Discussion

The Airborne Infantry Ranger Company—the successor organization to the Long Range Patrol Companies—were units that provided unconventional reconnaissance capability to brigades, divisions and corps. This article specifically covers the corps-level variant, which was larger than the brigade-level companies (formerly called detachments and composed of one platoon, typically 61 men) and division-level companies (118 men). There were two such companies that were assets of the I Field Force and II Field Force. These were Company C and Company D of the 75th Ranger Regiment respectively (previous LRP Company E of the 20th Infantry and LRP Company F of the 51st Infantry). Key differences between Field Force and divisional/brigade companies was the Field Force units were larger to cover more ground and had more support vehicles available to them.

Although the Airborne Infantry Ranger Companies were redesignated as such from the original Long Range Patrol Companies and Detachments in early 1969, their mission and doctrine did not change. And, although they were transferred to the 75th Ranger Regiment administratively, they were still subordinate to their parent divisions and corps. The personnel were, however, then required to be Ranger qualified, which was not a requirement for the original LRPs.

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Each company consisted of 1 Company Headquarters, 1 Operations Section, 1 Transportation and Maintenance Section, 1 Communications Platoon, 1 Parachute Packing and Maintenance Section, and 3 Patrol Platoons. It should be noted that although this is the organization that was active under the official TO&Es, organization often differed in practice. As of 1967, it was known that the Field Force companies had 4 line platoons rather than 3. A likely variation was the removal of the Transport & Maintenance Section and Parachute Packing and Maintenance Section to allow for a 4th Patrol Platoon.

The Company Headquarters contained the Airborne Infantry Ranger Company’s key command and general support personnel. This was further divided into a Headquarters Section and Mess Section. The company overall was led by the Company Commander who was authorized as a Captain, but was usually a Major for the Field Force companies. This was likely because these commanders had to deal with a higher echelon of officer than either divisional or brigade-level company commanders. The company’s Executive Officer (second-in-command) was a Lieutenant, although could be a Captain. Under conventional US Army doctrine, the Executive Officer and company First Sergeant (the company’s senior enlisted man) typically served support functions while the Commanding Officer was the tactical commander. However, there are examples of the Executive Officer personally leading patrols depending on the unit. These men, in addition to 1 Supply Sergeant, 2 Company Aid Men, 1 Armorer, 1 Personnel Specialist, 1 Company Clerk, 3 Light Truck Drivers, and 1 Supply Clerk formed the Headquarters Section. The Mess Section was led by a Mess Steward, a Sergeant First Class, and further consisted of 3 First Cooks, 2 Cooks and 1 Cooks Helper. The Mess Section may or may not have been necessary depending on it the company was dependent on the mess facilities of their parent unit.

The Operations Section provided the company with operational planning and intelligence staff. This section included an Operations Officer and Assistant Operations Officer—both Lieutenants—in addition to an Operations Sergeant, Intelligence Sergeant, 2 Operations Specialists and 2 Intermediate Speed Radio Operators. The Intelligence Sergeant and Intermediate Speed Radio Operators doubled as light truck drivers for the section’s 1 M36 2½-ton cargo truck and 2 M151 MUTT 4x4 trucks. One Operations Specialist and the Intelligence Sergeant were authorized M20A1B1 “Super Bazooka” recoilless rifles, most likely for self-defense.

The Transportation and Maintenance Section provided the company with integral transportation and mechanics, although this section may or may not have been manned depending on if the company was reliant on their parent’s company resources. Given that the LRP Ranger Companies did not act as single maneuver elements, their footprint and transportation needs were relatively light. The section was equipped with 8 M36 cargo trucks armed with M2 heavy machine guns and towing M105 trailers.

The Communications Platoon consisted of a Platoon Headquarters and 3 Base Radio Stations. The Platoon Headquarters contained an M151 MUTT that carried its Platoon Leader, Platoon Sergeant and Senior Field Radio Repairman (Light Truck Driver). Meanwhile, each Base Radio Station contained two M36 cargo trucks. One carried an AN/GRC-41 radio transmitting and receiving station (range of up to 1,600 km) and AN/GRC-106 radio set (range of up to 129 km). The section also had an AN/GSQ-80 message center (switchboard) and an M60 machine gun for self-defense. According to Gebhardt, “FM radio was to be used to communicate with uncommitted patrols and between the LRP company and its higher HQ, while wire was to be used for communications within the LRP company HQ and between its operations section and the intelligence section of higher HQ.”

The Parachute Packing and Maintenance Section composed of riggers led by a Warrant Officer as a Section Chief—the company’s sole Warrant Officer. They packed and maintain parachutes for the entire company, which ideally is entirely Airborne and Ranger qualified. In addition to the Section Chief, the section contained 5 Packer-Repairmen. The actual inclusion of this section in the context of Vietnam is unlikely, although it may have been a possible addition to augment the company for airborne operations.

The meat of the company were its Patrol Platoons. Each consisted of a Platoon Headquarters and 8 Patrols, although the actual number in practice varied from 5 to 9 Patrols per platoon. The Platoon Headquarters was slim, containing just the Platoon Leader, Platoon Sergeant and a Light Truck Driver who was also intended to act as a Radio-Telephone Operator. In practice, this soldier typically acted as an assistant to the Platoon Leader and Platoon Sergeant. The Platoon itself did not act as a singular maneuver platoon as a line platoon would, with the individual Patrols (squad echelon units but actually team-sized) being tasked out individually as necessary. The Platoon was mostly an administrative unit, with the Platoon leadership being responsible for the training of their Patrols and preparing insertions/extractions. 

Each of the Patrols consisted of 5 men, although 6-man Patrols were common through the addition of another RTO or scout-observer. Each Patrol had 1 Patrol Leader (Staff Sergeant), 2 Intermediate Speed Radio Operators (Specialist 4s), 1 Senior Scout-Observer (Private First Class), and 1 Scout-Observer (Private First Class). Each of the RTOs would carry an AN/PRC-25 manpack radio or newer AN/PRC-77. Typically the Senior Scout-Observer would act as the pointman for the patrol.

Like the Australian Special Air Service Regiment (SASR) Troops that could combined two 5-man teams into one large 10-man fighting patrol for offensive operations, the LRPs could combine two 5- or 6-man patrols into one larger 10- or 12-man heavy patrol. These too were for offensive operations such as ambushes, search and rescue, and prisoner snatches. They could come under the command of the seniormost Patrol Leader, a specialist with expertise in the platoon, or the Platoon Leader or Platoon Sergeant. 

Depending on the unit, a number of LRP Patrols could be replaced with Hawkeye Patrols. This was the case for the 4th Infantry Division’s LRP Company in 1967, whose platoons had 5 LRP Patrols and 3 Hawkeye Patrols. Hawkeye Patrols were hunter-killer patrols composed of two Rangers and two indigenous Montagnard CIDG personnel. The Hawkeye Patrols different from standard Patrols in that they had the expertise of the Montagnards, allowing them to more readily intercept enemy couriers and otherwise disrupt enemy operations. 

All patrolmen were authorized M16A1 rifles. The LRP companies had been early adopters of the M16/XM16E1 back in 1964/5, despite officially being authorized the M14 rifle. By 1969, both the M16A1 rifle and XM177E2 “submachine gun” (the CAR-15 carbine) would have been the standard weapons of the Patrol. However, there was considerable leeway unit-to-unit, with submachine guns, shotguns and enemy weapons being common additions to the Patrols. One particular variation included giving the pointman of the Patrol a captured enemy weapon to confuse the enemy upon first contact.

Although not included in the TO&E, combat or ambush patrols may also carry heavier weapons, such as the M60 machine gun. While such a heavy weapon with a heavy ammo burden would be counter-productive to a reconnaissance patrol, such firepower would have been greatly beneficial if patrols were looking for trouble. The M79, including cutdown versions, could similarly be issued depending on mission requirements.

It was also common for Patrolmen to carry at least 4 to 6 fragmentation grenades, 1 smoke grenade, 1 white phosphorus grenade, 1 CS grenade, 1 claymore mine, and a ¼-pound block of C4. M72 Light Anti-Tank Weapons were also commonly issued, useful for engaging enemy convoys or breaking contact.

If many LRP teams were sent out, aviation assets could be strained as helicopters had to be tied down to support the teams. Because of the compactness of the Patrols, the insertion of a Patrol could realistically be done with as little as 1 or 2 UH-1 Huey helicopters. The helicopter(s) would conduct a reconnaissance including company/platoon leadership and the patrol leader 24 hours in advance to scout out the reconnaissance zone. However, insertions were often done with 5. These included:

• 1 Command and Control Helicopter carrying the Company Commander, Operations Officer or Platoon Leader

• 1 Helicopter to insert the Patrol (2 Helicopters if inserting a heavy patrol)

• 1 Helicopter to perform false insertions with the intention of deceiving the enemy (more than 1 if additional helicopters were freely available)

• 2 Helicopter Gunships to cover the insertion