Lt Colonel?

Captain Darby was promoted to Major on 1 June, 1942. [3]

Major Darby spent ten weeks at that rank before promotion to Lt. Colonel. [1] I added ten weeks to the date of 1 June and came up
with 10 August, 1942. I understand I am taking a risk by assuming that that is the correct official date of Darby's promotion.

Sources:
[1] http://www.cgsc.army.mil/carl/resources ... ing.asp#CC
[2] http://www.bragg.army.mil/1-295INF/heroes_from_pr_3.htm
[3] http://www.irelandseye.com/aarticles/hi ... gers2.shtm

Ray

jakeshoe · Post by **jakeshoe** » June 27th, 2004, 8:31 pm

OK Ray,
As close as you can get with your sources.

The Bn had 10 days to form. In a letter June 7th from General Hartle to his subordinates stated "the organization of the battalion will be completed in 10 days"..

Sounds like somebody missed a time hack to me :)

Major Darby's prmotion to Lt. Colonel was effective Aug 6th 1942. So you were close, and recognized your risk factor.

Otherwise everything is correct.

What is the significance that Major Darby would pick a National Guardsman as an XO?

Ray80 · Post by **Ray80** » June 29th, 2004, 6:48 am

Ranger jakeshoe wrote:...What is the significance that Major Darby would pick a National Guardsman as an XO?

Ranger jakeshoe,

In reading the source marked [3], Dammer volunteered as a Ranger because he did not want to spend the war "guarding a coastline." Dammer wanted to get into the war.
The following quote is on the same page and explains the significance of Darby's selection of a National Guardsman:

"Traditionally, a regular Army man such as Darby would not favour or promote a member of the National Guard or Reserves.
Darby was not encumbered by an allegiance to any such caste system."

The significance of this was that Darby's Rangers were a unit unlike any in the Army.
Darby had his standards and the Officers either met them or they did not.
Dammer had the correct mindset and became a great officer and leader of Rangers and it did not matter that he was not Regular Army.

Source:
[3] http://www.irelandseye.com/aarticles/hi ... gers2.shtm
I am wary of this particular source and will double check my information in a Ranger-related source when my work schedule permits. I hope my late response is not looked upon as slacking.

Ray

jakeshoe · Post by **jakeshoe** » June 29th, 2004, 11:10 am

Your source is correct. Usually NG officers, and Reserve officers were not regarded as highly as the regular army counterparts.

Where are the rest of the DEP'ers.

We have a coupel showing initiative and leading the way while the others sit on their asses and follow.

If you guys think the RIP instuctors won't notice this and bring pain upon you, you are heading to the wrong assignment.

Who was the first Ranger to die in training, and who is the first American Ground soldier to kill a German?

Osiris · Post by **Osiris** » June 30th, 2004, 7:43 am

Lt. Joseph H. Randall was KIA on August 19, 1942 at Dieppe. I am still looking for the name of the Ranger who died in training.

jakeshoe · Post by **jakeshoe** » June 30th, 2004, 9:25 am

Who was decoraated as the first American to kill a German?..

Ray80 · Post by **Ray80** » June 30th, 2004, 4:57 pm

Who was decoraated as the first American to kill a German?..

Ranger jakeshoe,

The first American ground soldier decorated for killing a German in WWII was Cpl. Franklin Koons.

...Cpl. Franklin Koons, probably the first American soldier to kill a German in this war said
"We got to a little farm built around a yard. We found a small stable into which we put the wounded....
and there I found a good spot for sniping......I fired through a slit in a brick wall....
...He "was later decorated by the Military Medal from Lord Mountbatten." [1]

I could not find an internet source with the searches I ran. I had to borrow a book from the library.
Source:[1] Darby, William O., Darby's Rangers : We Led the Way, p.44

NoahH volunteered his answer to me through PM. He also came up with the name of Cpl. Franklin M. Koons.
I still need to look for the name of the Ranger who died in training with a source.

Ray

jakeshoe · Post by **jakeshoe** » June 30th, 2004, 11:19 pm

That is correct,
He was decorated by the Englishj as well as the U.S.