Bedford in Bedford County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)

Fifth Ranger Battalion

“Rangers Lead the Way”

— National D-Day Memorial —

Fifth Ranger Battalion Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Brandon D Cross

1. Fifth Ranger Battalion Marker

Inscription.

Fifth Ranger Battalion. “Rangers Lead the Way”. One of two battalions that on D-Day made up the Provisional Ranger Group (PRG) under the command of Lt. Col. James E. Rudder, the Fifth Ranger Battalion was activated at Camp Forest, Tennessee, on 1 September 1943. For the landing, the PRG was configured as three assault forces. The Fifth Rangers, commanded by Lt. Col. Maxwell Schreider and augmented by Companies A and B of the Second Rangers, made up Force C. , , On D-Day, Force C's mission was to remain at sea so as to assault Pointe du Hoc overland through Pointe de la Percée, at the western extremity of Omaha Beach, should Force A's direct assault on Pointe du Hoc stall or fail. At H +45 minutes, Colonel Schneider concluded that Force A had not secured the objective and led Force C toward the Beach. The plan called for Force C to come ashore in the Dog Green sector of Omaha Beach, where the 116th Infantry Regiment was being consumed by the enemy's defensive fire. , , Aware of the chaos in and around the planned landing site, Colonel Schneider brought his men ashore in the Dog White sector. There the enemy's defense was no less formidable, and the Rangers suffered heavy casualties as they landed and moved across the beach. Reaching the cover of a seawall, Force C regrouped to move inland. When Brig. Gen. Norman D. Cota, who had landed with the 116th Regimental Combat Team (RCT), discovered that the Rangers had come ashore, he bellowed the command that in short order became the Rangers' motto: "Rangers, lead the way!" , , Thus charged, Force C indeed led the advance toward Verville sur-Mer, securing the beachhead in the Dog sector of Omaha Beach in the process and taking the village by nightfall. Undaunted by stiff enemy resistance and additional casualties as they moved inland, Force C relieved Force A at Pointe du Hoc on D+2, and Companies A and B of the Second Battalion rejoined their unit. , , Two days later the Fifth Ranger Battalion captured coastal defenses at Grandcamp. As the battle moved into the hedgerows, the Fifth Rangers joined it and continued to serve with distinction through the German surrender and the Battalion's redeployment to the United States, where it was inactivated on 22 October 1945 at Camp Myles Standish, Massachusetts. , , For extraordinary heroism in action on D-Day, the Fifth Ranger Battalion was awarded the first of two Presidential Unit Citations (PUC) it received in World War Il. , , In tribute to the men of the Fifth Ranger Battalion who served in Operation Overlord. Erected by the world war two Ranger Battalion Association.

One of two battalions that on D-Day made up the Provisional Ranger Group (PRG) under the command of Lt. Col. James E. Rudder, the Fifth Ranger Battalion was activated at Camp Forest, Tennessee, on 1 September 1943. For the landing, the PRG was configured as three assault forces. The Fifth Rangers, commanded by Lt. Col. Maxwell Schreider and augmented by Companies A and B of the Second Rangers, made up Force C.

On D-Day, Force C's mission was to remain at sea so as to assault Pointe du Hoc overland through Pointe de la Percée, at the western extremity of Omaha Beach, should Force A's direct assault on Pointe du Hoc stall or fail. At H +45 minutes, Colonel Schneider concluded that Force A had not secured the objective and led Force C toward the Beach. The plan called for Force C to come ashore in the Dog Green sector of Omaha Beach, where the 116th Infantry Regiment was being consumed by the enemy's defensive fire.

Aware of the chaos in and around the planned landing site, Colonel Schneider brought his men ashore in the Dog White sector. There the enemy's defense was no less formidable, and the Rangers suffered heavy

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casualties as they landed and moved across the beach. Reaching the cover of a seawall, Force C regrouped to move inland. When Brig. Gen. Norman D. Cota, who had landed with the 116th Regimental Combat Team (RCT), discovered that the Rangers had come ashore, he bellowed the command that in short order became the Rangers' motto: "Rangers, lead the way!"

Thus charged, Force C indeed led the advance toward Verville sur-Mer, securing the beachhead in the Dog sector of Omaha Beach in the process and taking the village by nightfall. Undaunted by stiff enemy resistance and additional casualties as they moved inland, Force C relieved Force A at Pointe du Hoc on D+2, and Companies A and B of the Second Battalion rejoined their unit.

Two days later the Fifth Ranger Battalion captured coastal defenses at Grandcamp. As the battle moved into the hedgerows, the Fifth Rangers joined it and continued to serve with distinction through the German surrender and the Battalion's redeployment to the United States, where it was inactivated on 22 October 1945 at Camp Myles Standish, Massachusetts.

For extraordinary heroism in action on D-Day,

Fifth Ranger Battalion Marker (center) image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Brandon D Cross

2. Fifth Ranger Battalion Marker (center)

the Fifth Ranger Battalion was awarded the first of two Presidential Unit Citations (PUC) it received in World War Il.

In tribute to the men of the Fifth Ranger Battalion who served in Operation Overlord. Erected by the WWII Ranger Battalion Association.

Erected by National D-Day Memorial and the WWII Ranger Battalion Association.

Topics and series. This memorial is listed in this topic list: War, World II. In addition, it is included in the U.S. National D-Day Memorial series list. A significant historical date for this entry is June 6, 1944.

Location. 37° 19.854′ N, 79° 32.158′ W. Memorial is in Bedford, Virginia, in Bedford County. It can be reached from Overlord Circle 0.4 miles west of Burks Hill Road. The Marker is located on the grounds of the National D-Day Memorial. Touch for map. Memorial is at or near this postal address: 3 Overlord Circle, Bedford VA 24523, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this memorial is in Southwest Virginia.

It is also in the American South

and specifically in the Upper South.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

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Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the original Thirteen Colonies,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: First Infantry Division (here, next to this marker); Second Ranger Battalion (here, next to this marker); Military Police (MP) Platoons (here, next to this marker); Sixth Naval Beach Battalion (here, next to this marker); 5th Engineer Special Brigade (here, next to this marker); 29th Infantry Division (here, next to this marker); 238th Engineer Combat Battalion (here, next to this marker); 121st Engineer Combat Battalion, 29th Infantry Division (here, next to this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Bedford.

Also see . . .
1. Rudder’s Rangers and the Boys of Pointe du Hoc: The U.S. Army Rangers’ Mission in the Early Morning. (Submitted on February 25, 2024, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida.)
2. National D-Day Memorial. (Submitted on February 25, 2024, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida.)

Credits. This page was last revised on February 28, 2024. It was originally submitted on February 25, 2024, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida. This page has been viewed 383 times since then and 67 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on February 25, 2024, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.