3rd Ranger Battalion flash

3rd Battalion,
75th Ranger Regiment

Lineage & Honors

Information derived from the U.S. Army Center of Military History, current as of 28 January 2015

Distinctive Unit Insignia
Distinctive Unit Insignia
DUI Symbolism

The colors blue, white, red and green represent four of the original six combat teams of the 5307th Composite Unit (Provisional), commonly referred to as Merrill’s Marauders, which were identified by color. To avoid confusion, the other two colors, khaki and orange, were not represented in the design, however, khaki was represented by the color of the uniform worn by US forces in the China-Burma-India Theater during World War II. The unit’s close cooperation with the Chinese forces in the China-Burma-India Theater is represented by the sun symbol from the Chinese flag. The white star represents the Star of Burma, the country in which the Marauders campaigned during World War II. The lightning bolt is symbolic of the strike characteristics of the Marauders’ behind-the-line activities.

DUI Background

The distinctive unit insignia was originally approved for the 75th Infantry Regiment on 18 March 1969. It was redesignated for the 75th Ranger Regiment on 3 February 1986.

Constituted 3 October 1943 in the Army of the United States in the China-Burma-India Theater of Operations as an element of the 5307th Composite Unit (Provisional)

Consolidated 10 August 1944 with Company F, 475th Infantry (constituted 25 May 1944 in the Army of the United States), and consolidated unit designated as Company F, 475th Infantry

Inactivated 1 July 1945 in China

Redesignated 21 June 1954 as Company F, 75th Infantry

Allotted 26 October 1954 to the Regular Army

Activated 20 November 1954 on Okinawa

Inactivated 21 March 1956 on Okinawa

Activated 1 February 1969 in Vietnam

Inactivated 15 March 1971 in Vietnam

Redesignated 2 October 1984 as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3d Battalion, 75th Infantry, and activated at Fort Benning, Georgia (organic elements concurrently constituted and activated)

Headquarters and Headquarters Company consolidated 3 February 1986 with former Company A, 3d Ranger Infantry Battalion (see ANNEX); 3d Battalion, 75th Infantry, concurrently redesignated as the 3d Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment

ANNEX

Constituted 21 July 1943 in the Army of the United States as Company A, 3d Ranger Battalion; concurrently consolidated with Company A, 3d Ranger Battalion (Provisional) (organized 21 May 1943 in North Africa), and consolidated unit designated as Company A, 3d Ranger Battalion

Redesignated 1 August 1943 as Company A, 3d Ranger Infantry Battalion

Disbanded 15 August 1944

Reconstituted 25 October 1950 in the Regular Army as the 3d Ranger Infantry Company

Activated 28 October 1950 at Fort Benning, Georgia

Inactivated 1 August 1951 in Korea

Redesignated 24 November 1952 as Company A, 3d Ranger Infantry Battalion

Consolidated 15 April 1960 with the 1st Company, 1st Battalion, 2d Regiment, 1st Special Service Force (activated 9 July 1942), and consolidated unit redesignated as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 13th Special Forces Group, 1st Special Forces

Withdrawn 14 December 1960 from the Regular Army and allotted to the Army Reserve (organic elements concurrently constituted)

Group activated 1 March 1961 with Headquarters at Jacksonville, Florida

Headquarters and Headquarters Company inactivated 15 April 1963 at Jacksonville, Florida (organic elements inactivated 21 January 1966)

Former Company A, 3d Ranger Infantry Battalion, withdrawn 3 February 1986, consolidated with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3d Battalion, 75th Infantry, and consolidated unit redesignated as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3d Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment (remainder of 13th Special Forces Group, 1st Special Forces - hereafter separate lineage)

Campaign Participation Credit

World War II

  • New Guinea
  • Leyte (with arrowhead)
  • Luzon
  • *India-Burma
  • *Central Burma
  • Algeria-French Morocco (with arrowhead)
  • Tunisia
  • *Sicily (with arrowhead)
  • *Naples-Foggia (with arrowhead)
  • *Anzio (with arrowhead)
  • *Rome-Arno
  • Normandy (with arrowhead)
  • Northern France
  • Rhineland
  • Ardennes-Alsace
  • Central Europe

Korean War

  • *First UN Counteroffensive
  • *CCF Spring Offensive
  • *UN Summer-Fall Offensive

Vietnam

  • *Counteroffensive, Phase VI
  • *Tet 69/Counteroffensive
  • *Summer-Fall 1969
  • *Winter-Spring 1970
  • *Sanctuary Counteroffensive
  • *Counteroffensive, Phase VII

Armed Forces Expeditions

  • *Panama (with arrowhead)
  • *Somalia

War on Terrorism

  • *Global War on Terrorism

Afghanistan

  • *Liberation of Afghanistan
  • *Consolidation I

Iraq

  • *Liberation of Iraq
  • *Transition of Iraq
  • *Iraqi Governance
  • *National Resolution

Decorations

Presidential Unit Citation (Army), Streamer embroidered EL GUETTAR

*Presidential Unit Citation (Army), Streamer embroidered SALERNO

Presidential Unit Citation (Army), Streamer embroidered POINTE DU HOE

Presidential Unit Citation (Army), Streamer embroidered NORMANDY BEACHHEAD

Presidential Unit Citation (Army), Streamer embroidered SAAR RIVER AREA

*Presidential Unit Citation (Army), Streamer embroidered MYITKYINA

*Valorous Unit Award, Streamer embroidered BINH DUONG PROVINCE

*Valorous Unit Award, Streamer embroidered MOGADISHU

*Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation, Streamer embroidered UIJONGBU CORRIDOR

*Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation, Streamer embroidered KOREA 1951

*Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm, Streamer embroidered VIETNAM 1969

*Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm, Streamer embroidered VIETNAM 1969-1970

*Republic of Vietnam Civil Action Honor Medal, First Class, Streamer embroidered VIETNAM 1969-1970

Company B additionally entitled to:

  • Valorous Unit Award, Streamer embroidered AL ANBAR PROVINCE 2003