known army unit ranger light infantry company united_states_army active korean war small special forces unit specialized irregular warfare intended combat effective disruption united_nations lines formed height battle perimeter september unit created world war company went action advance north_korea october november best known defense hill overwhelming chinese attack battle river resulted rangers casualties company later undertook number combat missions late early conducting reconnaissance raiding scouted chinese positions struck chinese lines end march company saw days continuous combat awarded military historians studied economy force company organization experimental unit led creation ranger companies historians disagree unit employed properly special forces unit adequately equipped missions designed conduct origins following outbreak korean war june north korean people army invaded trained equipped troops easily overrun smaller poorly equipped united_states united_nations subsequently intervened beginning campaign prevent south_korea collapsing troops engaged north battle badly defeated better trained north july august forces pushed perimeter time north korean agents began infiltrate lines attack military targets cities units spread perimeter having difficult time units guerrilla warfare north korean special forces units like successful defeating troops prompting army chief staff general order creation elite force infiltrate enemy lines attack command posts artillery tank parks key communications centers facilities army ranger units disbanded world war required time consuming training expensive equipment defeat strength infantry units question commanders felt ranger units essential beginning early august beginning ordered lieutenant colonel head seek volunteers new experimental army ranger unit given seven weeks organize train unit sent combat commanders felt need rangers dire existing soldiers trained rangers relatively short period time limitation volunteers existing combat units korea subsequent ranger companies able recruit ranger veterans world war replacement pool recruited second lieutenant newly commissioned west_point combat experience serve company commander second platoon leaders enlisted men volunteered combat experience quick informal selection process picked men fill company based weapons qualifications duty performance time administer physical fitness tests applicants unmarried men younger preferred recruits told receive hazard pay selected enlisted men formally organized camp drake japan august days later sailed aboard ferry arrival company sent newly established ranger training center seven weeks specialized training took place ranger hill near men skilled reconnaissance navigation long range patrolling scouting setting maintaining camouflage adjusting indirect fire undertook frequent live fire exercises night raids north korean known hiding area opposing force adopting techniques established world war worked hours week running miles day frequently undertaking mile speed marches troops shaved hair orders officers wanted build corps original men started course dropped injured result south korean troops known attached unit fill ranks organization established experiment notion deploying small light infantry units specialized irregular warfare korea created organization unique units consisting officers enlisted men organized company based documents raise ranger units world war platoon headquarters element men provided command control addition thirty men squads assault squads heavy weapons squad furnished mortar super automatic rifle majority men armed man platoon designated sniper company assigned vehicles provision mess facilities provide medical assets independent battalion level headquarters existed korea company attached higher formation times employing theory assigned non unit names numerical designations formations order disguise role enemy company designated army unit formation decided company considered hoc provisional unit meant permanent lineage temporary formation akin task force decision unique subsequent companies assumed lineage ranger units world war veterans later expressed resentment choice prevented company campaign unit decorations subsequent ranger companies authorized shoulder sleeve insignia distinctive black red world war predecessors wore shoulder patch commanded troops korea history advance time completed training october forces broken perimeter following amphibious landing company subsequently committed offensive october redesignated army unit signifying activation unit october took advance force join 25th rangers assignment probe north division reconnaissance elements search pockets isolated breakout moved villages near began northward sweep troops rapidly moved miles eliminated north korean resistance south 38th parallel missions saw frequent combat small groups north korean troops time supplies local units including taking rice rations countryside south_korea liberated rangers led 25th advance north_korea acting sent reconnaissance patrols ahead divisional main body set limit movement retreating north korean forces rangers task force johnson november probe clear shiny areas north korean elements november rangers detached task force johnson returned attached november moved join renewed offensive north destroy remaining north korean troops advance battalion designated task force ordered drive morning advanced reaching lines hill november rested preparation final advance begin day division spent day enjoying thanksgiving day meal rangers scouted kilometers north planned line departure contact north korean forces november company moved time center task force advance riding tanks including kilometers advance rescued prisoners war 8th cavalry regiment captured battle abandoned retreating chinese reached objective hill soon rangers tanks troops came mortar fire ranger subsequently killed company fatality formation 2nd platoon advanced meters crest hill time tanks mistakenly opened fire rangers causing number friendly fire casualties including killed able signal stop rangers took positions hill night additional men weather casualties suffering evening temperatures fell day november task force resumed advance continuing north tanks troops immediately ran chinese resistance began advance flanks task force troops encountered sporadic resistance morning able capture objectives rode tanks kilometers north hill rangers tanks approached hill came mortar small arms fire able capture hill light chinese resistance suffering wounded process rangers established perimeter position spent remainder day launched evening unprepared troops hit korean chinese troops korea kilometers away rangers left flank 27th hit heavy chinese attack rangers pending attack troops began frontal assault hill signaled drums estimated platoon sized force chinese attack rangers fought heavy small arms fire pre sighted artillery concentrations attack number rangers wounded attack including refused evacuation chinese launched second attack quickly repelled attack minutes later attacks estimated company strength rangers inflicted heavy casualties time result established defensive perimeter platoon tanks foot hill opposite chinese attack unable assist rangers crews experience night operations chinese began attacking greater numbers estimated companies advancing time moving hand grenade range rangers began run low ammunition casualties continued mount wounded course hours chinese launched fourth fifth attack narrowly pushed rangers rangers ordered fix preparation attack chinese began sixth final attack heavy mortar barrage inflicted heavy casualties remaining rangers including killed instantly mortar shell severely wounded chinese sent reinforced battalion infantry hill simultaneously striking elements task force preventing artillery providing effective support artillery support low ammunition overwhelmed subsequent chinese attack chinese forces hill overwhelming numbers rangers shot killed stabbed company destroyed fighting survivors retreating hill rangers later chased away chinese troops tried capture severely wounded remaining rangers gathered assembly area base hill sergeant highest ranking member company withdrew rangers suffered percent casualties captured hill killed missing wounded raids heavy casualties rendered company ineffective weeks capable conduct routine patrols security force divisional headquarters elements evacuated recover wounds december captain assumed command company captain veteran assigned unit company casualties replaced regular soldiers ranger training return combat capability hill battle replacements subsequently given training missions military historians contend inexperienced replacements dramatically decreased company special forces unit company participated isolated missions late early including recapture chinese forces attached advanced 25th division late february effort push chinese forces north operation company employed scouting force strength chinese formations launched raids attacks frequent scouting missions intended draw chinese fire determine locations units returning action company 2nd platoon effected crossing february raid destroy chinese positions capture prisoner despite difficulties crossing river platoon moved village finding deserted mile north finding chinese rangers returned lines march 1st platoon conducted follow mission scout railroad tunnels north village turn heavy ice blocked boats crossing men fell freezing water days march company stepped patrols time renewed emphasis determining locations chinese forces preparation major offensive operation replaced captain march time began drive chinese north 38th parallel attacked forward scouted miles ahead general attack chinese positions month utilized flank security force holding successive blocking positions elements division advanced march sent miles north lines set ambush road railway line ran chinese troops retreating march ross assembled men nearby night established prepared attack oncoming chinese troops passed area ross took company lines company final mission came march miles north size chinese force holding prevent setting rearguard attack chinese concentration easily rangers began advance arrived village ross ordered 2nd platoon conduct stealth attack village destroyed outpost food caught chinese troops surprise rangers temporarily succeeded pushing sizable chinese force village trench inflicting heavy casualties process chinese estimated battalion subsequently attempted counterattack repulsed rangers following ross ordered company withdraw lines arriving having suffered casualties action march equipment subsequently consolidated 5th newly arrived korea assigned men new ranger company formally attended inexperienced effective initial actions division meantime men transferred units qualified allowed transfer ranger companies beginning arrive korea brief existence saw days combat awarded analysis september collins orders moved georgia october 1st 2nd 3rd began training effective employment demonstrated viability concept army planners subsequent chinese attacks november reinforced need units result 5th 6th 7th 8th ranger companies ordered form altogether ranger companies formed combat korea subsequent military science studies use rangers korean war focused economy force looking military employed special forces analysis operations ranger units korean war major proposed thesis ineffective general particular poorly employed noted ranger formations lack support personnel administrative liability attached conventional units support furthermore argued rangers small formation sizes meant lacked manpower conduct basic tactical maneuvers employment divisional elements provide intelligence information necessary effective operations concluded problems lack understanding ranger capabilities limitations inherent rangers force structure basic distrust elite forces retired colonel military historian contended book spite original purpose short range employed missions conducted borne need rapidly counter north korean chinese attacks taylor noted particularly earlier missions rangers successful operating night combat force skill rest forces korea largely taylor believed rangers drawn replacement occupation units japan effectively gave extra force possessed allowing employ conventional forces taylor praised division commander major general employment rangers argued successes subsequent ranger companies existence
Eighth Army Ranger Company