Fort Benning
U.S. Army Fort Benning and The Maneuver Center of Excellence
75th Ranger Regiment Site
75th Ranger Regiment
2nd Battalion
Recognizing the need for a highly trained and mobile reaction force, the Army Chief of Staff, General Creighton Abrams, directed the activation of two battalion –sized Ranger units in the fall of 1973. The 2nd Battalion ( Ranger ), 75th Infantry was activated at Ft. Lewis, WA on 1 October 1974
In February and March of 1975, a group of cadre was trained at Fort Benning , GA, and formed a solid core of leaders capable of instilling Ranger values and doctrine into the first volunteers of the Battalion. In April 1975, the Battalion conducted its first training event and progressed from individual to team, squad, platoon and company training, and culminated with an externally evaluated battalion ARTEP in December 1975. At the completion of the ARTEP, the Chief of Staff of the Army declared the 2nd Ranger Battalion "World- Wide deployable". This marked the start of a series of rigorous training events conducted worldwide and under varied environmental conditions. The "new era" of Ranger training began in 1980 and focused on Special operations Training.
On 25, 1983 1st and 2nd Ranger Battalions conducted a low-level parachute assault on Point Salinas Airfield on the Island of Grenada, during Operation Urgent Fury. Their mission was to restore democracy to the island and rescue American citizens at the True Blue Medical Campus. 1st and 2nd Battalions seized Point Salinas Airfield and later conducted follow on assault operations and eliminated remaining pockets of resistance.
On December 20,1989 the entire 75th Ranger Regiment participated in Operation Just Cause. 2nd and 3rd Battalions conducted a parachuted assault on the airfield at Rio Hato, Neutralized the PDF 6th and 7th Rifle companies, an seized General Manuel Noriega's beach house. Following the successful assaults, the Rangers conducted follow on special operations in support of Joint Task Force South.
In September 1994, 2nd Battalion deployed to Haiti in support of Operation Uphold Democracy. In December 1996, while training at the Jungle Operations Training Center in Panama, the Battalion quelled rioting inside Cuban refugee camps during Operation Safe Haven.
Following the attacks on September 11, 2001, 2nd Ranger Battalion has continuously supported the Global War on Terrorism. In March of 2002, 2nd Battalion deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and conducted numerous air assaults, raids, patrols, and ambushes against anti coalition forces. In December of 2002, elements of 2nd Battalion again deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. In February, the remainder of the Battalion deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. This period marked the first time in history of the modern Rangers that a Ranger Battalion executed numerous historic missions. 2nd Battalion was first to have boots on the ground in Baghdad and establish a base of operations. 2nd Battalion later participated in operations to capture known and wanted terrorist. From November to December 2003, the Battalion again deployed to Afghanistan in support of the Global War against Terrorism. Rangers hunted the enemy to the most remote regions of Afghanistan. Unhindered by extreme altitudes and bitter cold, the battalion conducted mountain patrols at altitudes of 9000ft, mobile patrols through major population centers, air assaults, and direct action raids into heavily defended enemy objectives. From March to May 2004 and July to October 2004, the 2nd Battalion deployed to both Iraq and Afghanistan and conducted air assaults, raids, combat patrols, and other special operations. Since September 11, 2001 2nd Battalion Rangers willingly faced the fiercest enemies at great risk to themselves and have been pivotal in prosecuting the Global War on Terrorism.