Rangers

April 19, 1775, Lexington and Concord Begins the American Revolution

The 13 colonies, especially those hot-heads from Massachusetts were spoiling for a showdown with British in early 1775. Tensions had been simmering for some time, the Massachusetts Bay Colony had been a thorn in the Crown’s side for several years.

Things came to a head on April 19, 1775, in the small towns of Lexington and Concord. The British, fearing that the colonists were stockpiling arms and ammunition for rebellion, sent a column of about 400 regulars to Concord on the night of 18 April to destroy the cache.

Minuteman statue in Lexington, Massachusetts

The colonists, however, had effective intelligence and knew about it in advance. They mustered their militia and on Lexington green soon after sunrise, the two sides fired on one another… The militia was swept aside easily by the British troops. The same thing happened in Concord, but by then Colonial militias, have got the word were mustering from all over. The British began a tactical retreat back to Boston (Charlestown) but were fired on all the way back. “The shots heard ‘round the world.” The War for American Independence had begun.

Prelude to War: The British had long grown weary of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Massachusetts had been the scene of many acts of defiance with the Boston Tea Party, the Boston Massacre and a general disdain for the British Army (redcoats) who were occupying Boston.

General Thomas Gage the military governor, commander of 3000 regulars was given orders to destroy the arms and powder to avoid open rebellion. Gage was considered a tyrant by the colonists but in fact, he considered himself a lover of liberty. He was trying to avoid bloodshed and open warfare with English colonists, for the term Americans was not yet used.

But Gage knew each town had a militia company as per orders from the Crown to defend against Indian attacks. But he knew they’d be defending their town against the British regulars. Why he was trying to conduct the raid as stealthily as possible and do so without bloodshed.

Gage’s orders to LTC Francis Smith was to move “with utmost expedition and secrecy to Concord, where you will seize and destroy … all Military stores … But you will take care that the soldiers do not plunder the inhabitants or hurt private property.” Another 20 riders were out in the countryside looking for Colonial leaders John Hancock and Samuel Adams.

The colonists learned of it and sent riders out to warn the militias. Among them were Paul Revere and Samuel Prescott. They did not, however, say, “The British are coming”, since the colonists considered themselves English.

The British mustered at 2100 hrs on the 18th of April and after taking barges, disembarked in Cambridge, the troops waded ashore in waist deep water and began their 17-mile march to Concord. It was now 0200 hrs on the 19th. About 0300 Colonel Smith decided to send six companies of Infantry ahead at the quick march to Concord and then sent back a message to Boston asking for reinforcements.

Forces Meet in Lexington: The six British companies under the command of Major Pitcairn were nearing the small town of Lexington where the militia, after having been warned by Paul Revere had been on the village green all night. The militia, under the command of French and Indian War officer Captain John Parker, was wondering if the reports were true.

Around 0415 hrs, Parker had a rider race to the green to report that the British were close by and advancing quickly. But he also knew that, at that time, no declaration of war had been declared, that the British had gone on these forays before and finding nothing, would travel back to Boston. He too wanted no part of any bloodshed with the regulars. He ordered his heavily outnumbered men in parade ground formation, but not blocking the road to Concord.

Parkers orders were clear, concise and now etched on the monument that now stands on the village green. “Stand your ground; don’t fire unless fired upon, but if they mean to have a war, let it begin here.”

Confusion over the first shot: The regulars arrived and rather than continue to Concord, they tried to surround the militia. One British Lieutenant ordered the militia to lay down their arms. Both Parker and Pitcairn who arrived moments later ordered the men to hold their fire. Parker then told the militia to disperse and go home. But someone fire but no one knows who fired that first shot.

The British believed that a militia member fired on them and they returned fire with several volleys. Eight of the militia were dead, nine wounded. The British suffered one minor casualty. Both sides agreed that the shot was fired from neither side facing each other on the green. But was either a colonial citizen behind a hedge or a mounted British officer.

The regulars fired several volleys because their officers had failed to give them proper orders and they didn’t know what the parameters of the mission were. Many of them thought they were there to disarm the militia. Smith arriving after, restored order and resumed the march to Concord.

Unknown to Smith, the colonials had already dispersed the arms and weapons in Concord to other towns and massed on a ridge overlooking the town. They numbered 250 against the 700 British.

Smith sent one company to secure the North Bridge on the edge of town.

The British troops arrived and began to search the town. They tried to burn some supplies but the fire got out of control and was quickly spreading to the town meetinghouse. The British soldiers along with the townspeople conducted a bucket brigade to put the fire out with minimal damage. The British soldiers acted very professionally in Concord and paid for whatever food or drink they took.

The militia outside of town commanded by Colonel James Barrett was then augmented by several companies of militia from surrounding communities. The 400-450 militia now vastly outnumbered the regulars guarding the bridge of 95 men under the command of Captain Laurie.

Barrett ordered the men to load their weapons but not to fire unless fired upon. The advanced on the bridge. Laurie, still waiting on reinforcements, ordered his men to back across it and they took up firing positions on the sides of the road. Once again a shot rang out. From who no one knows but soon others, from the British side ring out. Then, the other soldiers, believing the order had been given fired a volley into the militia crossing the bridge. Two men are killed instantly, four were wounded.

Major Buttrick, coming across with the militia on the bridge exhorted the men to fire, three British men were killed or mortally wounded. Eight more were wounded. The British were heavily outnumbered and they broke, leaving their wounded behind before linking up with other British forces that met them on the road.

The militia, stunned by their success and still finding it hard to believe that both sides were firing at one another, retreated back across the bridge and took up defensive positions behind a stone wall and back on the high ground.

The British stayed put in Concord until noon searching for more supplies. And after eating, they began their trek back to Boston. But by now the Colonial militia forces had swelled to 2000. They didn’t fight as European armies did, online and in tight formations. They fought as they had against the French and Indians, as irregulars, behind trees and stone walls. But still under centralized command.

Much to the chagrin of the British soldiers, they sniped and nipped at their heels all the way back thru Lexington. They were exhausted and nearly out of ammunition. But then a brigade under the command of Earl Percy, with 1000 fresh troops met them at 1430 hrs.

The fighting at Menotony (now Arlington) and Cambridge were probably the bloodiest of the entire day. At times the fighting was house-to-house and the British soldiers, frustrated at the tactics of the militia, killed several innocent civilians. Percy understood the militia’s use of frontier tactics:

During the whole affair the Rebels attacked us in a very scattered, irregular manner, but with perseverance & resolution, nor did they ever dare to form into any regular body. Indeed, they knew too well what was proper, to do so. Whoever looks upon them as an irregular mob, will find himself much mistaken. They have men amongst them who know very well what they are about, having been employed as Rangers against the Indians & Canadians, & this country being much covered with wood, and hilly, is very advantageous for their method of fighting

The British finally reached Boston about dark and were reinforced by General Gage with fresh troops. By morning on April 20, Boston was surrounded by over 15,000 militia who had gotten the alarm and responded. Those numbers would grow further when militia units from Rhode Island and Connecticut arrived. General Gage was surrounded on three sides and his worst nightmare had come true. The rebellion had turned to open warfare.

For the colonies, although the Declaration of Independence was still 15 months away, there was no turning back. Massachusetts would again be the site of a bigger battle in just a few months during the Battle of Bunker Hill. The Colonials were ill-prepared to go to war with the greatest army on the face of the earth. But they did and several years later after a costly war, they would win their freedom.

Photos: Author, National Archives

Robert Rogers, the Brilliant if Flawed First American Special Operator

One of the first American heroes in our nation’s history was a man who had two distinct lives. One before the American Revolution and one after. Robert Rogers was famous for his companies of Rangers during the French and Indian War. He was a brilliant officer and outdoorsman and his men served the British and American colonies well. He was made famous in the 1940 film “Northwest Passage” and was played by Spencer Tracy. His 28 Rules of Ranging remain today, slightly altered due to changes in warfare as a standard for the US Army Ranger Regiment. His Standing Orders are still printed on the inside cover of the Army’s Ranger Handbook today.

But during the American Revolution, he remained loyal to England, led British troops against his American kinsman and suffered from severe lapses of judgment. He was eventually stripped of his command and most of the officers he appointed were summarily relieved as well by the British. In his later years, he was constantly in debt and suffered from alcohol problems. He died penniless and alone in 1795. However, it was his service with the Rangers that he is most noted for. And in doing so, he’s America’s first Special Operations hero.

Rogers was born to Irish immigrants in November 1731 in Methuen, Massachusetts. Methuen lies on the Merrimack River, 30 miles north of Boston on the New Hampshire border. At the time of his birth, settlers would set forth from Methuen to the “wilds” of New Hampshire. When he just a boy of eight, his family moved to a 2100 acre farm in Dunbarton, New Hampshire just outside of what is now Concord.

When he was just 15 in 1746 during King George’s War, he joined the New Hampshire militia as a private in Captain Daniel Ladd’s Company of Scouts and, in 1747, also as a private in Ebenezer Eastman’s Scouting Company, with the express mission of guarding the New Hampshire frontier.

When the French and Indian War broke out in 1755, the British initially suffered a series of defeats. This encouraged the Indians allied with the French to begin raiding English colonists in New Hampshire. In 1756, Rogers began recruiting New Hampshire men for his Rangers. He was authorized by the Crown and angry and frightened colonists began to flock to his banner.

Ranger of the French and Indian War painting by Don Troiani.

Rogers’ Rangers grew to 600 rugged New Hampshire outdoorsmen organized into 12 different companies. The green-clad Rangers went thru a rigorous training program which included numerous live-fire exercises which the British regulars considered a waste of time and ammunition. His second in command was John Stark who became famous in his own right later during the battle of Bennington.

The Rangers under Rogers became the nation’s first unconventional warfare specialists. He adopted the Indians’ tactics for fighting, hardly the first to do so but he regimented his lessons learned into a system where he trained his soldiers. His 28 Rules of Ranging was a brilliantly simple, no-nonsense guide for fighting on the frontier.

The Rangers broke down the barriers that conventional troops had at the time. While most standing armies either scaled down or stopped completely, operations in the winter months, Rogers showed their true unconventional nature in 1758 when using a mix of snowshoes, sleds and even ice skates, when his troops successfully engaged the enemy over Lake George. In that same year, he was given command of all Colonial Rangers in North America.

In 1759, the Rangers had their most famous operation against the hated Abenaki (Abnaki) Indians from Quebec. The Indians had launched numerous raids against the colonists in the south and had killed hundreds. Rogers men got a measure of revenge against the Abenaki for their attacking English troops who were retreating under a white flag of truce. The Rangers had infiltrated deep into the Abenaki territory from Crown Point, NY with 200 hundred Rangers, surprised the Indians, burning their village to the ground and killed scores at Saint-Francis. While the Abenaki raids never completely stopped, after burning the town of Saint-Francis, they diminished markedly. They were no longer untouchable.

After the fall of Quebec and Montreal, Rogers was transferred to the west under the command of Brigadier General Robert Monckton. He ordered Rogers and the Rangers to capture Detroit where they were successful. After the French surrender at the Great Lakes, the Rangers were disbanded and Rogers was retired at half-pay.

He traveled to England and wrote a book, “A Concise Account of North America” and a stage play, Ponteach [Pontiac]: or the Savages of America to help free him from the debt of paying for and equipping his own troops during the war. He won an audience with King George III, convinced him of finding a Northwest Passage to the Pacific and was commissioned as the Governor of Michilimackinac (Mackinaw City, Michigan).

Ranger re-enactors fire on the British during Revolutionary War reenactment in Massachusetts. (Photo by the author)

He quickly ran afoul of the military, specifically General Thomas Gage who actively tried to undermine Rogers because of his friendship of General Amherst, a fierce rival of Gage. It was also during this time when Rogers’ alcoholism began to take hold of his actions.

Gage drummed up false charges of treason against Rogers in 1767 and had him brought to Detroit in chains. His trial in 1768 resulted in an acquittal. Rogers once again left for England but did time in a debtor’s prison.

He returned to the colonies in 1775 with the outbreak of the Revolution imminent and offered his services to the rebels and George Washington. But Washington had him arrested, believing him to be a spy. Rogers escaped and once again offered his services to the British Crown.

He was given command of a unit and formed the Queen’s Rangers as its Colonel. He appointed many strange officers to his command including tavern owners as well as whore-house owners which infuriated the British. Although he was responsible for the capture of Nathan Hale, he was defeated in his only action. He and most of his officers were sacked. He returned to England suffering from “poor health” until he returned in 1779 to raise another Ranger unit, the “King’s Rangers” until General Henry Clinton. By then his alcoholism was full-blown and he was sacked again.

Unable to ever return to New Hampshire, he once again withdrew to England where he remained until his death.

Rogers Standing Orders:

Don’t forget nothing.
Have your musket clean as a whistle, hatchet scoured, sixty rounds powder and ball, and be ready to march at a minute’s warning.
When you’re on the march, act the way you would if you was sneaking up on a deer. See the enemy first.
Tell the truth about what you see and what you do. There is an army depending on us for correct information. You can lie all you please when you tell other folks about the Rangers, but don’t never lie to a Ranger or officer.
Don’t never take a chance you don’t have to.
When we’re on the march we march single file, far enough apart so one shot can’t go through two men.
If we strike swamps, or soft ground, we spread out abreast, so it’s hard to track us.
When we march, we keep moving till dark, so as to give the enemy the least possible chance at us.
When we camp, half the party stays awake while the other half sleeps.
If we take prisoners, we keep ’em separate till we have had time to examine them, so they can’t cook up a story between ’em.
Don’t ever march home the same way. Take a different route so you won’t be ambushed.
No matter whether we travel in big parties or little ones, each party has to keep a scout 20 yards ahead, 20 yards on each flank, and 20 yards in the rear so the main body can’t be surprised and wiped out.
Every night you’ll be told where to meet if surrounded by a superior force.
Don’t sit down to eat without posting sentries.
Don’t sleep beyond dawn. Dawn’s when the French and Indians attack.
Don’t cross a river by a regular ford.
If somebody’s trailing you, make a circle, come back onto your own tracks, and ambush the folks that aim to ambush you.
Don’t stand up when the enemy’s coming against you. Kneel down, lie down, hide behind a tree.
Let the enemy come till he’s almost close enough to touch, then let him have it and jump out and finish him up with your hatchet.

Rogers 28 “Rules of Ranging”

These have been simplified over time and still used today by the Ranger Regiment. They’ve changed the language a bit to fit more to a modern timeframe but the tenets remain the same. *Note that now there are 29*

All Rangers are subject to the rules of war.
In a small group, march in single file with enough space between so that one shot can’t pass through one man and kill a second.
Marching over soft ground should be done abreast, making tracking difficult. At night, keep half your force awake while half sleeps.
Before reaching your destination, send one or two men forward to scout the area and avoid traps.
If prisoners are taken, keep them separate and question them individually.
Marching in groups of three or four hundred should be done in three separate columns, within support distance, with a point and rear guard.
When attacked, fall or squat down to receive fire and rise to deliver. Keep your flanks as strong as the enemy’s flanking force, and if retreat is necessary, maintain the retreat fire drill.
When chasing an enemy, keep your flanks strong, and prevent them from gaining high ground where they could turn and fight.
When retreating, the rank facing the enemy must fire and retreat through the second rank, thus causing the enemy to advance into constant fire.
If the enemy is far superior, the whole squad must disperse and meet again at a designated location. This scatters the pursuit and allows for organized resistance.
If attacked from the rear, the ranks reverse order, so the rear rank now becomes the front. If attacked from the flank, the opposite flank now serves as the rear rank.
If a rally is used after a retreat, make it on the high ground to slow the enemy advance.
When lying in ambuscade, wait for the enemy to get close enough that your fire will be doubly frightening, and after firing, the enemy can be rushed with hatchets.
At a campsite, the sentries should be posted at a distance to protect the camp without revealing its location. Each sentry will consist of 6 men with two constantly awake at a time.
The entire detachment should be awake before dawn each morning as this is the usual time of enemy attack.
Upon discovering a superior enemy in the morning, you should wait until dark to attack, thus hiding your lack of numbers and using the night to aid your retreat.
Before leaving a camp, send out small parties to see if you have been observed during the night.
When stopping for water, place proper guards around the spot making sure the pathway you used is covered to avoid surprise from a following party.
Avoid using regular river fords as these are often watched by the enemy.
Avoid passing lakes too close to the edge, as the enemy could trap you against the water’s edge.
If an enemy is following your rear, circle back and attack him along the same path.
When returning from a scout, use a different path as the enemy may have seen you leave and will wait for your return to attack when you’re tired.
When following an enemy force, try not to use their path, but rather plan to cut them off and ambush them at a narrow place or when they least expect it.
When traveling by water, leave at night to avoid detection.
In rowing in a chain of boats, the one in front should keep contact with the one directly astern of it. This way they can help each other and the boats will not become lost in the night.
One man in each boat will be assigned to watch the shore for fires or movement.
If you are preparing an ambuscade near a river or lake, leave a force on the opposite side of the water so the enemy’s flight will lead them into your detachment.
When locating an enemy party of undetermined strength, send out a small scouting party to watch them. It may take all day to decide on your attack or withdrawal, so signs and countersigns should be established to determine your friends in the dark.
If you are attacked in rough or flat ground, it is best to scatter as if in rout. At a pre-picked place you can turn, allowing the enemy to close. Fire closely, then counterattack with hatchets. Flankers could then attack the enemy and rout him in return.

Photos courtesy: Don Troiani, Wikipedia, Author

Seventeen Rangers Added to Ranger Hall of Fame at Ft. Benning

An Army Ranger team leader who led a convoy during the fierce battle known as Black Hawk Down in Mogadishu, Somalia, who is now Columbus, GA chaplain is among 17 Rangers that were inducted Wednesday into the Ranger Hall of Fame at Fort Benning.

The Airborne and Ranger Training Brigade and the 75th Ranger Regiment hosted the annual event at Ft. Benning. After the ceremony, photos and citations of the inductees were displayed in the Ranger Hall of Fame at the Airborne and Ranger Training Brigade in Harmony Church.

The inductees to be honored are: Chaplain Jeffery D. Struecker, Sgt. Maj. Tyrone J. Adderly, Command Sgt. Maj. Frank G. Ashe, 1st Sgt. Herbert M. Baugh, 1st Sgt. Ronald W. Grenier, Master Sgt. Gilbert H. Howland, Staff Sgt. Ronnie N. Imel, Command Sgt. Maj. Richard C. Lamb, Maj. Larry D. Moores, Brig. Gen. James C. Nixon, U.S. Navy Lt. Thomas R. Norris, Master Sgt. Leroy A. Petry, 1st Sgt. Michael J. Ramsey, Sgt Maj. John W. Roy, Command Sgt. Maj. Charles W. Thompson, Lt. Gen. John R. Vines and Command Sgt. Maj. Matthew C. Walker.
The Hall of Fame has recognized the contributions of Rangers since 1992 by honoring and preserving the spirit of America’s finest soldiers. Representing and era of Ranger history, inductees are selected impartially from Ranger units and associations.
To become eligible for the nomination, each soldier must be a successful graduate of the U.S. Army Ranger School, be deceased, separated or retired from active-duty military service for at least three years and served in a Ranger unit in combat.
Struecker is now lead pastor at Cavalry Baptist Church in Columbus. As a 24-year-old sergeant, he was a squad leader assigned to Task Force Ranger in 1993 as part of the 75th Ranger Regiment. While facing intense fire in the Battle of Mogadishu, Struecker led the three-vehicle convoy back to the base with wounded Ranger Pvt. Todd Blackburn.

“Ranger School was an introduction into manhood and a rite of passage”, said Adderly, who was personally awarded the Distinguished Service Cross by then President Richard Nixon. Adderly a Green Beret participated in the Son Tay Raid to rescue American Prisoners of War in North Vietnam. It is listed as one of the 10 greatest raids in military history.

“At Ranger School, I came to understand fully what maximum effort is about,” Adderly said. “Either you want to be or you don’t want to be.”

To read the entire article from Ledger-Enquirer, click here:

Photo courtesy US Army

Oldest Merrill’s Marauder MG Milton Pitcher Dies at 100

The oldest surviving member of the famed Merrill’s Marauders has passed away at the age of 100. Major General (retired) Milton Pitcher died on Easter Sunday at his home in Virginia.

During World War II he served as a communications officer in the famed unit during their battles in the Chinese/Burma theater against the Japanese.
Following his service in the China, Burma India Theater, Pilcher served as an assistant signal officer with the Second Army in Tennessee, and in the Office of the Chief Signal Officer in the Pentagon until relieved from active duty in 1946. Pilcher served in the U.S. Army Reserve as a USAR School Director and then as a member and later commander of the 352nd Civil Affairs Command located at Georgetown University from 1946 to 1968.
He was in the Executive Office of the President of the United States for 11 years, from 1949 to 1960.
He was promoted to brigadier general in 1966. He was appointed Deputy Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff for Military Operations, Department of the Army, and promoted to major general in 1968. Pilcher was appointed commander of the 310th Field Army Support Command, Washington, DC in 1972 and served until retirement in 1974.
His decorations include the Legion of Merit, and recognition as a Distinguished Member of the U.S. Army’s 75th Ranger Regiment, and the Civil Affairs Corps Regiment. He received the AUSA award for distinguished service in 1995.

The Marauders, officially known as the 5307th Composite Unit (Provisional), was a United States Army long-range, special operations, jungle warfare unit, which fought in the South-East Asian theater of World War II, or China-Burma-India Theater (CBI).

They were famous for the 100 km (62 miles) trek through the mountainous jungle along with Chinese troops to capture Myitkyina airfield before disease brought the unit to its knees. Their distinctive unit crest is now worn by the Ranger Regiment.

To read the entire article from the USSOCOM, click here:

Photo courtesy DOD

75th Ranger Regiment Duo Wins 34th Annual Best Ranger Competition

After a grueling three-day competition, the 75th Ranger Regiment team of Capt. Michael Rose and Master Sgt. Josh Horsager finished on top Sunday at the 34th annual David E. Grange Jr. Best Ranger Competition at Fort Benning.

The win was the second for Rose, who took home the honors in 2014 while stationed with the 25^th Infantry Division in Hawaii. Over the three-day event, the competitors traveled over 58 miles with a series of tests that included running, shooting, 20-mile road march, maneuvering through a 4-mile obstacle course, swimming and more.

Only 21 of the 53 teams entered were able to complete the course.

For Rose, it was the second time he took first place in the grueling three-day event.
In 2014, he won with his partner 2nd Lt. John Bergman.
Abbie Rose was not present when her husband, Michael, finished first in the 2014 event.
“We were stationed in Hawaii,” she said.
So she watched the live-stream on the internet.
Seeing it in person is different, though.
“It is very intense,” she said. “At times, it is almost hard to watch.”
Even though her husband did not compete the last two years, she believes the experience of 2014 helped.
“He had that knowledge base of what to expect,” she said.
She is glad to see his hard work pay off.
“We are all proud of him,” she said.

The top three placing teams were as follows:
75th Ranger Regiment (Team 35 of Capt. Michael Rose and Master Sgt. Josh Horsager)
82nd Airborne Division (Team 15 of Staff Sgt. Carlos Mercado and 2009 winner Master Sgt. Chad Stackpole)
National Guard (Team 43 of 2016 winners Capt. Robert Killian and Staff Sgt. Erich Friedlein)

The annual competition is the Ironman challenge for the Rangers, all competitors have to be a graduate of the school.

To read the entire article from the Ledger-Enquirer, click here:

Photo Courtesy of US Army

Special Forces, SEALS, Rangers Involved In Large Korean Military Exercise

US Special Operations troops from many different units are in Korea for a large military exercise to bolster the defenses of South Korea. The Yonhap Korean News agency claims that during the exercise, the Special Operations forces will practice “to decapitate” the North Korean’s military leadership.

According to various reports, US Army Special Forces, and Rangers, as well as Navy SEALs will take part in the big joint maneuvers in South Korea. Yonhap even claims that SEAL Team 6 and Delta Force will be involved although that cannot be confirmed.

The exercise an annual one between the South Koreans and their US counterparts code named “Foal Eagle and Key Resolve” is a joint field exercise and war game, command post simulation that began on March 1 and will take place until April.

Key Resolve the computer-generated command post wargame will end on March 24 but the war games will continue on. The North Korean government accused Washington and Seoul of preparing for an invasion and a “pre-emptive nuclear attack” on their country, therefore justifying Pyongyang’s continuation of its nuclear deterrent and weapons initiative. The North has been rattling its saber recently and launched several ballistic missiles into the ocean that they claim could be aimed at Japan.

In one scenario, South Korean commandos were airlifted to thwart attacks from the North.

Under a scenario of the North Korean military carrying out terrorist assaults on key South Korean facilities, the special forces were drilled to relocate using choppers to search and decimate enemy forces, the Army said.
It also involved refueling operations for the military helicopters, a mission which is crucial when a battle continues for a prolonged period of time.
“The latest exercise was focused on verifying our preparedness to dispatch a commando brigade to the place of an enemy attack in order to preoccupy the site and terminate the battle,” the 2nd Operational Command Chief Gen. Park Chan-ju said.

US conventional forces from the 2^nd Infantry Division were practicing clearing tunnels that the North has built under the border with the south.

To read the entire article from the Korean Herald, click here:

Photo courtesy DOD