The Ranger Force at the Battle of Cisterna
Abstract
The purpose of this research project is to determine what factors led to the operational failure and destruction of the 1st and 3rd Ranger Battalions during the battle of Cisterna on 30 January 1944. Subordinate questions are as follows: Why did experienced combat commanders, like General Truscott and Colonel Darby, utilize the lightly armed Ranger Force against a fortified town?; Did the training level of the new ranger replacements compromise the infiltration and affect the outcome?; Did the Germans detect the infiltration and initiate an ambush for the unsuspecting Ranger Force?; What was the intelligence preparation of the battlefield, and how did it affect the plan?; and Did General Truscott's and Colonel Darby's previous experience lead to assumptions about effectiveness of the Ranger Force in such a mission? A bibliography contains 32 books, 2 journal articles, 18 government documents, and 9 other sources. (5 figures)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 18, 2004
- Accession Number
- ADA428671
Entities
People
- Jeff R. Stewart
Organizations
- United States Army Command and General Staff College