Rangers Lead the Way! Origins, Training, and Organization in World War II

With the Italian army lists successfully migrated to the v2 standard, it is now time to turn my attention to the US forces.

I am currently diving deep into the history, organizational structure, weaponry, and combat records of the US Rangers to create an accurate and balanced list for Chain of Command v2.
Since Max and I are specifically focusing on the 1943 battles around Gela as the backdrop for our games, a dedicated list for Darby’s Rangers feels almost mandatory—it is the perfect fit for our Mediterranean theater games.

When we think of elite American infantry in World War II, our minds usually drift toward the Airborne or maybe the Marines.
But the US Army’s very first specialized shock-infantry unit was modeled after a completely different beast: the British Commandos!
Today, we look at how the legendary Darby’s Rangers came to be, and how their unique organizational structure sets them apart on the tabletop.

Rangers of the 3rd Battalion going ashore at Licata on 10 July 1943.

Origins & The Commando Heritage

In May 1942, just months after the US entered the war, Major William Orlando Darby was tasked with forming a new kind of light infantry unit in Carrickfergus, Northern Ireland. The name "Rangers" was chosen to honor the rugged American frontier fighters of the 18th century.

Lieutenant General George S. Patton, Commander of Seventh Army, greets Lieutenant Colonel Darby after the landing at Gela.

The recruitment process was brutal. Darby accepted only volunteers—hand-picked men who were physically fit, mentally tough, and highly motivated. To turn these men into an elite force, they were sent to the infamous Commando Training Centre in Achnacarry, Scotland. Under the unforgiving eyes of British Commando instructors, the Rangers endured live-fire exercises, cliff climbing, amphibious landings, and aggressive hand-to-hand combat training. The 1st Ranger Battalion was born. Later, the 3rd and 4th Battalions were raised, eventually forming "Darby’s Ranger Force" (or Force X).

The Ranger TO&E: Lean and Mean

Forget the bulky, heavy-weapons-laden standard US Army Infantry Rifle Company. A Ranger Battalion was built for speed, stealth, and violent night assaults. It was significantly smaller and leaner than regular units:

• Battalion Headquarters (HQ): Command, logistics, and a small medical detachment.

• 6 Ranger Companies (A to F): Led by a Captain, each company was incredibly stripped-down, often fielding just over 60 men.

• The Company Structure: Each company consisted of a tiny HQ element and just two platoons.

For us wargamers, this means a Ranger force lacks the long-term staying power or heavy organic assets of a regular line platoon. They are a scalpel, not a sledgehammer. They excel at striking hard from unexpected angles, but they cannot afford to get bogged down in a war of attrition.

In my next post, we’ll follow Darby’s men into the sands of North Africa and the brutal heat of Sicily.
Stay tuned!

Sources:

• The Battalion: The Dramatic Story of the 2nd Ranger Battalion in World War II; Robert W. Black; 2006
• Darby's Rangers 1942–45; Mir Bahmanyar & Michael Welply; Osprey Warrior Series
• The Ranger Force: Darby’s Rangers in World War II; Robert W. Black; 2009
• Rangers: Selected Combat Operations in World War II; Dr. Michael J. King; 1985
• Rangers in World War II: Part I—The Formation and Early Days; Kenneth Finlayson & Robert W. Jones Jr.
• Small Unit Actions (American Forces in Action Series); Historical Division, War Department; 1946
• The Operations of Companies "A" and "B" First Ranger Battalion, at Gela, Sicily, 10–11 July 1943; Major James B. Lyle; 1948–1949
• US Army Rangers & LRRP Units 1942–87; Gordon L. Rottman & Ron Volstad; 1987
• US Rangers: 'Leading the Way'; Ian Westwell; 2003
• We Led the Way: Darby's Rangers; William Orlando Darby & William Henry Baumer; 1980
• When Engineers Fight as Infantry: The amphibious assault on Gela by a Ranger-Engineer force; Col. Stanley W. Dziuban; 1962