Shadow Warriors: A History of the US Army Rangers (General Military)

No American military unit can claim as colorful and volatile a history as the Rangers, who have led the way in America's wars for well over 300 years. This book traces the Rangers from the time of Robert Rogers during the French and Indian war of the 18th century to the most recent operations in Iraq. Modern Army Rangers combine the most rugged individualism of American frontiersmen with the finely honed ability to operate as a close-knit team, wreaking havoc behind enemy lines. This fascinating volume focuses on the experiences of these men, and incorporates many firsthand accounts of dramatic Ranger actions provided by the combatants themselves. Illustrated throughout with color and black and white photographs, and accompanied by detailed appendices, this is a fresh, new look at the world of the US Army Ranger. (Publisher) Cover 1 Title 2 Contents 3 Acknowledgments 4 Introduction 5 Colonial Rangers 7 The Revolutionary War 20 The Civil War 26 Ranger Battalions of World War II 30 The Postwar Years: Korea and Vietnam 60 The Modern Rangers 89 Operations Eagle Claw and Urgent Fury 105 All Hail the Regiment 117 From Just Cause to Desert Storm 123 Somalia Operation Gothic Serpent 139 In the Beginning 156 Operation Enduring Freedom I 174 Operation Relentless Strike 186 Operation Anaconda andTakur Ghar 190 Operation Iraqi Freedom 239 Appendices 260 Endnotes 308 Bibliography and Further Reading 315 Glossary 320 Index 322 Imprint 335