75th Infantry Regiment (Ranger)

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.

75th Infantry Regiment (Ranger)
Active1969–present
Country United States
BranchUS Army
TypeLight infantry
RoleVietnam War:

Post-Vietnam:

Size15 companies (1969–74)
3 battalions (1974–86)
Garrison/HQFort Benning, Georgia (1984–86)
EngagementsVietnam War
Operation Eagle Claw
Invasion of Grenada

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 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
75th Infantry Regiment (Ranger)
Infantry (Ranger) CompanyActivated onInactivated onPrevious LRP companySubordinate to
Company A, 75th Infantry (Ranger)1 February 196919 December 1974Company D (LRP), 17th InfantryV Corps (Germany)
Company B, 75th Infantry (Ranger)1 February 19691 November 1974Company C (LRP), 58th InfantryVII Corps (Germany)
Company C, 75th Infantry (Ranger)1 February 196925 October 1971Company E (LRP), 20th InfantryI Field Force (Vietnam)
Company D (Ranger), 151st Infantry
Company D, 75th Infantry (Ranger)		1 February 1969
20 November 1969		20 November 1969
10 April 1970		Company F (LRP), 51st InfantryII Field Force (Vietnam)
Company E, 75th Infantry (Ranger)1 February 1969
1 October 1969		23 August 1969
12 October 1970		Company E (LRP), 50th Infantry9th Infantry Division (Vietnam)
Company F, 75th Infantry (Ranger)1 February 196915 March 1971Company F (LRP), 50th Infantry25th Infantry Division (Vietnam)
Company G, 75th Infantry (Ranger)1 February 19691 October 1971Company E (LRP), 51st Infantry23rd Infantry Division (Vietnam)
Company H, 75th Infantry (Ranger)1 February 196915 August 1972Company E (LRP), 52nd Infantry which came from the Cavalry Division LRRPs1st Cavalry Division (Vietnam)
Company I, 75th Infantry (Ranger)1 February 19697 April 1970Company F (LRP), 52nd Infantry1st Infantry Division (Vietnam)
Company K, 75th Infantry (Ranger)1 February 196910 December 1970Company E (LRP), 58th Infantry4th Infantry Division (Vietnam)
Company L, 75th Infantry (Ranger)1 February 196925 December 1971Company F (LRP), 58th Infantry101st Airborne Division (Vietnam)
Company M, 75th Infantry (Ranger)1 February 196912 October 197071st Infantry Detachment (LRP)199th Infantry Brigade (Light) (Vietnam)
Company N, 75th Infantry (Ranger)1 February 196925 August 197174th Infantry Detachment (LRP)173rd Airborne Brigade (Vietnam)
Company O, 75th Infantry (Ranger)
Company O (Arctic Ranger), 75th Infantry (Ranger)		1 February 1969
4 August 1970		20 November 1969
29 September 1972		78th Infantry Detachment (LRP)3rd Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division (Vietnam)
US Army Alaska
Company P, 75th Infantry (Ranger)1 February 196931 August 197179th Infantry Detachment (LRP)1st Brigade, 5th Infantry Division (Mech.) (Vietnam)

Post-Vietnam reorganization

Battalions
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See also

References
  1. "SuaSponte.com Vietnam Rangers page (access not allowed)". Archived from the original on 4 February 2005. Retrieved 10 September 2007.
  2. On 1 February 1969 the U.S. Army designated the 75th Infantry Regiment successor of the 5307th Composite Unit (Merrill's Marauders).

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