Frank South, a medic with the 2nd Ranger Battalion, recounted the discovery. Military Designator 11B2VQ6. He boldly sent out two-man recon patrols to check likely enemy assembly areas down the hill. We could hear our comrades trying to dig in. A DoD-released image of objectives surrounding Point Salines Airfield. It was erected by the French to honor elements of the American Second Ranger Battalion under the command of Lt. Col. James E. Rudder. He is also a core faculty member for the new Master of Arts in Strategic, Cybersecurity and Intelligence (MASCI) studies program, which began in 2021. The whole battalion gathered around and he just flat-out asked if anybody could tell him why we didnt have the new boot packs. There was no contingency plan on the shelf, no up-to-date intelligence, not even a good map of the island. Soviet BTR-60 armored personnel carriers seized by U.S. military personnel during Operation Urgent Fury. Early in December 1943, the Rangers arrived in Grenach, Scotland. His last assignment was as the 2nd Ranger Battalion Command Sergeant Major. Colonel . An enemy machine gun located at the left lower corner of the hill wounded and killed several of the F Company Rangers as they crossed the open field, he recalled. The same month the provisional Ranger group (force) was placed under the command of Lt. Col. James E. Rudder and consisted of the 2nd and 5th Ranger Battalions who were destined to carry out the mission at Pointe Du Hoc and Omaha (Dog Green) Beach on the west coast of Normandy, France. The first of five German counterattacks during the next two days hit the Rangers at 0930. Ronald Reagan, second from left, and Mrs. Nancy Reagan, right, pause as anthems are played after the unveiling of a memorial plate for the 2nd Ranger Battalion that conquered Pointe du Hoc 40 years ago, during memorial ceremony, Wednesday, June 6, 1984, Pointe du Hoc, France. Deficiencies in communications, planning, and organization during Urgent Fury and the earlier Operation Eagle Claw (the 1980 attempt to rescue U.S. hostages in Iran), were the final nails in the coffin for the dysfunctional American command and control system created by the National Security Act of 1947. From 2014-2017 in 2nd Ranger Battalion he served as a Battalion Liaison Officer . This attack lasted two to three hours and was beaten back by artillery.. In the winter of 2009, he transferred to Fort Benning, Georgia, where he was assigned to the Ranger Special Troops Battalion, and served as the Small Unit Ranger Tactics . The desperate situation seemed to be sensed back at Ranger headquarters in Bergstein. The Rangers did go and were immediately greeted with their first but not their last German artillery barrage. The platoon crossed the 100 yards of half frozen mud, shooting randomly, we were at a dead run, facing small arms fire.. Maj. Bohannon's first assignment was 2nd Ranger Battalion, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, where he served as an Ammunition Bearer to Ranger Rifle Platoon Sergeant. Maj. George S. William took over the command of the battalion on December 7th. Today's Ranger Regiment is the Army's premier raid force. He commanded companies in the 25th Infantry Division and the 1st Ranger Battalion, leading a Ranger Rifle Company during the invasion of Grenada in 1983. The new soldier became speechless, did not know his name, and could not recognize anyone around him. Rangers are resourced to maintain exceptional proficiency, experience and readiness. I guess if you see 120 men acting like a bunch of Indians coming at you, you think these guys are nuts! - General Bradley, "In a nation at war, teamwork by the whole people is necessary for victory. Artillery fell all around the aid station, one round entering one window and leaving through another, taking away part of the second window. Army Col. William E. Powell, 42, a native of Northern Virginia and commanding officer of the Army's elite 2nd Ranger Battalion, died Sept. 21 in the crash of a C130 cargo plane at Indian Springs, Nev. One new replacement in the 2nd Rangers saw the head of a fellow ranger less than three feet away blown completely off. 1st Ranger Battalion . Potratz remembered, Shells hit the hill from three sides. Notices were sent to many military camps for volunteers from all branches of the Army for the formation of the new Ranger Battalion, the first to be trained in the United States. A small scout party from Companies D and F reconnoitered the hill before the assault. Members of the 1/75th Rangers are briefed on plans for a night patrol during Operation Urgent Fury. June 6, 1944, was not my longest day. The Rangers were finally relieved. The battalion consisted of approximately 500 men. Clearly the future of U.S. operations was going to be centered on the idea of jointness, with standardized communications and intelligence protocols for all the services. The World War II Pointe du Hoc Ranger Monument is located on a cliff eight miles west of Normandy American Cemetery, which overlooks Omaha Beach, France. Command Sgt. The remainder of the company continued forward, some running faster than others, all firing their weapons running up the hill. The American First Army was tasked with capturing the forest to secure the right flank of the advancing VII Corps, to prevent the Germans from mounting counterattacks from its concealment, and to attack a large portion of the Germans fixed fortifications of the Siegfried Line from the rear. By Oct. 29, Urgent Fury had evacuated 599 U.S. citizens and 121 citizens of other nations. Dieses Stockfoto: Pres. The Rangers had been called to assault the icy, slippery Hill 400 which was approximately 403 meters (1,322 feet) high and steep, laden with many pill boxes and had the highest OP in the Roer Valley for miles around. 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"A", "B", "C", and "E" Companies got into position to secure the town of Bergstein, Germany where Hill 400 was located. Col. Michael F. Kloepper. Lieutenant Bob Edlin of A Company walked his platoon through the snow and ankle-deep mud to the village of Geremeter. We had stopped another counterattack, but if the Germans had known how many men or really how few we had up there, they would have kept coming, reflected Lomell. It made me cry but also made me proud to know my father fought valiantly to take and keep Hill 400. Trucked to Hill 400, the infantrymen shuffled up the slope to the crest during the night. By 10:00 a.m., the airfield and the nearby True Blue campus of the medical school were secure. By Daniel R. Champagne. The men were confident in it because it was Rudders concept. One of the men yelled out, Hell, General, everybody back at headquarters has got them, which was true. The December engagement on Hill 400 concluded the Battle of Hrtgen Forest campaign. Everybody at Army, corps, and divisional headquarters was wearing boot packs, parkas, and warm clothes. A supporting AC-130 gunship took out some of the enemy guns, but it was almost 90 minutes before all of the Rangers were on the ground. Despite armored support, its infantry was also repulsed. At 0808 friendly artillery fire, which was already on the way, was requested on the road to the north. He remembered, Fox Company led the way followed by the 1st and 2nd sections of the 1st Platoon of Dog Company. Three companies of Rangers, just 200 soldiers, captured and held it., Captain Otto Masney, commander of F Company, gave the order to fix bayonets, and suddenly Mike Sharik stood up and yelled, Cmon, you unholy bastards! and off we went.. He completed the following military courses: RASP 1; Basic Airborne Course; Ranger School, Jumpmaster School . Alpha Company is organic to the Battalion and Hotel Company is attached from a fictional unit for organizational purposes and structure. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the International Institute of Strategic Studies. The Rangers held, forcing the Germans to regroup. We were still wearing summer clothes and it was in the low thirties. They received intensive amphibious training at the U.S. Navy Scouts and Raiders School. Weaver then decided to let the Rangers assault the hill by themselves, so as to keep his division fresh and to allow the Rangers to work in their own manner. I was hoping to glean some insight what had occurred in the area of Hill 400 on December 11th. Barno also travelled widely throughout the Middle East and South Asia region in his NESA director capacity, and lectured at Harvard, Yale, Tufts, Johns Hopkins SAIS, West Point, and the US Army and Naval War Colleges. After sustaining 6,053 casualties, it was relieved by the 8th Infantry Division early in December. The heaviest counterattack of the fight was launched at 1500 on December 8. At 6:30 a.m. on June 6, Company C arrived on English landing crafts amidst intense fire. On 25 October 1983, United States Army Rangers, as part of a seven-nation task force, led the invasion of the tiny Caribbean island of Grenada. - June 3, 2013, Rangers from C Company, 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, during Operation Urgent Fury, Oct. 25, 1983. When VII Corps began its drive into Brittany, the Rangers were ordered in as well. On the morning of June 6, 1944, the 2nd Ranger Battalion, commanded by Lt. Col. James Earl Rudder, began its ascent of a sheer 100-foot precipice called Pointe du Hoc. Out of about 1,500 engaged, the Grenada Peoples Revolutionary Army suffered 45 killed and 358 wounded. Bush. The selected best of the many volunteers became the 2nd Ranger Battalion and were to be trained and made ready for the invasion on D-day of the European Continent. Shortly thereafter, then Major James E. Rudder, took command. This page was last edited on 20 January 2023, at 18:38. Later, on Oct. 27, the Rangers staged a heliborne assault on the Calivigny base, only to find the defenders had fled. The 47th Armored Infantry Battalion barely held Bergstein against German counterattacks and was in no shape to participate in another attack on Hill 400. U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School, 8th Psychological Operations Group (Airborne), U.S. Army Special Operations Aviation Command. General Walter Weaver, commander of the 8th Division, personally asked the V Corps commander, General Leonard Gerow, for Rangers to bolster the armored combat command in Bergstein and to assist his divisions next assault on Hill 400. At dawn, Williams launched two companies across an open field and up the heights, using one companys covering fire to support the attack. I am convinced that these six to eight men were the vital factor that kept F from being overrun, claimed Petty afterward. "This is where our battalion's legacy was born. Ground fire was heavy (from Zu-23 and M-53 quad machine guns) but inaccurate due to untrained crews. General Norman Cota, commander of the 28th Division, who had personally seen the Rangers in combat on Omaha Beach, used the 2nd Ranger Battalion to replace units of the 112th Infantry Regiment on the front line. It was a death factory. Barno was promoted to Major General in 2001 and served as the Commanding General, Ft Jackson, SC, the Army's largest training base. Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad, co-locating his command at the US Embassy compound and creating an integrated civil-military Counter-insurgency campaign plan for Afghanistan focused on the Afghan population. American students walk toward an aircraft as they are evacuated from the island by U.S. military personnel during Operation Urgent Fury. In 1988, Barno joined the 2nd Ranger Battalion as the S-3 (Operations) officer where he played a key role in the planning and execution of the subsequent invasion of Panama. A U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter lands at Point Salines Airfield during Operation Urgent Fury. An aerial view of Point Salines, as seen from an aircraft approaching the runway during Operation Urgent Fury. They exfiltrated to the coast and swam out to be recovered by USS Caron (DD 970). Welcome Document for new soldiers. Following his retirement from active duty, Barno served as the Director of the Near East South Asia Center for Strategic Studies (NESA) at the National Defense University in Washington, D.C. from 2006 until April 2010. DoD photo. The first aid station in the bunker held as many as 20 wounded at a time. Their headquarters is based at Camp Pablo Tecson in San Miguel, Bulacan. General Eisenhower said that will be taken care of, and God rest his soul, it was. Barno and Bensahel also speak regularly to diverse military and civilian audiences on leader development, military adaptation and the changing character of war. The area was thickly laced with mines, barbed wire, and concealed pillboxes with interlocking fields of fire. The still living were sitting in the back seats and some were perched on the back seats and others were sitting facing forward on the radiators because the jeeps were that crowded. All three infantry divisions, 9th, 28th, and 8th, had tried to seize Hill 400 but failed. 253-477-2455. In the spring of 1944, the battalion was moved to an army assault training center at Braunton, England. 2nd Ranger Battalion Jan 2013 - Jul 2014 1 year 7 months. It was a moment of being proud to be a Ranger., Not all Rangers felt enthralled by what was happening. We were caught in a 200 yard area between the barrages. (per Ranger Memorial Fort Benning, GA). events, and resources, The Battle of Hrtgen Forest: Army Rangers vs Fallschirmjgers. The U.S. Army would not seize Hill 400 again until February 1945. This article was first published in The Year in Special Operations: 2013-2014 Edition. Barno was commissioned a second lieutenant of infantry upon graduation from the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York, with the class of June 1976. Some veterans remained in the service to train other men for conflicts in Korea and Vietnam and subsequent confrontations. Five of them [German soldiers] got within 100 yards of the church which was being used as a first aid station. Based on previously secret intelligence and field reports he obtained from military archives in the United States and Britain, Sterne said the 2nd Ranger Battalion commander of the Pointe du Hoc . Mortar shells fell all around us, and our guys were getting hit. During his tenure, he forged a close relationship with U.S. SEALs fast-roped in from helicopters and quickly secured the house and the governor general, but they were soon surrounded and under fire until Marines broke through to link up with them the next morning. The Regiment remains an all-volunteer force with an intensive screening and selection process followed by combat-focused training. Another group of SEALs captured Grenadas radio station, but were driven out by a strong counterattack. A patrol from "D" and "F" Companies at 3:00 a.m. was sent to reconnoiter the best plan of attack on the hill as dawn came up. C Battery, 251st Coast Artillery/Anti-aircraft Regiment 510. Just sittingin those foxholes. Rudder hustled back from First Army headquarters to help Williams as much as possible, and Williams proceeded to Brandenberg. arriving there on October 3rd. Nevertheless, many of the higher-ups in the chain of command rejected any notion of elite units as some still do. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for DID 1.12 Michael Wittmann SS Hauptsturmfurer Panzer Ace Tiger 1 Tank Commander at the best online prices at eBay! The 2nd Battalion ( Ranger ), 75th Infantry was activated at Ft. Lewis, WA on 1 October 1974. In Washington, military planners worried that Point Salines could become a base for Cuban planes delivering weapons to guerrillas throughout the region, or even for Russian combat aircraft. The unit arrived in the nick of time just as the third counterattack erupted. They used machine guns, burp guns, rifles, and threw potato masher grenades. We moved to what had been a German troop shelter at the crossroads near Vossenack. You could see the white of their hasty bandages from far off and there were others of the still living who were on stretchers strung from the front seats to the back and on the radiators too, and the brown blankets came up to their chins. They went on through without stopping to take up defensive positions to the west and south of Bergstein. 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment is a United States Army Military Simulation Unit based on the game ArmA III during the present day. As one man, F Company with bayonets shining, hip firing, and yelling a battle cry that probably goes back into the eons of time charged into the jaws of death. After blowing up a section of the sea wall on Omaha Beach, the Rangers led the way off the beach and fought their way westward to join their comrades at Pointe du Huc. It was a bloody battle with heavy casualties, but very successful. These men were briefed at the armored command post on the locations of enemy positions. [5] In the absence of an official US military post-Vietnam COIN doctrine, he based his counter-insurgency strategy off his U.S. Military Academy Revolutionary Warfare class notes and COIN works by T.E. Rangers have operated in South America, Africa and the Middle East. And never let this happen again! In January 2013, he relinquished command and was assigned to 2nd Ranger Battalion at Joint Base Lewis-McChord where he served first as the Battalion Assistant Liaison Officer and then later as the Battalion Logistics Officer. The first week of May 1945, the battalion was suddenly moved to Czechoslovakia, where further skirmishes were encountered and neutralized. Salomon described the opening moments of the Ranger advance: The CO at the appropriate time gave the word Go! With whooping and hollering as loud as possible, firing clips of ammo at random from their weapons in the direction of the hill, the Rangers ran as fast as they could across the approximately 100 yards of open, cleared field into the machine-gun and small-arms fire of the German defenders. You froze to death or you got sick or you got blown to bits. It proved effective, and the Germans withdrew. Notices were sent to many military camps for volunteers from all branches of the Army for the formation of the new Ranger Battalion, the first to be trained in the United States. Petty thrust his Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR) into an aperture and emptied a 20-round magazine. There was a sort of drizzle. Col. Michael F. Kloepper is a 1997 graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, a 2015 graduate of the Kenan Flagler School of Business at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a 2021 Distinguished Graduate of the United States Army War College. Major Williams described one of the counterattacks. Just then, an enemy shell exploded, killing Anderson. Planners knew that Grenadas political prisoners were held at the fortress-like Richmond Hill Prison, on a ridge above the harbor of St. Georges. Nearly every jeep in the battalion was used for the evacuation. The Rangers evacuated the replacement off the hill between counter-attacks. Company E and the tanks of CCR remained in Bergstein as the reserve to support the assault or to respond to the expected German counterattack. Fidel Castro, who considered Bishop a close friend, was outraged. August 1944 the battalion received special hedgerow training with the 759th Tank Battalion. The troops did very well. The quick, crisp barrage caught the Germans by surprise. Kettlehut and the artillery easily handled the morning attack. Quick preparation and placement of the men had to be achieved. Welcome Recruit to the 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment Realism Unit. We were yelling like crazyrebel yells.. Private William Anderson, a seasoned Ranger broken from sergeant to the lowest rank for garrison infractions; Sergeant Petty, and Pfc. Le migliori offerte per Stock 1/6 DID A80145 Captain Miller 2.0 - WWII US 2nd Ranger Battalion Series 3 sono su eBay Confronta prezzi e caratteristiche di prodotti nuovi e usati Molti articoli con consegna gratis! The line companies had two platoons. Williams called for the opening salvo just before sunrise. He also has been awarded the Combat Infantryman's Badge Master Parachutist Badge with Combat Star, Pathfinder Badge, the Ranger Tab, and the German parachutist badge. July 1944, the battalion was assigned to clearing out hidden enemy positions and pockets of enemy resistance along the coastline of the Cherbourg Peninsula. Qualifications for acceptance required strong physical capabilities and high intelligence. He also served as a Non-Resident Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council from May 2015 to March 2018, where he co-authored with Dr. Bensahel a major report in 2016 entitled The Future of the Army. Delays and confusion in loading the aircraft caused this to slip to 0400, then 0500 perilously close to daylight. The 2nd Rangers had demonstrated their mettle. Each of the four geographically dispersed Ranger battalions are always combat ready, mentally and physically tough and prepared to fight the War on Terrorism. At the extreme right is Mrs. Margarethe Rudders, from Bryan, Texas, widow late Col. Earl . Its steepest slope was at a 45-degree angle, and the hill was thickly wooded with evergreens. On April 1, 1945 the Rangers celebrated their 2nd Anniversary (April 43-45). , Vessey said on Meet the Press on Nov. 6, 1983. He also served in Joint Special Operations Command and commanded a battalion in the 10th Mountain Division, leading them on a 15-month deployment to Iraq. Ranger Battalion Commander 2nd Ranger Battalion Jul 2020 - Jul 2022 2 years 1 month. I moved to the town of Bergstein almost 6 years ago. No appreciable ground was gained, and 6,184 Americans were casualties. Captain Masney was captured attempting to move down the hill to bring up more reinforcements. The 75th Ranger Regiment is a lethal, agile and flexible force, capable of executing a myriad of complex, joint special operations missions in support of U.S. policy and objectives. In September 1943, the battalion moved to Fort Pierce, Florida. The 75th Ranger Regiment is a lethal, agile and flexible force, capable of executing a myriad of complex, joint special operations missions in support of U.S. policy and objectives. All 4 of the Drake brothers served during WW11. The Black Hawk helicopter, which was making its combat debut during Urgent Fury, was designed to take battle damage and keep flying, but as flight crews and passengers began to suffer injuries from ground fire, the impossibility of the mission became evident. Christmas and the New Year came and passed without relief or replacements. Shortly after D-Day, the 184th landed at Omaha Beach in . For the latest USASOC guidance and news, please click here. The most shocking surprise to the Rangers was not the enemy but the Americans. The country's fate lies in the hands of its soldier citizens; in the clash of battle is found the final test of plans, training, equipment, and-above all-the fighting spirit of units and individuals." The enemy offered stiff resistance., Four machine guns fired point blank at the Rangers moving up the hill. I set out with my patrol at 0330 and returned with the information to the battalion forward CP at 0600.. Then, on Oct. 14, 1983, Bishops deputy, Bernard Coard, and Gen. Hudson Austin, both hard-line Marxists, led a bloody coup against Bishop, who was executed along with his associates. Other Ranger veterans in civilian life organized and formed the Ranger Battalions Association of WWII, which consists of Ranger veterans of the six Ranger Battalions of WWII. Ronald Reagan, second from left, and Mrs. Nancy Reagan, right, pause as anthems are played after the unveiling of a memorial plate for the 2nd Ranger Battalion that conquered Pointe du Hoc 40 years ago, during memorial ceremony, Wednesday, June 6, 1984, Pointe du Hoc, France. German artillery peppered Hill 400. Remains which are present almost everywhere in the Hrtgenwald area. From Kleinhau the companies began their march to Bergstein. Just after dawn on December 8, E Company reported being counterattacked from the north by troops coming from Obermaubach. Lieutenant Len Lomell took out the patrol from Company D. Lomell recalled, The patrol was to discover evidence of pillboxes, bunkers, and enemy positions. The Germans repeatedly counter attacked. We were stuck waiting for our own artillery to lift. Bob Edlin explained, While at the bivouac, we were visited by General Eisenhower. An aerial view of Fort Frederick, in Grenada, showing damage sustained during Operation Urgent Fury. It was just round after round of crashing and smashing, beating on your head till you think there is no way you can stand it, recalled Edlin. The U.S. 2nd Ranger Battalion held Hill 400 in the embattled Hrtgen Forest against five fierce German counterattacks in December 1944. . The Ranger Training Command was inactivated and became the Ranger Department, a branch of the Infantry School at Fort Benning, Ga., Oct . General Weaver was unable to disengage any troops to relieve the Ranger Battalion. In September 1944 the Rangers were attached to the 8th Infantry Division to assist in clearing out the German resistance on the Crozon Peninsula. The German 6th Parachute Regiment probed the hill under the cover of artillery fire. UNLESS CONTACTED BY YOUR CHAIN OF COMMAND, USASOC OPERATES FROM THE FORT BRAGG INSTALLATION STATUS. Gerow released the Rangers and they were . Captain Masney arrived with more soldiers and captured the bunker. The 2nd Ranger Battalion was originally established on April 1, 1943, at Camp Forrest, TN along with the 5th Ranger Battalion, as part of the Army's plan to form six Ranger battalions. He also commanded 2nd Brigade Combat Team . Barno was the principal author of the Army's transformational 2003 Warrior Ethos which dictates: "Mission First, Never Accept Defeat, Never Quit, and Never Leave Behind a Fallen Comrade." The real commander of C Company, 2nd Ranger Battalion on D-Day was 24-year-old Capt. In mid March, time was used for reorganization and equipment cleaning and preparing for the next combat assignment. Freddie T. Dela Cruz PA. 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Fort Lewis, Wash. . Among other things, he served in the 82nd Airborne Division, held leadership roles in the 2nd and 3rd Ranger Battalions and commanded the Fort Bragg, N.C.-based 1st Battalion of the 325th AIrborne . After another attempt failed, the mission was aborted. In this drive, the Rangers captured two dozen towns and approximately 500 prisoners. About 350 men of the 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, were originally scheduled to make an assault landing in six MC-130 Combat Talon aircraft of the Air Force 1st Special Operations Wing. Half the Krauts ran and half gave up. Tragically, a helicopter collision and crash killed three Rangers and badly injured four more. The Rangers had to have the highest physical stamina and superior mental ability to perform as an outstanding fighting team in order to accomplish any given mission. A new approach was needed. My platoon sergeant, Ed Secor, a very quiet man, out of ammo and unarmed, seized two machine pistols from wounded Germans and in desperation charged a large German patrol, firing and screaming at them. General Barno commanded the 3rd Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment in the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, followed by command of the 2nd Ranger Battalion at Ft Lewis, Washington. John H. Miller was an English composition schoolteacher from Abbott, Pennsylvania, and he started teaching at Thomas Alva Edison High School in 1933; he coached the spring baseball team at his school. The German paratroopers launched the second counterattack at mid-afternoon as about 150 men struck F Company. Fortunately, the 2nd Rangers had three lieutenants working as advanced liaison officers. Col. David A. Fazenbaker. The enemy artillery did not let up. DoD photo. Carrying litters is cruel work in good terrain and inhuman punishment on wet hillsides under tree bursts.. Captain George S. Williams, the executive officer, and Captain Harvey Cook, the intelligence officer, were called to 8th Division headquarters and given the mission. Maj. Kupratty deployed multiple times throughout his career, supporting Operations Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom, and Freedom's Sentinel. LTC Tompkins served as the commander of Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade from 2009-2011. . Team 2 and a command and control element to Kosovo in support of TF Falcon. Lieutenant James Eikner, in charge of headquarters communication, explained how the men felt. His Peoples Revolutionary Government ruled by decree, and quickly formed close ties with Cuba and the Soviet bloc, much to the displeasure of the Reagan administration in Washington, D.C. An economic handicap for Grenada was the inadequate runway at Pearls Airport: too short for big jets. Between three Ranger Battalion tours and command of the 3rd Bn, 505th PIR in the 82nd Airborne Division, he accumulated over 110 parachute jumps during his career, to include a 500-foot night-time parachute assault into Panama in 1989, during which most jump aircraft were struck by enemy fire.