6615th Ranger Force
Encyclopedia
The 6615th Ranger Force was an American unit in World War II
. It served in the Italian campaign and lost two battalions at the Battle of Cisterna
, part of the Battle of Anzio.
Battalions, the 509th Parachute Infantry Battalion, and several other units were molded into a temporary unit given the name "6615th Ranger Force." Colonel
William Orlando Darby
, the former commander of the famous 1st Ranger Battalion
, became the commanding officer. Lieutenant Colonel Hermann Dammer served as the executive officer.
, on January 22, 1944. It suffered very few casualties and moved into the city itself. After the U.S. Sixth Corps occupied Anzio, the corps commander, Major General
John P. Lucas
and the 3rd Division commander, Major General
Lucian K. Truscott, met with Colonel Darby and decided to have the Rangers sneak behind the German lines and capture the town of Cisterna. The corps and division intelligence officers thought that there was a gap in the German lines. However, the German commanders, Field Marshal
Albert von Kesselring and General
Eberhard von Mackensen
suspected an American attack in the vicinity of Cisterna and sent a large force of crack troops, armored units, and artillery to cut off the Rangers.
On the night of January 30, 1944, the 1st and 3rd Ranger Battalions made their way behind enemy lines and killed the German sentries in Cisterna. Suddenly, concealed German artillery and armor opened fire on the Americans. One of the first shells killed Major Miller, the 3rd Battalion commander. Major Dobson, the 1st Battalion C.O., took command of the two battalions. The Rangers took cover and started firing, but rifles were no match for the heavy German equipment. All of the Rangers fought bravely, killing a good number of Germans, but they suffered many more killed and wounded. Major Dobson was among the wounded.
When Colonel Darby, Colonel Dammer, and the other staff officers in the 6615th Headquarters found out about the plight of the 1st and 3rd Battalions, Major Walter Nye, the 4th Battalion's acting commander, was ordered to bring his men up the road to rescue the other two battalions. The battalion, with armored and infantry support, fought a bitter, bloody battle with the Germans. Many Germans were killed in the two-day battle that followed. However, the relief force was stalled too long to be of much help to their fellow Rangers. Out of the 767 Rangers who made it into Cisterna, only 6 made it out. The rest were killed or captured.
and was killed by an artillery shell while he was riding in a jeep in northern Italy
.
After the Battle of Cisterna, the 509th Battalion bore the brunt of a German counterattack. One of its companies was overrun, but the other companies fought valiantly and, with reinforcements from other regiments and divisions, was able to repulse the attack and took part in a parachute landing in Southern France
. It ended the war with a very distinguished record.
.
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. It served in the Italian campaign and lost two battalions at the Battle of Cisterna
Battle of Cisterna
The Battle of Cisterna took place during World War II, on 30 January-2 February 1944, near Cisterna, Italy, as part of the battle of Anzio that followed Operation Shingle. The battle was a clear German victory which also had repercussions on the employment of U.S...
, part of the Battle of Anzio.
Formation
The 6615th Ranger Force was formed specially for use in Operation Shingle (the Anzio battle). The 1st, 3rd, and 4th United States RangerUnited States Army Rangers
United States Army Rangers are elite members of the United States Army. Rangers have served in recognized U.S. Army Ranger units or have graduated from the U.S. Army's Ranger School...
Battalions, the 509th Parachute Infantry Battalion, and several other units were molded into a temporary unit given the name "6615th Ranger Force." Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
William Orlando Darby
William Orlando Darby
William Orlando Darby was an officer in the United States Army during World War II. Darby led the famous Darby's Rangers which evolved into the US Army Rangers and was also made famous as a major motion picture starring the American actor James Garner in the role of Darby.-Early life:Darby was...
, the former commander of the famous 1st Ranger Battalion
1st Ranger Battalion
The 1st Ranger Battalion is an elite special operations unit of the US Army that is currently based at Hunter Army Airfield in Savannah, Georgia, United States....
, became the commanding officer. Lieutenant Colonel Hermann Dammer served as the executive officer.
Units and Commanding Officers
- 6615th Ranger Force-ColonelColonelColonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
William O. Darby, C.O. - 1st Ranger Battalion-MajorMajorMajor is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
Jack Dobson, C.O. - 3rd Ranger Battalion-MajorMajorMajor is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
Alvah Miller, C.O. - 4th Ranger Battalion-Lieutenant ColonelLieutenant colonelLieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
Roy Murray, C.O. - MajorMajorMajor is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
Walter Nye, C.O. - 509th Parachute Infantry Battalion, Lieutenant ColonelLieutenant colonelLieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
William Yarborough, C.O. - 83rd Chemical Battalion
Combat Missions
The 6615th landed at Peter Beach in the port of AnzioAnzio
Anzio is a city and comune on the coast of the Lazio region of Italy, about south of Rome.Well known for its seaside harbour setting, it is a fishing port and a departure point for ferries and hydroplanes to the Pontine Islands of Ponza, Palmarola and Ventotene...
, on January 22, 1944. It suffered very few casualties and moved into the city itself. After the U.S. Sixth Corps occupied Anzio, the corps commander, Major General
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
John P. Lucas
John P. Lucas
John Porter Lucas was an American Major General and one of the commanders of VI Corps during the Italian Campaign of the Mediterranean Theater of World War II.-Early career:...
and the 3rd Division commander, Major General
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
Lucian K. Truscott, met with Colonel Darby and decided to have the Rangers sneak behind the German lines and capture the town of Cisterna. The corps and division intelligence officers thought that there was a gap in the German lines. However, the German commanders, Field Marshal
Field Marshal
Field Marshal is a military rank. Traditionally, it is the highest military rank in an army.-Etymology:The origin of the rank of field marshal dates to the early Middle Ages, originally meaning the keeper of the king's horses , from the time of the early Frankish kings.-Usage and hierarchical...
Albert von Kesselring and General
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
Eberhard von Mackensen
Eberhard von Mackensen
Friedrich August Eberhard von Mackensen was a German general who served in World War II, and one of 882 German recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves...
suspected an American attack in the vicinity of Cisterna and sent a large force of crack troops, armored units, and artillery to cut off the Rangers.
On the night of January 30, 1944, the 1st and 3rd Ranger Battalions made their way behind enemy lines and killed the German sentries in Cisterna. Suddenly, concealed German artillery and armor opened fire on the Americans. One of the first shells killed Major Miller, the 3rd Battalion commander. Major Dobson, the 1st Battalion C.O., took command of the two battalions. The Rangers took cover and started firing, but rifles were no match for the heavy German equipment. All of the Rangers fought bravely, killing a good number of Germans, but they suffered many more killed and wounded. Major Dobson was among the wounded.
When Colonel Darby, Colonel Dammer, and the other staff officers in the 6615th Headquarters found out about the plight of the 1st and 3rd Battalions, Major Walter Nye, the 4th Battalion's acting commander, was ordered to bring his men up the road to rescue the other two battalions. The battalion, with armored and infantry support, fought a bitter, bloody battle with the Germans. Many Germans were killed in the two-day battle that followed. However, the relief force was stalled too long to be of much help to their fellow Rangers. Out of the 767 Rangers who made it into Cisterna, only 6 made it out. The rest were killed or captured.
After Cisterna
Cisterna marked the end of the 6615th as a complete unit. The 4th Battalion was assigned to the 1st Special Service Force and Colonels Darby and Dammer were given different assignments. Darby eventually became assistant division commander of the 10th Mountain Division10th Mountain Division
The 10th Mountain Division is a light infantry division of the United States Army based at Fort Drum, New York. It is a subordinate unit of the XVIII Airborne Corps and the only division-sized element of the U.S. Army to specialize in fighting under harsh terrain and weather conditions...
and was killed by an artillery shell while he was riding in a jeep in northern Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
.
After the Battle of Cisterna, the 509th Battalion bore the brunt of a German counterattack. One of its companies was overrun, but the other companies fought valiantly and, with reinforcements from other regiments and divisions, was able to repulse the attack and took part in a parachute landing in Southern France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. It ended the war with a very distinguished record.
Depicted in Anzio
The Battle of Cisterna and the journey of the six Rangers who made it out are the two main themes of Anzio (film)Anzio (film)
Anzio, also known as Lo Sbarco di Anzio or The Battle for Anzio, is a 1968 war film about Operation Shingle, the 1944 Allied seaborne assault on the Italian port of Anzio in World War II...
.
Sources
- Darby's Rangers, 1942-45-by Mir Bahmanyer
- Rangers in World War II-by Robert Black
- Anzio 1944-by Steven J. Zaloga