29th Ranger Battalion ( United States ) The 29th Provisional Ranger Battalion was a United States Army unit in World War II . Formed in December 1942 in England as a detachment of volunteers from the 29th Infantry Division , the battalion underwent commando training under British supervision and participated in raids on German installations , mostly in concert with No . 4 Commando . The battalion was disbanded in October 1943 and its men returned to their parent units . However , during the 1970s a single company , B Company , 1 / 29th Infantry , was stationed at Kelly Hill at Fort Benning , Georgia . The company , on jump status , provided aggressor support for the United States Army ' s Ranger Department at all three Ranger Training camps ( Darby , Dalonega and Camp Rudder in Florida ) . The unit ' s personnel wore the distinctive ranger " black beret " and those who graduated from Ranger School were authorized to sew a Ranger dress tab above the 1 / 29th Infantry teal blue " flash " on the beret . The company would be integrated by the Ranger Department in the early 1980s . A story on the unit appeared in an issue of " Gung Ho Magazine " written by former B Company ranger Greg Walker . Formation . On Monday , 4 February 1943 , ten officers and 166 enlisted men and NCOs of the 29th Infantry Division were sent to Achnacarry , Scotland . The British Commando instructors called this unit , which was undergoing Ranger training , the 2nd Ranger Battalion . However , another American unit also had that designation , so the Rangers in the battalion and the American staff officers called them the 29th Ranger Battalion , named after its division . Major Randy Millholland of the 115th Infantry Regiment , the battalion commanding officer , instructed his men to " keep their eyes and ears open and their mouths shut . " Millholland , a tough , energetic officer , was widely respected . The Ranger trainees were immensely proud of their battalion and did not want to be sent back to their old units as instructors in Ranger tactics . Soon after the proud Rangers completed their training , two of them accompanied a raiding force of British Commandos during an attack on one of the Channel Islands . One of these Rangers covered the withdrawal of his group , killing three German soldiers and wounded several others . By the time of this raid , the 29th Battalion had grown to include four Ranger infantry companies and one headquarters company . The following is from an article entitled , “ 29th RANGER BATTALION ( Dec . 1942 – Nov . 1943 ) ” by J . Robert Slaughter which appeared in the Twenty - Niner Newsletter in July 1993 . Mr . Slaughter was a member of the Provisional Rangers . More information can be found regarding the 29th Provisional Rangers and the illustrious history of Maryland ’ s 29th division at the Maryland Museum of Military History , Fifth Regiment Armory , 29th Division Street , Baltimore , MD 21201 . Many 29ers aren ' t aware that almost 500 volunteers from the 115th , 116th and 175th Infantry regiments were recruited into an elite hit - and - run strike force whose mission would be to gather enemy intelligence . commit disruptive sabotage or simply to raid - in - force enemy installations . This unit was called the " 29th Provisional Ranger Battalion . There were a few men recruited from other than infantry regiments of the Division . I am aware of a young American who joined the Canadian Army in 1939 and transferred to the 29th Rangers . Lt . Ed McNabb was stationed in England and on the staff of Eighth Air Support Command when he heard of the formation . He , like many of us eagerly signed up . In December 1942 , a memo was sent to troops stationed in England , most of whom were from the 29th Infantry Division , asking for volunteers for a Provisional Ranger Battalion . Recruits weren ' t hard to find . Over 1 , 000 men readily volunteered , then had to pass rigid physical and mental examinations . That was the easy part . After a few weeks of training at Tidworth , the candidates were sent north to Scotland for what many have said was the toughest training they ever went through . Taking the course during wintertime didn ' t make life any easier . The austere Commando Depot at Achnacarry House , Spean Bridge , was located in the highlands and near beautiful Loch Lochy . Nearby green heather grew on craggy , low mountains which created a mushy , water - logged moor . Ubiquitous mountain streams tumbled downhill toward nearby deep , blue lochs . Herds of deer , sheep , and wild ponies roamed in relative peace in this wilderness . It rained often and a biting wind was constant . One has to admit the scenery was beautiful to the eye but unpleasant to the skin . Our instructors were from Lord Lovatt ' s No , 4 Commando Unit and many of them were veterans of the infamous Dieppe Raid . These officers and non - commissioned officers were from the old school — very strict disciplinarians . Within a short time , half the Ranger candidates had thrown in the towel and were sent back to their original outfits . Those finishing would become proud members of the " 29th Provisional Rangers . " What was the Commando concept and what had we volunteered to do ? The idea of a quick - hitting , lightly armed shock force was initiated by the British in 1940 . The cornerstone of the Commando concept ' s success was their strict standards of selection and the intensity of training . Some indication of what qualities were sought in volunteers was given in a circular sent by MO9 to the British infantry regiments in June 1940 : " . . Able to swim , immune from sea and air sickness , able to drive motor vehicles , with courage , physical endurance , initiative and resourceful , being active , expert marksmen , self - reliance , and an aggressive spirit toward the war . . . and must become expert in military use of scouting . . . to stalk . . . to report everything taking place day or night , silently and unseen . . . and to live off the country for considerable periods . Some of the Ranger candidates were asked , ' have you ever killed a man ? ' And could you ' stick a knife in a man . . . and twist it ? ' " Chief of Staff General George C . Marshall and British Combined Operations Chief Lord Louis Mountbatten first discussed the possibility of raising an American Commando - type unit . Lord Mountbatten suggested calling the force " Rangers . " A special shock - troop concept was fashioned after German " Stosstruppen " of World War I . Their elitism , discipline and fighting qualities were well - known to senior British officers . They had also studied the French and Indian War of the 1750a A force of 900 French - Canadian woodsmen and Indians defeated a hand - picked expeditionary force of 1 , 400 British and American regulars . The woodsmen using Indian tactics — stealth and taking advantage of cover — out - flanked the superior force . The defeat turned into a rout . The first battalion of Rangers was recruited after General Lucian K . Truscott , CG , of the 3rd Infantry Division , reported to the Joint Chiefs of Staff on 26 May 1942 , that there should be an American force recruited along Commando lines . President Roosevelt had already given his support . A battalion of Rangers was raised from the 1st Infantry Division who were then stationed in Northern Ireland . Ore thousand volunteered and were sent to Scotland for training . Five hundred survived and became Rangers . This unit pre - ceded the 29th Rangers at Achnacarry Commando Depot , and a select few went on the August 1942 Dieppe Raid with Nos . 3 and 4 Commando . They also spearheaded the invasions of North Africa , Sicily and Italy . Soon after the 1st Rangers left the Depot , the eager 29th Ranger candidates arrived . We were quickly introduced to British Army discipline and basic infantry training — the Commando way . We also quickly realized how well the American soldier was treated . Basic Commando training consisted of getting into top physical shape by speed marching 7 – 15 miles ; running the toughest obstacle course in the world ; mountain and cliff climbing ; abseiling down cliffs and buildings ; unarmed combat ; plus stripped - to - the - waist physical exercises using 10 - foot logs to throw around . In addition to this we had to be proficient firing our weapons ; finding one ' s way on those desolate moors with nothing but a map and compass , and to find and cook food ( living off the land ) . We learned to employ and defuse explosives including plastics . The obstacle course ' s path was a five - mile climb up a steady grade . It had every diabolic obstacle the British could devise : negotiating 10 - foot walls , log and rope bridges traversing steep ravines plus rope swings over water hazards . There was little chance of escaping the mud and water hazards . Cadre acting as umpires , graded the contestants ' performances . Life - sized targets popped up requiring snap judgment . One must quickly decide whether to shoot ( live ammunition ) the pop - up targets or bayonet them . A miss or wrong decision could be judged fatal . Running over the muddy course caused many weapons to misfire . The entire team was required to finish on time . If an umpired judged a squad member neutralized , he had to be carried . Time was taken after the last member crossed the line . If he failed to meet the deadline , the entire team had to run the " black mile . " The " black mile " was running the course on our day off — Sunday . Nearby Ben Nevis , the highest British mountain at 4 , 406 feet , was a favorite climb . We once climbed two gut - wrenching mountains in one day . Some slopes were so steep one had to worry about sliding off backwards . Our instructors prodded us along and didn ' t allow pauses . He cautioned that once you stop , you won ' t be able to restart . Mountain climbing is like crossing a desert and imagining mirages . The next step poses great difficulty but the crest seems mercifully in sight . As one finally nears what appears the elusive top , another " false crest " appears , and then another and another . This was tough duty . Our Commando instructor , Captain Hoar , a veteran of the Dieppe Raid , was a career soldier . British officers , prim and proper , carried a foot - long leather baton called a " swagger stick . " It had a purpose . During a tough speed march , one of our men , unable to continue , dropped out along the road . Captain Hoar ordered the man to his feet . The soldier pleaded his inability to continue . That stick went into action around the shoulders of the " yellow - bellied - coward - that - wasn ' t - fit - to - breathe - fresh - air ! " We also observed him rib - kicking a slacker who couldn ' t take one of the rigorous exercises . Both were sent packing — in disgrace . Speed marches were a British Commando specialty that propelled the troops into quick - hitting strikes that were designed to surprise the enemy . Stealth was another tactic that made up for the heavy firepower that ordinary infantry troops employ . The terrain around Fort William was hilly . We quick - stepped uphill and double - timed down the other side . The prescribed time for short hikes was 7 mph ; longer ones , 5 mph . We traveled light — rifle , carbine , BAR , 60mm mortar , cartridge belt and light pack . Near the conclusion of these debilitating speed - marches and just before rounding the curve up the last hill to camp , Captain Hoar would yell in his curt British brogue , " Straighten up , mytees ! [ mates ! ' ] Get in step ! " Camp was still a mile away , and the wail of bagpipes could be heard in the distance . The kilted pipers , standing at the entrance to camp , greeted us with one of the traditional Highland tunes . This did wonders for morale . No matter how tired we were , the sound of bagpipe music sent adrenalin flowing . With tremendous pride , we marched into camp in step and with heads held high . Our graduation reward was a pair of " paratrooper " boots and a 3 - inch felt patch sewn on an Eisenhower jacket . The patch was rainbow - shaped with red background and blue lettering , " 29th RANGERS . " These were visual displays of elitism and were worn with great pride and , I must say , a bit of cockiness , The 29th Rangers didn ' t think there was an obstacle they couldn ' t hurdle and were eager to prove themselves . My chance came on my first 8 - day pass to London . I was lounging in Rainbow Corner , the Red Cross retreat for American servicemen and women . A GI airborne corporal , who stood about 5 ' 8 " and weighed about 160 pounds , swaggered over . I was also a corporal at the time and about 6 ' 5 ` l , weighing about 205 pounds . The cocky paratrooper looked up at me and asked in a threatening voice , " Mack , you in the ' troopers ? ' " I answered in the negative . I thought to myself , hell man , I ' m in the 29th Rangers ! He then said with authority , " Take those Goddamned boots oft ! " Surprised . I wondered if he wasn ' t juiced even though he had a few buddies and I was alone . He wasn ' t drunk , he was a PARATROOPER ! I answered with fire in my eyes , " why don ' t YOU take them off me ! " He bristled menacingly and began to swing wildly . I easily stiff - armed and parried his blows , as his buddies subdued the modern - day " David . " PICTURESQUE BUDE , CORNWALL : The 29th Rangers ' first home base was Bude , a beautiful seacoast village in Cornwall . Pre - war , Bude was a " holidays " resort , famous for its nice weather , beautiful beach and golf course . Our quarters were in one of the swanky ocean - side hotels . My roommate was a Marylander from the 115th whom everyone called " Smitty . " Smith , I can ' t remember his first name ] . The training was rough but living conditions and food were excellent . The weather was nice and swimming in the ocean became part of our training . Everyone sported a golden tan . The Battalion was called on to test a variety of Army food rations . An Army fights on its stomach so it ' s important the meals be compact , filling , tasty and nourishing . Each company tested a particular ration with each man weighing daily and answering questionnaires . Company A tested C - rations ; Company B [ my company ] , K - rations ; C Company , 10 - in - 1s ; D Company , a combination of 10 - in - 1s and chocolate D - bars . Ten days of grueling speed marches , averaging 25 miles a day , were designed to prove which ration was best and also to separate the men from the boys . We swore that no supplemental food would be eaten during this test . The first day was destined to be the worst — a 37mile speed march , quick - stepping 5 mph , with a five - minute break on the hour and 20 minutes for lunch . I broke in a new pair of boots during this ordeal . Blisters began to form 10 miles out . About halfway , the boots had rubbed my feet and ankles raw . My socks were not only sweaty but blood - soaked . That night we tried to pitch tents on the wind - swept , soggy moors . The first thing I did was tend to my bloody feet which were a mess . I couldn ' t get the tent pegs to hold , so I sat on a folded shelter - half to keep my bottom dry and wrapped a blanket around my tired , aching body . No matter how I sat my legs began to cramp . I spent a miserable night . I had to be ready the next day or be disgraced . I persevered . My weight dropped from 205 to 170 pounds in those 10 days . At the conclusion of the exercise , the battalion returned to Rude looking like survivors of the Bataan death march . Bedraggled and very hungry , we limped over the last hill into town . We showered and changed into clean , dry clothes and headed for the mess hall for breakfast . It was an all you - can - eat feast of powdered eggs , bacon , sausage , pancakes , syrup , jelly , bread and coffee . I piled my mess kit high and found a quiet place to eat . After a few bites I was full . Stomachs had shrunk . After a few days , we gained most of our weight back . They gave us the rest of the day to rest and clean equipment . The rest break didn ' t last long . The very next day it was back at the grindstone . A daily dose of indoctrination on how tough we had become caused many of us to believe it . Our officers were young , smart , tough and aggressive . They seemed eager to go to war . If one couldn ' t measure up , he was sent back . Soon the 29th Rangers looked like an elite unit was supposed to — lean and hard . After a few months at Bude we moved to Eastleigh , near Dartmouth in Hampshire . My billet - mate was John Kennelly , an Irish - Catholic from Waterbury , Conn . The British used the billet system to room and board detachments into private homes . Our landlady was a sixtyish widow named Mrs . Brand . For a short while Mrs . Brand became our mother away from home . She shared her meager food rations , depriving herself of the few " luxury " items such as eggs , butter , cheese and sugar . When time came to say good - by , we knew and she knew it would be the last time we would see each other . She knew the consequence of war better than we . I often wonder what became of that wonderful lady . DOVER : The channel port of Dover was our next move . Twenty - two miles across the Strait of Dover was the enemy - held French port of Calais . Each side deployed huge artillery pieces which were sheltered in limestone caves and rolled out on railway tracks to firing positions . These cross - channel duels disrupted lives of the citizens and their commerce . Non - essential civilians and all children were evacuated . After the first shell exploded , air - raid sirens sounded and wardens herded people to shelters . Market Square , a favorite target in the center of town , was an uninhabited pile of rubble . Servicemen occasionally were invited to dances at the Armory . Women from the British military , ATS , WAAFS and WRENS , also were invited . This night the Royal Air Force Band was playing Glenn Miller and Tommy Dorsey - type music and everyone was having a grand lime until the loudest explosion I had ever heard . The ground shook . The music didn ' t stop and everyone kept dancing . Sirens screamed but no one paid attention . Finally , helmeted whistle - blowing wardens rushed in and ushered everyone to safety . It was very orderly . Wartime Britain ' s philosophy was to live each day to the fullest . Make no future plans . Make each moment count . Postpone nothing if it can be done right now . They lived each day as if it would be the last on earth . Eat , drink and be merry because tomorrow might not come . In 1943 Britain was either partying or stoically working . No one complained . Dover was definitely a war zone . Not only did it experience cross - channel artillery duels but German bombers flew over almost nightly on their way to London and other cities . Anti - aircraft batteries were stationed throughout the countryside and on top of downtown buildings . What goes up must come back down . While on nightly training exercises flak rained down from anti - aircraft guns , bouncing off the ground like white - hot hail . Occasionally , Jerry dropped unspent bombs on Dover and the nearby countryside upon his return to der Fatherland . Kennelly and I were billeted near downtown . One night after the Lancasters raided the continent , one of them mortally wounded , could not climb above one of the tethered barrage balloons . The roar of the cripple ' s engines sounded as it if was going to hit our house . The bomber snagged the balloon cable and crashed less than a block away , setting off explosions . Could actual combat be more hazardous ? Our mission in Dover was reportedly to prepare for a Dieppe - type raid - in - force . Multi - national assault units were assembled near Dover for this special secret mission . Canadian infantrymen , British and French Commandos , Royal Marine Commandos and American Rangers rehearsed day and night while waiting for the " dark - of - the - moon . " We were at last going to be tested . Without warning , an announcement was made that the 29th Rangers were to disband and rejoin their original units who were training for the invasion . Many hearts were saddened that these magnificently - trained , handpicked men with their mission unfulfilled would be scattered to the four winds . Why was this mission aborted and why were the Rangers disbanded ? We were told the 2nd and 5th Rangers had been training in Florida and would replace the 29th Rangers . Allow me to speculate . Just prior to D - Day , High Command created a bogus army which was to fool the Germans into thinking the main invasion effort would be directed across the channel in the Calais area . This ploy was to divert many divisions from Normandy . Could we have been part of that bogus army ? To answer the big question , did the 29th Rangers take part in three raids into occupied Norway and France as has been reported ? Answer : I was in the Rangers from beginning to end and I never heard a former member who said he participated in a live raid . I can assure one and all , the Battalion did not participate as a unit on a live exercise . Ed McNabb , a former A Company officer , now living in San Antonio , said he was told Lt . John Dance and possibly Sergeant Toda might have . 29 Let ' s Go ! reported the Battalion made three raids and that Lt . Col . Milholland had left his helmet on the beach . It is entirely possible individuals were selected to accompany No . 3 or 4 Commando as observers . This takes not a whit from the fact , this unit would have been outstanding in combat . It is a shame they were never used . The 29th Rangers were in existence 11 months — December 1942 to November 1943 . During that short time the Battalion left a legacy of what Ranger means . Even though they saw no combat as a unit , they were a proud and disciplined group . Much of the credit must go to the British Commando instructors , our Battalion Commander , Lt . Col . Randolph Milholland and Battalion Executive Officer , Major Lloyd Marr . Both had fine combat records with the 115th Infantry Regiment . I have often wondered if the 29th Ranger Battalion could have accomplished the daunting D - Day task of scaling the cliffs at Pointe du Hoc and then neutralize its gun batteries . Did we have the necessary training , leadership , luck , courage and skill to do what the 2nd Battalion Rangers did ? No one will ever know for sure , but I am certain that if a way could be found to accomplish this " mission impossible , " we could have . Ends service . After the two Rangers accompanied the Commandos , an entire company of the 29th was scheduled to raid the French coast . However , on 18 October 1943 , a notice was posted stating that the 29th Ranger Infantry Battalion would cease to exist . All of the battalion ' s Rangers were enraged . Some of them turned their fury on their huts , shooting them up . The soldiers of the 29th were returned to their original units and