Wehr and Garcia firing the M2 .50 caliber Heavy Machine Gun
Sergeant James Pippin in the Slasher Platoon AO.
Some of the weapons captured during the Invasion of Panama in 1989.
Rangers conducting Tanning Ops
Shawn served in First Platoon as the Bravo Team Leader of 3rd
Squad. He parachuted into Panama during Operation Just Cause and was
awarded the Combat Infantry Badge (CIB) and also the Combat
Parachutist Badge. After the invasion of Panama, he attended Ranger
School and graduated from Class 7-90. After leaving the 2nd Ranger
Battalion, Shawn joined the Los Angeles Police Department were he is
currently serving.
Know someone in the US military? Let them know about TACARM
body armor.
Mike Palacios, C CO, 2/75th, 1984-1989
1. Honduras 1986
2. JOTC 1988
3. JOTC 1988
4. Huckleberry Creek 1985
5. Yakima Washington 1988
6. Yakima Washington
1. Mike Palacios, Bob Arnold, Juaquin Cruz, Dave
Schreffler, Phil Earnest. Members of First Platoon recovering after
2 plus weeks of patrolling the Honduran-Nicaraguan border. As one
Ranger stated, " Honduras, we came, we saw, it kicked our butts".
The Cold War was still on and Honduras was part of the US effort to
counter the Sandinista regime in Nicaragua. This was the last
deployment that the Vietnam era M16A1 rifle was used before being
replaced by the M16A2.
2. First Platoon practices casualty evacuation
procedures. Dave Morrison, Cody Button, Dean Foston, Sean McDonald,
Matt Sonner.
3. James Pippin is holding the casualty as it is
quickly lowered down an incline.
4. Rangers conducting winter warfare training at
Huckleberry Creek, Washington.
5. First Platoon at Yakima, Washington. Yakima is
approximately 150 miles South East of Tacoma, Washington.
6. Mike McCally and Dave Morrison goofing off.
Jim Winslow, 2/75th, 1975-77
This is a picture of the 2nd Ranger Battalion
standing in formation on top of
Fort San Lorenzo, Panama in 1976.
Old School.
Ranger Videos
Matt Sonner, C Co, 2/75th, 1986-1989
Staging out of McCord Air Force Base, Wa. Matt Sonner, Dan Taylor, Gavin Graysen, John Donnelly, Dean Foston.
Ranger School Graduation, July 1987. That is my brother Dave on the left and my Mom on the right. I weigh only 140 pounds after losing 40.
Operation Celtic Cross, Ft Ord, Ca. Validation of the 7th Infantry Division.
Panama 1988. Mike McCally holding map and joking about being lost. We met in Airborne School and were good friends while in "2nd Batt".
The plaque on the 23mm twin barrel anti-aircraft gun in the foreground lists the Rangers killed during the invasion of Grenada in 1983.
Fort Sherman, Panama which is located on the Atlantic side of the Canal. Taken from the back of a CH-53. One awesome helicopter.
Panama Canal. Next to Rock Star Bob Dylan's wrecked sailboat. Someone had a good imagination. Cody Button, myself, Dan Taylor, Mike McCally.
A jungle environment can be rough on a Soldier. My last Hooah picture before leaving the Army and going back to Ohio State University.
2nd squad, 1st Platoon C 2/75. Steve Stein, Hood, James Pippin, Mike Palacios, James Finney, Matt Sonner, Robert Fremgen.
1st Platoon C 2/75. 1LT Kemp is on the left with his Platoon Sergeant, SFC Tim Rego on the right. Typical Ft Lewis rainclouds in the background.
Dean Foston in Yakima, Washington 1988. Another good friend. Hard to believe that there is a desert in the state of Washington.
Fast roping at Fort Lewis. Someone would always break an arm or a leg and end up pulling CQ duty for weeks at a time.
Urban terrian combat at Fort Campbell, Ky with CH-47 in support. Notice Ranger using Pathfinder skills.
SSG Boykin, SGT Platt and SGT Hernandez in front of C Company barracks.
Fort Lewis, WA
and the 2nd Ranger Battalion were both a good time. I served as a
Rifleman, SAW Gunner (M249),
Platoon Marksman, and Infantry Team Leader. James Pippin named our
Platoon "The Mad Slashers", if my memory serves me correctly.
Stein and Pippin made the Army a career with Stein
going the Special Forces route and then flying UH-60s. As of 2007
Pippin was the
Command Sergeant Major of 2-7 US Cavalry at Fort Hood, Texas.
John Donnelly would later serve as a Special Forces Operator with
10th Group.
I graduated from Ranger School on July 2nd, 1987. It
was considered the "Last Hard Class" by most of my fellow classmates
of course, me included. View
Class 9-87
and any other Ranger School class photos at the
Ranger
Training Brigade website. Ranger training was tough and going
back to Battalion Ranger qualified and eligible to wear the Ranger
Tab was a good feeling. I was also able to get promoted and attend
other military schools.
Within a year of leaving the Battalion, my friends
were parachuting into combat during the invasion of Panama. Mixed
feelings of course. None of my immediate friends were killed but the
following 2/75 Rangers died during
Operation Just Cause:
Specialist Philip Lear and Private First Class John Mark Price.
While attending the
Infantry Officer Basic
Course (IOBC) at Fort Benning, Georgia in 1994, I had the honor
of meeting Lieutenants Curt Sansoucie and Spencer Dodge. Recent
graduates of the US Military Academy
at West Point, New York they would later die of exposure during
Florida phase of Ranger School in February 1995.
Ranger Phrases and other Interesting Stuff
Hooah: Rangers say this quite a lot during their time
in a Ranger Battalion and also quite frequently in civilian life
until one realizes no one else understands what you are trying to
communicate. Hooah can mean many things to include "Yes Sir" or "Yes
Sergeant". It is also uttered when the Ranger just wants to be left
alone and hopes this will get him off the hook. It can also be said
with a different inflection that could border on disrespect. This
would then bring on some more comments as listed below.
Back when it was Hard: This is
used to start out a conversation so as to ensure the audience knows
that you joined the Ranger Battalion before they did. "Back when it
was hard, Platoon Sergeant So and So would make us put 50 pound
sandbags in our rucksacks before a road march".
Beat your face: This is said by a
higher ranking enlisted Ranger to a subordinate who then has to do
pushups to atone for a minor screw-up.
Beat your face until I get tired:
A modification of the phrase listed above and usually means many
more pushups and much more pain.
I will smoke your bag: Another
way for a senior Ranger to initiate corrective action in the form of
physical exercise. Instead of smoking a bag of marijuana as was the
habit of some civilians, the higher ranking Ranger is going to
"smoke" the unlucky subordinate by overseeing some form of physical
exercise.
Batt boy: This is said when
a Soldier, Ranger or otherwise, is identifying someone who is
serving, or has served, in a Ranger Battalion.
Sky shark: This is the
label put on a new Ranger who has only a few parachute jumps to his
credit.
Tabless wonder: Any Soldier
who is not Ranger qualified.
Elevate your feet: Once
again, this is when a junior Ranger is instructed to do pushups.
Before starting the punishment session, the unlucky Ranger has to
quickly find the highest object to elevate his feet on. If more than
one Ranger is being disciplined, it is smart to have ones feet
elevated higher than your buddies. In this way, they might get more
of the unwanted attention.
Tabbed Out: This has the opposite
meaning as the Tabless Wonder and it is what every aspiring young
Ranger wants to be. This exalted status ensures that the Ranger
qualified "Hooah" avoids most work details and is now able to
instruct junior Rangers on how to " Beat Your Face" and other fun
games.
Moses robe: During my time in 2nd
Batt, our bed sheets were called this as they were made out of a
synthetic material that had multiple brightly colored stripes along
its length.
Chill liner: This was the name
given to the Army issued poncho liner. It seemed to have magical
warming properties when a Ranger found himself in a cold environment
and was unable or foolish enough not to bring a sleeping bag.
If you don't have a Tab, hit the slab:
My all time favorite. In the rare chance that we were able to ride
on trucks, all Tabless Wonders had to first sit on the bed of the
vehicle. In this way, all Tabbed Out Rangers could be guaranteed a
seat on the bench. If the "older/wiser" Rangers were feeling
generous, they might let the Tabless wonders have a seat on the
bench also.
The last hard class:
Similar to "Back when it was hard" so as to distinguish oneself from
other Rangers. "I graduated from Ranger School class 9-87, the last
hard class". "The standards were lowered so the rest of you
wimps could graduate".
Any Rangers out there who would like to
submit one of their own, please send me an email at
tacarm@aol.com. No
profanity is allowed and I will edit if needed.
Ranger Creed
Recognizing that I volunteered as a
Ranger, fully knowing the hazards of my chosen profession. I
will always endeavor to uphold the prestige, honor and high "esprit
de corps" of my Ranger Regiment.
Acknowledging the fact that a
Ranger is a more elite soldier who arrives at the cutting edge of
battle by land, sea, or air. I accept the fact that as a
Ranger my country expects me to move further, faster and fight
harder than any other soldier.
Never shall I fail my comrades.
I will always keep myself mentally alert, physically strong and
morally straight and I will shoulder more than my share of the task
whatever it may be. One hundred percent and then some
Gallantly will I show the world
that I am a specially selected and well trained soldier. My courtesy
to superior officers, neatness of dress and care of
equipment shall set the example for others to follow.
Energetically will I meet the
enemies of my country. I shall defeat them on the field of
battle for I am better trained and will fight with all my might.
Surrender is not a Ranger word. I will never leave a fallen
comrade to fall into the hands of the enemy and under no
circumstances will I ever embarrass my country.
Readily will I display the
intestinal fortitude required to fight on to the Ranger objective
and complete the mission, though I be the lone survivor.
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.
