06/19/2026
19 JUNE 1942
1st Ranger Battalion stood up by MAJ William O. Darby
at Carrickfergus, Northern Ireland
On 19 June 1942, at Carrickfergus, Northern Ireland, Company A, 1st Ranger Battalion was activated. Led by Captain William O. Darby, the newly formed battalion began rigorous training in British Commando tactics as the Rangers prepared for combat operations against Axis forces. Of the 1,500 Soldiers who volunteered to become part of the 1st Ranger Battalion, only 600 were selected for this elite unit.
Based at Sunnylands Camp near Carrickfergus, the Rangers underwent intensive physical conditioning, marksmanship training, amphibious exercises, and small-unit tactical instruction. The rugged countryside of County Antrim provided an ideal environment for developing the skills needed for future missions.
On 19 August 1942, Captain Roy Muarry led five Officers and forty-four Rangers from the 1st Ranger Battalion as they joined British Commandos and Canadian forces in the disastrous Dieppe Raid. 2LT Edward V. Loustalot became the first American Soldier killed in action against Germany in Europe after courageously leading an assault on a German machine-gun position.
The training conducted around Carrickfergus prepared the Rangers for their first large-scale combat mission during Operation Torch – the Allied invasion of North Africa on 08 November 1942. Their successful performance in combat helped establish the proud Ranger legacy that continues today throughout the 75th Ranger Regiment. Sua Sponte – Rangers Lead the Way!
