115th Infantry Regimental Crest

The 115th Infantry Regiment is a US Army regiment that traces its lineage back to pre-Revolutionary days. The regiment is currently represented by the First Battalion, 115th Infantry, which is part of the Third Brigade, 29th Infantry Division, Maryland Army National Guard.

World War II

On February 3, 1941, the Twenty-Ninth Division was recalled to active duty for one year at Fort George G. Meade, Maryland. The division conducted extensive training here and elsewhere, to include A.P. Hill, Virginia, and Indiantown Gap, Pennsylvania. They would also participate in the Carolina Maneuvers. Following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the division's term of service was extended "until the cessation of hostilities."

Between September 27 and October 5, the division was loaded onto the HMS Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth. Once in England, the Twenty-Ninth would take part in what seemed to be almost continuous training exercises. These would terminate in June 1944 with the invasion of "Fortress Europe:" D-Day.

On June 6, 1944, at 6:30 in the morning, elements of 3 US Infantry divisions landed on the Normandy coast, the first step on the road to the liberation of Europe. On Omaha beach, in the thick of the fiercest fighting, was the Twenty-Ninth Division, the only National Guard division in the attack. The 115th Regiment landed in the second assault wave.

After securing the Omaha Beachhead, the division would live up to its battlecry of "Twenty-Nine, Let's Go!" Hill 192, Insigny, St. Lo . . . these are just a few of the names that will live in the history of the division. "The Major of St. Lo," Major Tom Howie, killed during the assault on that city, would be memorialized in Life Magazine, and a song would be written of the fight.

From the fortress of Brest through the Julich and on to the Elbe River, the fame of the regiment would spread. The 5,948 casualties sustained attest to the ferocity with which the regiment fought. Campaign streamers for Normandy (with arrowhead), North France, Rhineland, and Central Europe were added to the colors. Additional decorations included a distinguished unit streamer embroidered "St. Laurent-Sur-Mer," a streamer in the colors of the French Croix du Guerre with palms embroidered "St. Laurent-Sur-Mer," and, for the First Battalion, a streamer in the colors of the French Croix du Guerre with Silver Star embroidered "St. Lo."

US 1st Infantry Division

Patch of the United States Army 1st Infantry Division.

The 1st Infantry Division of the United States Army —nicknamed the Big Red One after its shoulder patch—is the oldest continuously serving division in the Army.

World War II

In World War II, the division landed in Oran, Algeria as part of Operation Torch. Elements then took part in seesaw combat at Maktar, Medjez el Bab, Kasserine Pass, Gafsa, El Guettar, Béja, and Mateur, 21 January – 9 May 1943, helping secure Tunisia.

In July, 1943 it took part in Operation Husky in Sicily under the command of Major General Terry de la Mesa Allen. It was assigned to U.S. II Corps. On 7 August 1943, command was assumed by Major General Clarence R. Huebner.

When that campaign was over, the Division returned to England to prepare for the Normandy invasion. It was the division that stormed Omaha Beach on D-Day, some units suffering 30 percent casualties in the first hour, and secured Formigny and Caumont in the beachhead. The Division followed up the St. Lo break-through with an attack on Marigny, 27 July 1944, and then drove across France in a continuous offensive, reaching the German border at Aachen in September. The Division laid siege to Aachen, taking the city after a direct assault, 21 October 1944. The First then attacked east of Aachen through Hurtgen Forest, driving to the Roer, and moved to a rest area 7 December for its first real rest in 6 months' combat, when the von Rundstedt offensive suddenly broke loose, 16 December. The Division raced to the Ardennes, and fighting continuously from 17 December 1944 to 28 January 1945, helped blunt and turn back the German offensive. Thereupon, the Division attacked and again breached the Siegfried Line, fought across the Roer, 23 February 1945, and drove on to the Rhine, crossing at the Remagen bridgehead, 15–16 March 1945. The Division broke out of the bridgehead, took part in the encirclement of the Ruhr Pocket, captured Paderborn, pushed through the Harz Mountains, and was in Czechoslovakia, at Kinsperk, Sangerberg, and Mnichov, when the war in Europe ended.

1st Infantry Division Medal of Honor Recipients WWII

1LT Jimmie W. Monteith, Jr. 16th Infantry Regiment

SSG George Peterson 18th Infantry Regiment

Technician 5th grade John J. Pinder 16th Infantry Regiment

PVT James W. Reese 26th Infantry Regiment

SSG Joseph E. Schaefer 18th Infantry Regiment

SGT Max Thompson 18th Infantry Regiment

CPL Henry F. Warner 26th Infantry Regiment

1LT Walter J. Will 18th Infantry Regiment

PVT Carlton W. Barrett 18th Infantry Regiment

CPT Bobbie E. Brown 18th Infantry Regiment

SSG Arthur F. DeFranzo 18th Infantry Regiment

SSG Walter D. Elhers 18th Infantry Regiment

PVT Robert T. Henry 16th Infantry Regiment

Tech SGT Jake W. Lindsey 16th Infantry Regiment

PFC Francis X. McGraw 26th Infantry Regiment

PFC Gino J. Merli 18th Infantry Regiment

From: http://www.medalofhonor.com/1stInfantry.htm 

The 26th Infantry Regiment: A Century of Service

No Mission Too Difficult, No Sacrifice Too Great. Duty First!

In World War I the 26th Infantry was among the American first units to land in France, and the first to enter Germany with the Occupation Force. In World War II the 26th led the amphibious assault on North Africa, fought at Kasserine Pass, landed in Sicily, invaded Normandy on D-Day, and drove across France and Belgium. The 26th was among the first units to breach the Westwall, to cross the Rhine at Remagen, to advance on the axis Paderborn through the Harz Mountains, and thence into Czechoslovakia. In 1965, the 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry was among the first U.S. units deployed to Vietnam, and fought with the division in dominating the main force war north of Saigon. The battalion served in combat there for five years-which, when added on to the four years it served in the Philippines at the beginning of the century, amounts to nearly a decade of duty in Asia.

Most of the 26th's service overseas has been in Germany. It manned an Allied bridgehead over the Rhine in 1918-1919. In 1945 it formed the backbone of the American forces in Germany, and in 1950 helped form the nucleus around which NATO built its defenses. From 1955-1970 it served in the U.S. and in Vietnam. In 1970, the 1st Battalion, 26th rejoined NATO forces in Germany, serving through 1982 as part of the forward deployed brigade of the 1st Division. During the 1980s the 26th Infantry spent several years in the U.S. training recruits. But now, as the U.S. Army restructures for the twenty-first century, the 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry is again part of the 1st Infantry Division, and again stationed in Germany.

Soldiers of the 26th Infantry have come to be known as "Blue Spaders," after their distinctive unit insignia, a stylized Mohawk Indian arrowhead, in blue, on a white shield selected by Colonel Hamilton A. Smith, regimental commander from 1917 to 1918, as a symbol of the regiment's courage, relentless pursuit of an enemy, and resourceful daring.

The 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry has earned many awards and decorations. Among these the two highest honors are the Presidential Unit Citation for its offensive vicinity Stolberg, Germany, in September, 1944, and the Valorous Unit Award for its stout defense against a determined enemy at Ap Gu, Republic of Vietnam, on 1 April 1967.

In conflicts ranging from Europe to North Africa to Southeast Asia, the 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry earned a unique reputation. Despite peril, hardship, and severe casualties, that battalion never failed to perform its mission. In the First World War it had the courage to attack through withering fire amid the squalid trenches, wire entanglements, and ruined towns of Picardy, Champagne, and the Argonne. In the Second World War it relentlessly pursued a retreating enemy in its amphibious invasions; in its offensives across the mountains and deserts of North Africa and through the hills of Sicily; and in its swift strike across France and Belgium to lead American forces in capturing Aachen. It fought all the way through the Hurtgen Forest, and resolutely defended the northern shoulder of the Bulge at Butgenbach, then cut a swath across the heartland of Germany. In Vietnam, the battalion fought daringly in the jungles against the best light infantry in the world, and there mastered airmobile operations and small unit patrolling.

Recipients of the Medal of Honor
26th Infantry Regiment

            Please Click on the names:     

Robert F. Stryker

From :http://www.bluespader.org/century.html 

TECHNICAL SERGEANT FRANK D. PEREGORY

Rank and organization: Technical Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company K 116th Infantry,  29th Infantry Division. Place and date: Grandcampe France, 8 June 1944. Entered  service at: Charlottesville, Va. Born. 10 April 1915, Esmont, Va. G.O. No.: 43, 30  May 1945. Citation: On 8 June 1944, the 3d Battalion of the 116th Infantry was advancing on the strongly held German defenses at Grandcampe, France, when the leading elements were suddenly halted by decimating machinegun fire from a firmly entrenched enemy force on the high ground overlooking the town. After numerous attempts to neutralize the enemy position by supporting artillery and tank fire had proved ineffective, T/Sgt. Peregory, on his own initiative, advanced up the hill under withering  fire, and worked his way to the crest where he discovered an entrenchment leading to the main enemy fortifications 200 yards away. Without hesitating, he leaped into the  trench and moved toward the emplacement. Encountering a squad of enemy riflemen, he fearlessly attacked them with handgrenades and bayonet, killed 8 and forced 3 to surrender. Continuing along the trench, he single-handedly forced the surrender of 32 more riflemen, captured the machine gunners, and opened the way for the leading elements of the battalion to advance and secure its objective. The extraordinary gallantry and aggressiveness displayed by T/Sgt. Peregory are exemplary of the highest tradition of the armed forces.

From : http://www.staunton.com/116th/index.html

16th Infantry Association Lineage

Constituted 3 May 1861 in the Regular Army as the 1st Battalion, 11th Infantry. July 1861 - February 1862 at Fort Independence, Massachusetts, and Perryville, Maryland Reorganized and redesignated 5 December 1866 as the 11th Infantry. Consolidated 28 March - 6 April 1869 with the 34th Infantry (see annex) and consolidated unit the 16th Infantry. Assigned 8 june 1917 tot he 1st Expeditionary Division (later designated the 1st Infantry Division) Relieved 15 February 1957 from assignment to the 1st Infantry Division and reorganized as a parent regiment under the Combat Arms Regimental System. Withdrawn 28 February 1983 from the Combat Arms Regimental System and reorganized under the United States Army Regimental System with Headquarters at Fort Riley, Kansas. ANNEX Constituted 3 May 1861 in the Regular Army as the 3rd Battalion, 16th Infantry. Organized in April 1864 at Madison Barracks, New York. Reorganized and redesignated 21 September 1866 as the 34th Infantry. WWII On 26 October 1942 the regiment left Scotland by ship for the invasion of Africa. Arzew and Damense in Algeria, were the objectives. The assault was initiated at 0100 hours, 8 November 1942. Less than a week after the landing, a sizeable beachhead had been secured, and the enemy had surrendered and Oran was in the hands of the 1st Infantry division. During the remainder of the North african campaign the 16th fought at the Ousseltia Valley, Kasserine Pass, and El Guettar. The regiment performed in an outstanding manner during the battles of North Africa. For its actions at Kasserine the regiment was again decorated by the French Government and it received its first Presidential Unit Citation for actions near Mateur. Next came Sicily. Shortly before 0100 hours 10 July 1943, the first wave the 16th boarded landing craft for the assault on that critical island. After achieving a relativaly bloodless beachhead the regiment pushed off the beach and into the hills beyond where it soon received an enemy counterattack. Despite enemy tanks and reinforcements, the 16th continued its advance after assistance from the heavy guns of the U.S. Navy and the timely arrival of the regiements cannon company. By 14 July 1943, the Regiment had moved through Pictroperzia, Enna and Villarosa. Fighting against snipers and well-fortified positions, the 16th Infantry moved forward by flanking movements and by 29 July had taken the high ground west of the Cerami River. By early August, the Regiment had reached Trolina. At Trolina the regiment experienced some of the most bitter fighting it would see in the war. after a four day slugfest with the battle hardened Germans of the 15th Panzer Gernadier Division the men of the 16th soon captured the town and soon after the Sicily campaign ended. Subsequently, the 16th sailed to Liverpool, England, and from there entrained on 16 October 1943 for Dorchester, to carry out seven months of the most grueling training the regiment had ever endured. Early in 1944, the regiment moved to Devon for amphibious training. On 1 June 1944, embarkation was begun at Weymouth, as the 16th Infantry boarded the USS Samuel Chase, the USS Henrico, and the HMS Empire Anvil. Finally, late on the afternoon of 5 June 1944, the troop-laden ships sailed silently away from Weymouth harbor. The 16th Infantry's mission was "To assault Omaha Beach and reduce the beach defenses in its zone of action, and proceed with all possible speed to the D-Day Phase Line, and seize and secure it two hours before dark of D-Day." The assault of "Fortress Europa" began in the early hours of 6 June 1944 as the 16th Infantry Regiment moved toward the shore of Normandy. 600 yards offshore, the LCVP's encountered intense antitank and small arms fire, but continued to move forward without hesitation. As the first elements hit the beaches, it was apparent that many of the enemy's strong points had not been eliminated by the preinvasion bombardment. Those men who lived to get ashore immediately dug holes in the sand, but the waves washed them out as fast as they were scooped. To make matters worse, weapons became clogged with sand, and the enemy had reinforced with an added infantry division, thus almost doubling his firepower. The survivors of the first wave built up a hasty firing line along a low pile of shale. As more men arrived, they found the troops pinned down congested, and trapped. Then Sergeant Phillip Streczyk managed to cross a minefield and make a breach in the enemy wire. Colonel George Taylor, Regimental Commander, jumped to his feet and said, "The only men who remain on this beach are the dead and those who are about to die! Let's get moving!" The 16th Infantry rallied, and soon, by vicious fighting, much of it hand-to-hand, was pushing toward Colleville-Sur-Mer. By dark that day the 16th Infantry had seized the beach and an initial foothold that made the invasion a success. The evening of D-Day plus one found all of the regular units of the regiment ashore, many of them well inland. At an awards ceremony on 2 July 1944, General Eisenhower told the members of the 16th Infantry, "I'm not going to make a long speech, but this simple little ceremony gives me an opportunity to come over here, and through you, say thanks. You are the finest regiment in our army. I know your record from the day you landed in North Africa, and through Sicily. I am beginning to think that your Regiment is a sort of Praetorian Guard, which goes along with me and gives me luck." The 16th Infantry soon became the division reserve, and after a brief rest, continued moving inland. Medal of Honor Recepients:                                                                 First Lieutenant Jimmie Montieth 6 June 1944 Unit: L Company, 16th Infantry.  Birthday: 1 July 1917.  Place of Birth: Low Moor, Virginia.  Date of Death: 6 June 1944.  Place of Burial: A.M.B.C. Cemetery, Colleville-sur-Mer, France.  Entered Service at: Richmond, Virginia.  Place of Action: near Colleville-sur-Mer, France.  GO Number, Date: #20, 29 March 1945  Place of Issue: Presented to Montieth’s family by Brig. Gen. Frank Dorn in Richmond, Virginia. Citation:  With 22 men, defeated 400 insurgents, killing 36 and wounding 90. For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty on 6 June 1944, near Colleville-sur-Mer, France.  First Lieutenant Monteith landed with the initial assault waves on the coast of France under heavy enemy fire. Without regard to his own personal safety, he continually moved up and down the beach reorganizing men for further assault.  He then led the assault over a narrow protective ledge and across the flat, exposed terrain to the comparative safety of a cliff. Retracing his steps across the field to the beach, he moved over to where two tanks were buttoned up and blind under violent enemy artillery and machine-gun fire.  Completely exposed to the intense fire, First Lieutenant Monteith led the tanks on foot through a minefield and into firing positions.  Under his direction several enemy positions were destroyed.  He then rejoined his company, and under his leadership, his men captured an advantageous position on the hill.  Supervising the defense of his newly won position against repeated vicious counterattacks, he continued to ignore his own personal safety, repeatedly crossing the two or three hundred yards of open terrain under heavy fire to strengthen links in his defensive chain.  When the enemy succeeded in completely surrounding First Lieutenant Monteith and his unit, and while leading the fight out of the situation, First Lieutenant Monteith was killed by enemy fire.  The courage, gallantry, and intrepid leadership displayed by First Lieutenant Monteith is worthy of emulation.       Technician Fifth Class John J. Pinder, Jr. 6 June 1944 Unit: Headquarters Company, 16th Infantry.  Birthday: 12 June 1912.  Place of Birth: McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania.  Date of Death: 6 June 1944.  Place of Burial: Grand View Cemetery, Hanover Township, Pennsylvania.  Entered Service at: Burgettstown, Pennsylvania.  Place of Action: near Colleville-sur-Mer, France.  GO Number, Date: #1, 4 January 1945. Citation:  For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty an 6 June 1944, near Colleville-sur-Mer, France.  On D-day, Technician Fifth Grade Pinder landed on the coast 100 yards off shore under devastating enemy machine-gun and artillery fire, which caused severe casualties among the boatload.  Carrying a vitally important radio, he struggled towards shore in waist-deep water.  Only a few yards from his craft he was hit by enemy fire and was gravely wounded.  Technician Fifth Grade Pinder never stopped.  He made shore and delivered the radio.  Refusing to take cover afforded, or to accept medical attention for his wounds, Technician Fifth Grade Pinder, though terribly weakened by loss of blood and in fierce pain, on three occasions went into the fire-swept surf to salvage communication equipment.  He recovered many vital parts and equipment, including another workable radio.  On the third trip he was again hit, suffering machine-gun bullet wounds in the legs.  Still this valiant soldier would not stop for rest or medical attention. Remaining exposed to heavy enemy fire, growing steadily weaker, he aided in establishing the vital radio communication on the beach.  While so engaged this dauntless soldier was hit for the third time and killed.  The indomitable courage and personal bravery of Technician Fifth Grade Pinder was a magnificent inspiration to the men with whom he served.         From: http://www.16thinfantry-regiment.org/sir/go/1/Default.aspx                                                                                                                                                            18th Infantry Regiment  History : Click the Link : http://www.usregulars.com/usarmy/18us.html   Motto: In Omnia Paratus (In All Things Prepared) Symbolism: Civil War service is shown by the saltire cross from the Confederate flag. The crossed arrows represent the regiment's Indian campaigns. The VIII Corps badge recalls service in the 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division of that corps in the War with Spain and the Bolo stands for operations in the Visayas during the Philippine Insurrection. In World War I the regiment was awarded two French Croix de Guerre with Palm and the French Fourrangere for its part in the Soissons offensive on 18 July 1918 and the operations of early October 1918 around Exermont and Hill 240 in the old province of Lorraine. The chief bears the bend of the arms of Lorraine between the fleurs-de-lis of the arms of Soissons. The crest is the badge of the 1st Division of the XIV Corps of the Army of the Cumberland, with which the regiment served during most of its operations in the Civil War. Distinctive Insignia: The distinctive insignia is the shield and motto of the coat of arms.   Medal of Honor Recipients: WORLD WAR II In April 1904, Congress authorized a new design of the medal, and the Army applied more stringent requirements for its issue. The design adopted at that time is the one currently in use. The present neck ribbon was adopted in 1944.                                                                           (* Asterisk denotes a posthumous award) CARLTON W. BARRETT Rank and organization: Private, U.S. Army, 18th Infantry, 1st Infantry Division.Place and date: Near St. Laurent-sur-Mer, France, 6 June 1944. Entered service at: Albany, N.Y. Birth: Fulton, N.Y. G.O. No.: 78, 2 October 1944. Citation: For gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty on 6 June 1944, in the vicinity of St. Laurent-sur-Mer, France. On the morning of D-day Pvt. Barrett, landing in the face of extremely heavy enemy fire, was forced to wade ashore through neck-deep water. Disregarding the personal danger, he returned to the surf again and again to assist his floundering comrades and save them from drowning. Refusing to remain pinned down by the intense barrage of small-arms and mortar fire poured at the landing points, Pvt. Barrett, working with fierce determination, saved many lives by carrying casualties to an evacuation boat Iying offshore. In addition to his assigned mission as guide, he carried dispatches the length of the fire-swept beach; he assisted the wounded; he calmed the shocked; he arose as a leader in the stress of the occasion. His coolness and his dauntless daring courage while constantly risking his life during a period of many hours had an inestimable effect on his comrades and is in keeping with the highest traditions of the U.S. Army.         2nd Rangers Batallion This information is taken from a former X.O. of the 2nd Ranger Bn.       "Rangers Lead The Way" - The motto of the United States Army Rangers, a special breed of soldier who has done just that from the 17th Century in colonial America until today.   From the start, the Ranger has been a soldier who combined daring with great skill at warfare to accomplish his missions.  This proud tradition still exists as an integral part of the Ranger Regiment.      The Rangers trace their origin back to the frontiersman of the new world.  The settlers there encountered stiff resistance from some of the native indian tribes, who practiced a form of warfare alien to the settlers.  Using concealment, long range scouting, and swift raids, the Indians inflected a heavy toll on the colonist and their property.  The Americans responded by adopting these tactics, and applied them effectively against the marauding parties of the East Coast tribes.  Bands of men would often leave their settlement to search for approaching Indians raiding parties; upon completing their mission they would report that they had "ranged" or patrolled a certain distance from their homes. The use of "ranged" led to naming these scouts Rangers.      The first organized Ranger unit was activated in 1670 to combat a hostile tribe under the leadership of Metocomet, also called King Phillip.  The Rangers commanded by Capt. Benjamin Church crushed the attackers and ended King Phillips war in 1675.  The French and Indian War saw the return of the Rangers.  Major Robert Rogers from New Hampshire organized nine companies to fight the British from 1756 to 1763.  He published a list of 28 common sense rules, and a set of 19 standing orders stressing operational readiness, security, and tactics.  By June of 1758, Rogers was conducting live-fire exercises.      Roger's operations were chacterized by solid preperation and bold movement.  His Rangers' most famous action was a raid against the Abenaki Indains who were known for their ferocity.  The Rangers traveled over 400 miles taking them 60 days.  This Ranger group killed several hundred Indians.  The once feared tribe was never a threat again.      The Rangers broke new ground in waging war in another way.  They took the fight to the Indians and the French on skis, snowshoes and even ice skates.  The Rangers distinguished themselves as scouts and lethal adversaries.  Little more than a decade later the Continental Congress called for ten companies of "expert rifleman" from Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia. Called the "Corps of Rangers" by Gen. George Washington, this group of 500 men would be known as Morgan's Riflemen for their commanding officer, Col. Daniel Morgan.      The Rangers caused great losses to British troops at the battle of Freeman's Farm, Sept.1777, and Cowpen, Jan,1781.  English General John Burgoyne stated that Morgan's Rifle company were "...the most famous corps of the Continental Army, all crack shots".      June 19, 1942 Carrickfergus, Northern Ireland.  Major William Darby and 2000 hand picked volunteers endure rigorous training at the hands of British Commandos.  By the end of the program,only 500 men were left.  They became the 1st U.S. Ranger Battalion. Of these 500, 50 took part on the raid on Dieppe on the French northern coast along with Canadian and British Commandos.      The 1st Ranger Bn. participated in the initial landing at Arzeu Algeria.  They carried out crucial night operations in Tunisia and took part in the battle of El Guettar.  Their Valor was recognized with a Presidential Unit Citation, the equivalent of awarding each man in the battalion the Distinguished Service Cross.      Two more battalions, the 3rd and 4th were created by Major Darby towards the end of the campaign in Tunisia.  These battalions along with the 1st Ranger Battalion would be called "Darby's Rangers" or the Ranger Force.  They would spearhead the invasion of Sicily at Gela and Licata and play a part in the conquest of Messina.  At Salerno they would fight off Nazi counterattacks for 18 days to hold the Chunzi Pass.  The Rangers experienced fierce winter and mountain combat in clearing the entrance to the narrow pass leading to Cassino.  At Anzio they would defeat the beach defences and secure the town.  Darby's Rangers suffered a severe setback on Jan.30, 1944 when the three groups were discovered infiltrating near Cisterna  and were nearly wiped out by German armor and infantry. Of the 767 in the Ranger force, 761 were killed or captured.  The survivors were sent back to the United States and transfered to the special service force, a joint Canadian-American special operations unit.      Col. James Rudder formed the 2nd Ranger Battalion at Camp Forrest, Tennessee on April 1, 1943.  The men of the 2nd Battalion, along with those from the 5th Ranger Battalion, activated at Camp Forrest in September, 1943, and participated in the June 6, 1944, D-Day invasion at Omaha Beach, Normandy.  DOG, EASY, and FOX companies of the 2nd Battalion were assigned to neutralize a German artillery battery located on Pointe du Hoc.  Some 220 men scaled the sheer face of the cliff through a storm of weapons fire and mortar and grenade explosions.  Though only 90 men were able to fight when they reached the top of the Point, the gun emplacements were silenced.      During the initial assault on Omaha Beach, Brig. Gen. Norman D. Cota, asst. division commander of the 29th Infantry Division, realized that the invasion force must push on past the beach or suffer intolerable losses.  Gen. Cota chose the 5th Ranger Battalion, led by Lt. Col. Max Schneider, to make a way through the murderous fire with the command, "Rangers, lead the way off this beach!".  Gen. Cota's order has become the familiar motto, "Rangers lead the way!" 5th Rangers Batallion

The 5th Ranger Infantry Battalion was activated on 1 September 1943 at Camp Forrest, Tennessee. Thirty-four officers and 563 enlisted men joined the battalion over the next three days. Major Owen H. Carter was the battalion commander and Captain Richard P. Sullivan, the executive officer. After four months of strenuous training in the States, the battalion shipped out of the Port of New York on 8 January, 1944 aboard the HMS Mauretania, arriving in Liverpool, England on the 18th. Training in England Training resumed at Leominster, England, but there was some free time and the pubs got a lot of business. And, no, the 5th Rangers had nothing to do with the midnight raid on the QM truck company located just outside town in a tent city. Two months later to Scotland where the battalion endured Commando training. From Scotland to the Assault Training Center where Major Schneider joined us as the new battalion commander. Then to Swanage for cliff training. The final examinations on our training came in late April during the Fabius II landing exercise. The Invasion On 1 June, the battalion moved to Portland Harbor and boarded its invasion ships, the HMS Prince Leopold (Battalion Headquarters, "C", "D", and "F" Companies). At last, the maps, aerial photos, and sand tables had names on them: Vierville-sur-Mer, Point du Hoc, Grandcamp-les-Bains and Maisy. At H-Hour, 0630 hours, we circled offshore waiting for a signal form the 2nd Ranger Battalion. Had they been successful in their assault of the cliffs at Point du Huc? No word. Circle. No word. At 0710, ten minutes beyond his deadline, Colonel Schneider ordered the three waves of eighteen Ranger boats under his command to divert to Omaha Beach, landing at Vierville-sur-Mer. As Colonel Schneider's first wave, Companies "A" and "B" of the 2nd Rangers landed at Vierville, they were cut to pieces by massive German machine gun, mortar, and artillery fire. Colonel Schneider diverted his remaining forces, the entire 5th Rangers, to the east. Approximately one mile and ten minutes later, the 5th Infantry Battalion landed intact astride the boundary between Omaha Dog White and Red Beaches. Schneider immediately ordered the battalion to proceed to rallying points by platoon infiltration. Four holes were blown in the wire that trapped the American forces on the beach. Rangers poured through those gaps in the wire and stormed the crest of the smoke covered bluffs, taking the German defenders by surprise. At this point, the 29th Division ordered the battalion to assist in establishing the beachhead rather than relieve the 2nd Rangers at Point du Huc. By late afternoon, the 5th Rangers had occupied Vierville, securing the right flank of a beachhead about a mile deep. Plans to push on to Pointe du Huc were vetoed by the 29th Division and the 5th Rangers remained in Vierville overnight defending the right flank of the beachhead. On D+1, most of the battalion remained in and around Vierville, mopping up German resistance and defending the beachhead against counterattacks. Two companies, "C" and "D", were part of an Infantry and Tank task force attacking toward Grandcamp-les-Bains. This force advanced through the German defenses to a point about a mile past Point du Huc when heavy artillery fire and extensive anti-tank defenses drove it back to St. Pierre du Mont, just short of the Pointe. When the tanks were recalled to Vierville to help defend the beachhead for the night, the task force dug in at St. Pierre, sending out patrols that were able to contact the forces at Pointe du Huc. On D+2, the 2nd Rangers at Pointe du Huc were relieved in an early morning attack by the Rangers at St. Pierre du Mont. Simultaneously, Companies "B" and "E" of the 5th Rangers led the attack on Grandcamp-les-Bains with the 116th Infantry and 743rd Tank Battalion putting the finishing touches on the capture of the town. Early on D+3, "A", "C", and "F" attacked and captured the German artillery and infantry strong points surrounding the German Headquarters complex at Maisy. Casualties of the Invasion Operations 23 KIA, 89 WIA, and 2 MIA. Total 114 or 22%. 5 th Rangers Batallion