IV 

111TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. RES. 1211 

Expressing the appreciation of Congress for the service and sacrifice of 

the 2nd Ranger Infantry Company (Airborne), United States Army, 

which was the first and only all-African-American Ranger Company 

in the Army. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 23, 2010 

Ms. WATSON submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 

Committee on Armed Services 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing the appreciation of Congress for the service and 

sacrifice of the 2nd Ranger Infantry Company (Airborne), United States Army, which was the first and 

only all-African-American Ranger Company in the Army. 

Whereas the 2nd Ranger Infantry Company (Airborne) was 

the first and only all-African-American Ranger Company 

in the United States Army; 

Whereas, on July 26, 1948, President Harry S. Truman 

issued Executive Order 9981, which officially desegregated the United States Armed Forces; 

Whereas, on June 25, 1950, the North Korean Army crossed 

the 38th parallel and invaded South Korea; 


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•HRES 1211 IH 

Whereas, on September 19, 1950, the 504th Ranger Infantry 

Company (Airborne) was designated at Fort Benning, 

Georgia, and consisted of 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Companies, which entered the Ranger Training Center; 

Whereas in November 1950, 4th Company was designated as 

the 2nd Ranger Infantry Company (Airborne); 

Whereas personnel from the 2nd Ranger Infantry Company 

(Airborne) were taken from the 3rd Battalion, 505th Airborne Infantry Regiment and the 80th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion of the 82nd Airborne Division; 

Whereas the first company commander of the 2nd Ranger Infantry Company was 1st Lieutenant Warren E. Allen of 

Los Angeles, California; 

Whereas, on December 9, 1950, the 2nd Ranger Infantry 

Company (Airborne) left the United States en route to 

Korea; 

Whereas, on December 30, 1950, the 2nd Ranger Infantry 

Company (Airborne) arrived at Taegu Air Force Base, 

Korea, and was assigned to the Eighth United States 

Army and attached to the 7th Infantry Division; 

Whereas, on January 5, 1951, the 2nd Ranger Infantry Company (Airborne) arrived in Wonju via Tanyang with the 

mission of blocking enemy threats; 

Whereas, on January 7, 1951, outside the Tanyang Pass, the 

2nd Ranger Infantry Company saw its first combat action in Korea; 

Whereas the 2nd Ranger Infantry Company (Airborne) was 

assigned to protect an important rail line running 

through Central Korea at Tanyang Pass since the rail 

line allowed essential supplies to travel to the units furVerDate Nov 24 2008 00:21 Mar 24, 2010 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR1211.IH HR1211

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•HRES 1211 IH 

ther north fighting to halt the advance of Chinese Communist forces; 

Whereas during 2nd Ranger Infantry Company’s first combat 

operation, Sergeant First Class Isaac Baker was killed 

and Rangers Webb Paulding and Wheeler Small were 

wounded; 

Whereas, on January 14, 1951, the 2nd Ranger Company 

(Airborne) entered the village of Majori-ri with the mission of taking possession of the village and then continuing the assault with another unit, and in the action 

suffered 8 Rangers killed and 10 wounded; 

Whereas, on March 23, 1951, the 2nd Ranger Infantry Company (Airborne) participated in the First United Nations 

Counteroffensive via airborne assault landing with the 

187th Airborne Regimental Combat Team at Munsan-ni, 

Korea; 

Whereas during the Counteroffensive, the 2nd Ranger Infantry Company (Airborne), under the command of Captain 

Warren E. Allen, became the first all-African-American 

unit to make a parachute jump behind enemy lines; 

Whereas, in recognition of its service during the Counteroffensive, the 2nd Ranger Infantry Company (Airborne) 

received the Bronze Arrowhead for Parachute Assault at 

Munsan-ni; 

Whereas in March 1951, the 2nd Ranger Infantry Company 

(Airborne) participated in an assault on enemy-held Hill 

151, and during the attack Private First Class William 

Van Dunk was killed and Sergeant First Class 

Boatwright and Sergeant Robertson were wounded; 

Whereas, on May 20, 1951, the 2nd Ranger Infantry Company (Airborne) led an assault on enemy-held Hill 581; 


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•HRES 1211 IH 

Whereas 17 members of the 2nd Ranger Infantry Company 

(Airborne) were wounded in the assault on Hill 581, and 

7 Rangers were subsequently cited for bravery for their 

actions in the assault; 

Whereas, on June 11, 1951, the 2nd Ranger Infantry Company (Airborne) occupied a position in what was known 

as the ‘‘KANSAS Line’’ in the vicinity of the Hwachon 

Reservoir; 

Whereas, on July 8, 1951, the 2nd Ranger Infantry Company 

(Airborne) assaulted and occupied enemy-held Hill 545 in 

the vicinity of Yonochanga during the last engagement of 

the 1951 Spring Offensive; 

Whereas after the Hill 545 engagement, the members of the 

2nd Ranger Infantry Company (Airborne) were gradually 

reassigned to 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 8th Ranger 

Companies; 

Whereas, on August 1, 1951, the 2nd Ranger Infantry Company (Airborne) was officially inactivated; 

Whereas during the Korean War, the 2nd Ranger Infantry 

Company (Airborne) had 12 members killed in action; 

and 

Whereas during the Korean War, members of the 2nd Ranger Infantry Company (Airborne) were awarded 9 Silver 

Stars, 11 Bronze Stars, and 103 Purple Hearts: Now, 

therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) recognizes the exemplary service and sac3 rifice of the members of the 2nd Ranger Infantry 

4 Company (Airborne) during the Korean War and the 

5 support and sacrifice exhibited by their families; and 


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•HRES 1211 IH 

1 (2) commends the members of the 2nd Ranger 

2 Infantry Company (Airborne) and their families 

3 (and all of the other members of the Armed Forces 

4 who have served, or who are currently serving, in 

5 support of United States military contingency oper6 ations) for their service and sacrifice on behalf of 

7 the United States. 

Æ 


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