what tank battalion guarded 2nd armies headquarters at the battle of the bulge

The well-publicized exploits of Lieutenant Colonel William O. During the spring of 1943 volunteers from units throughout the United States assembled there to form the new unit. The 2nd Ranger Battalion was activated on 1 April 1943 at Camp Nathan Bedford Forrest, outside of Tullahoma, Tennessee. A future article will explain the origins and combat operations of the 5th Ranger Battalion. 3 This article explains the origins and combat operations of the 2nd Ranger Battalion in Europe, particularly after D-Day. 2 Two previous articles in Veritas covered the Rangers in the Mediterranean Theater (North Africa, Sicily, and Italy). While all were organized in a similar fashion, each “sphere” had its own history. Rudder (Europe), and Henry Mucci (the Southwest Pacific). The six Ranger Infantry battalions fell into three separate operational “spheres” – William O. The six Ranger battalions that fought in World War II were not a homogeneous unit with a senior command and control structure. The successes at Normandy led to their retention in theater to serve as “fire brigades.” They were usually attached to a Corps and then attached to fight with a division. Both trained in England for specific D-Day objectives. Although separate and distinct, the histories of the 2nd and 5th Rangers were linked together for most of World War II.īoth battalions were created for one mission, to lead the invasion of Europe. While their combat history began on D-Day, the two battalions fought across France, in the Hürtgen Forest, and then through Germany, and were part of the Army of Occupation after May 1945.

Few people realize that the 2nd and 5th Ranger Battalions fought in Europe until May 1945 (“V-E Day”). The exploits of the Rangers at Pointe du Hoc and Omaha Beach at Normandy are well known. It was 7 December 1944 and the 2nd Ranger Battalion, like the 5th Rangers, had been fighting in Europe since 6 June 1944. The “Castle Hill” seemed impossible several other units had already tried and failed. The Rangers faced a daunting task, assault across the open snow-covered field, protected by dug in German positions, and then climb the steep slopes of Hill 400. The bitter cold of the winter morning clung to them like a blanket. Under the cover of a sunken road near a cemetery, two companies of Rangers waited to begin the assault.

What tank battalion guarded 2nd armies headquarters at the battle of the bulge