75th Infantry Regiment (Ranger)

75th Infantry Regiment (Ranger)
Active	1969–present
Country	United States
Branch	US Army
Type	Light infantry
Role	Vietnam War: LRRP Post-Vietnam: Direct action Special reconnaissance
Size	15 companies (1969–74) 3 battalions (1974–86)
Garrison/HQ	Fort Benning, Georgia (1984–86)
Engagements	Vietnam War Operation Eagle Claw Invasion of Grenada

The 75th Infantry Regiment (Ranger) (officially 75th Infantry Regiment or 75th Infantry) was initially a parent regiment for all the US Army Ranger units during the Vietnam War and the early 1980s and then the headquarters for the Ranger battalions.

History[]

On 1 February 1969, as part of the U.S. Army Combat Arms Regimental System (CARS), all U.S. Army Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol (LRRP) units were reorganized as the 75th Infantry Regiment (Ranger).^[1] Fifteen Ranger companies were formed from reconnaissance units in Europe and Vietnam with lineage to Merrill's Marauders, the 5307th Composite Unit,^[2] The companies were designated C through I and K through P. There was no "J" Ranger Company; this is so there would be no confusion with the similar "I" (or India) designation on typed paperwork. Companies A and B were kept stateside as a strategic reserve in case they were needed overseas in Europe or the Americas.

The Ranger companies were composed of small, heavily armed long range reconnaissance teams that patrolled deep in enemy-held territory. Each independent company was attached to a division or separate brigade and acted as the eyes and ears of those units. Rangers collected intelligence, discovered enemy troop locations, surveilled trails and enemy hot spots, directed artillery and air strikes, did bombing damage assessment, performed ambushes, and sniper attacks. Additionally, Rangers attempted recovering prisoners of war, captured enemy soldiers for interrogation, tapped the wire communications of the North Vietnam Army and the National Liberation Front for South Vietnam (Vietcong) on the Ho Chi Minh Trail, and mined enemy trails and roads.

Lineage[]

• Organized as 5307th Composite Unit (Provisional) on 3 October 1943

Consolidated with the 475th Infantry and unit designated as 475th Infantry on 10 August 1944

Inactivated on 1 July 1945

• Redesignated as 75th Infantry on 21 June 1954

Allotted to the Regular Army on 26 October 1954

Activated on 20 November 1954

Inactivated on 21 March 1956

• Reorganized as a parent regiment under the Combat Arms Regimental System on 1 January 1969

Reorganized with Headquarters on 1 July 1984

Consolidated with the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th Ranger Battalions, unit designated as 75th Ranger Regiment and reorganized under the Regimental System on 3 February 1986

Organization[]

Vietnam War[]

When they were redesignated on February 1, 1969, the average TOE strength of a Ranger company was of 3 officers and 115 enlisted men, bringing the total to 118 men divided into a company headquarters, operations section, communications platoon and two patrol platoons.

There were some exceptions though; Company C, 75th Infantry (Ranger) had a strength of 230 men divided into a company Headquarters, operations section, communications platoon and four patrol platoons.

Companies D and H had each 198 men and Companies M, N, O and P each had 61 men, since these four units were created from LRP detachments assigned to brigades.

Ranger Companies[]

Post-Vietnam reorganization[]

Battalions[]

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See also[]

• Company F, 425th Infantry (Ranger)
• 75th Infantry Regiment (United States)

References[]

External links[]

• 75th Ranger Regiment lineage