On the road with the Korean Ranger Companies

In STL hanging out with the Ranger Infantry Companies Airborne of the Korean War. They are having their national reunion and its a blast. How did I end up here? Well thats complicated but here I am anyway.

Met some outstanding Rangers many of whom are mentioned in Rangers in Korea by Col Robert Black. Speaking of which I did get a chance to meet Ranger author Col Robert Black who has some outstanding books available at that link from Amazon. Amazing having read about some of these men and then meeting them in person like this.

At dinner tonight I got a great history lesson first hand from 2 men who were in the 2nd Ranger Company. The 2nd Ranger Company was the only all black Ranger unit in American history. Those guys were a hoot and I learned a great deal in a short time. Both went on to SF and stayed for their 20. Both also said being a Ranger opened doors for them in the Army that would not have been there had they not earned the title of Ranger. The one gentleman told me back then things were much different in America but with the Rangers it did not matter they were all friends and looked out for each other.

I think the lesson I will take from that is that no matter who they were as individuals together they were Rangers. Too bad Americans today have a great deal of trouble standing together as simply Americans.