The White House and Congress recently recognized the few remaining World War II veterans of a legendary special-operations unit.
In June, President Joe Biden signed legislation awarding the Congressional Gold Medal to US Army Rangers who fight in some of its the war’s most important battles.
The medals, one of the US’s highest civilian awards, “is going to go to US Army Ranger veterans of World War II — Rangers who played a crucial role in the D-Day invasion in Normandy,” Biden said in a ceremony on June 7.
“This elite group once numbered 7,000, but now it’s down to 12. A dozen left. On behalf of our nation, we want to thank them for their heroism and their service,” Biden added.
The Rangers forged their legacy on the plains of Europe and in the jungles of Asia during World War II, and two operations best reflect their contribution to the Allied victory.
Pointe du Hoc
One of the most daring operations in Ranger history took place during the D-Day landings on June 6, 1944.
Allied forces landed on five beaches — Sword, Juno, Gold, Omaha, and Utah. US troops were responsible for Omaha and Utah beaches, which are separated by Pointe du Hoc, a strategically located cliff overlooking both beaches.
The Germans had fortified Pointe du Hoc with heavy artillery that could be deadly to US troops on the beaches and to Allied warships supporting the invasion.
To neutralize the German threat, Allied commanders assigned Lt. Col. James Rudder’s 2nd Ranger Battalion and its 200 Rangers to take down the German position before the landings began.
On D-Day, Allied aircraft and ships launched more than 630 tons of munitions against Pointe du Hoc in an attempt to suppress the German defenders ahead of the main landings. The bombardment failed to destroy the German guns and fortifications and tore up the ground and cliffs around the German positions, complicating the Rangers’ assault plans.
To get to the German positions, the Rangers had to climb sheer 100-foot cliffs while under German fire. The US commandos used ropes and ladders to get to the top, where they stormed and destroyed the artillery emplacements. However, the Germans counterattacked in force, pinning down the Rangers.
By the second day of the invasion, the Rangers had suffered more…
Read More: Army Ranger Veterans of World War II Receive Congressional Gold Medal