Big Picture: Ranger: Mark of a Man

Big Picture: Ranger: Mark of a Man - National Archives and Records Administration - ARC Identifier 2569726 / Local Identifier 111-TV-469 - DVD Copied by Timothy Vollmer. This is the story of the American Ranger--a long and colorful one of courage, daring and outstanding leadership. Filmed in the swamps of Florida and in the mountains of North Georgia, this episode in THE BIG PICTURE series shows how the Infantry, Queen of Battle, is developing a new breed of fighting man--The U.S. Army Ranger. As told in this half-hour documentary film, this fighting man is a superb combat soldier with exceptional endurance, skilled in the techniques of field craft, survival, jungle, air mobile, waterborne and mountain operations. The Ranger's history dates back over 200 years to our French and Indian Wars and to Rogers' Rangers organized in the year 1756. Techniques, skills and tactics used by Major Rogers and further developed by Morgan, Marion, Mosby and other Ranger commanders are part of today's Ranger training. What part the Ranger will play and why he is applicable to tomorrow's battlefield is answered pictorially on "Ranger--Mark of a Man."

[@shrapmagnet]

Interesting. About 80% of the stuff in this film is no longer even done. I think I would have rather been through this version of Ranger school that what I did.

[@paratrooperlane7022]

Fort Benning, so long ago.

[@DavidLanger-d8c]

Although I attended Ranger School, If I could redo my entire US Army career I would’ve enlisted to be in a Ranger Battalion instead of the US Special Forces. The Rangers are a great foundation for Special Forces or Delta Force

[@geobus3307]

Class 5-70. Motto: "We eat our young, Sir!" And, since that seemed to be about all we had to eat during the grueling, extended patrols, most Ranger candidates lost a significant percentage of their initial body weight during the two-month course. The more compassionate, or perhaps the more sadistic, student chopper pilots from Fort Rucker flying us on our training missions would sometimes toss poggie-bait (mainly candy bars) back into the Huey's cargo compartment just to watch us scramble to snatch the forbidden calories before they were blown out into the slipstream. This sport was, necessarily, limited to the aircraft not carrying a Ranger instructor Lane Grader. Being caught eating such unauthorized food would have resulted in the immediate assessment of demerits, and said loss of the required points toward graduation could have jeopardized your chances of earning the coveted Ranger Tab. But, then again, at that point it could be considered a calculated decision. . . like the song said, "Don't ask me, I don't give a damn, next stop is Vietnam." As it happened, that was indeed the case for me. But, truth be told, my Ranger training proved invaluable during my all too often surrealistic experiences humping the bush in the 173rd Airborne Brigade. Ruck up and drive on, Trooper.
Don't ask me where the above stream of conciousness commentary sprang from, it just spontaneously materialized from some memory hole.

[@airborneranger-ret]

lol. Weighed 164 going in. Weighed 148 coming out.

[@DavidLanger-d8c]

I feel ripped off. Our student helo pilots did not give our lift any poggie bait in Florida

[@markkatemcghee2381]

Class 7-85 Blubber Pancakes baby

[@gulfrelay2249]

ALL patrols are combat patrols, even pubcrawls; especially pub crawls.

[@mycheesesteak]

I love these old films! Thx for posting.