7th and 9th Ranger Companies
By Emmett Fike, copied from the Static Line, October 1988

     At this writing we will look at the “twin” Ranger Companies of the Korean War.  By the term “twin,” we mean two Ranger companies that had the same numerical designation, the first one being dissolved, and the second receiving the same number in a later training cycle.  We had two 7th companies and two 9th companies.  Some might call them “brother” companies, or “sister” companies.  I choose “twin” because of their identical numbers.

     The first 7th and 9th companies trained in the 3rd training cycle along with the 10th and 11th Ranger Companies. 

     This information was lifted out of Volume 1, Issue No. 9 of the “RANGER,” dated May 1, 1951, Fort Benning, Georgia.  It is the only copy of this paper that ever came across my hands, and being the pack rat that I am, I have been able to keep it across these 38 years thanks to my wife, who grudgingly hoarded all of my Ranger and Army orders and other memorabilia while I was away.

     In this issue of the RANGER paper we find records of these two companies, the “first,” 7th Company and the “first” 9th company having trained in the same, 3rd cycle with the 10th and 11th companies.  I was in the 10th company and had made friends with several Rangers from the other companies.  Robert Stewart and Johnnie Alvis being two from the 9th company.

     On the front page we find the 3rd cycle’s graduation recorded as follows:

TROOPS REVIEWED BY MAJOR GENERAL CHURCH AND COLONEL VAN HOUTEN

     The graduation Parade of the 3rd training cycle was  held at French Field April 13 for the 7th, 9th, 10, and 11th Ranger Companies.  Major General Church and Colonel Van Houten, Commandant, were the reviewing officers.  All Officers not in the parade were on the staff of reviewing Officers.  Lt. Colonel Wilson was the commanding officer of the troops while the staff of company troops was composed of Major Singlaub, Major Snyder and Captain Parnell.  Music was provided by the Post Band.  Addresses were given by the Commanding General, The Infantry Center, Major General Church and by the Commandant, Ranger Training Command, Colonel Van Houten. Major Heard was presented the Bronze Star by Major General Church. Then the Troops passed in review.

     At the conclusion of the Parade, Officers and Ladies of the Command entertained guests at a cocktail party held at the Country Club.

     The Commander of the first 7th Company was Captain Robert Elkenberry who later commanded the 8th Ranger Company.  While in California last May, I visited with Ranger Earl Tracy who trained with the first 7th company and later went to the 3rd Ranger Company via the pipe line.  Earl gave me a copy of his 7th Company photograph, and here we find the long forgotten faces of many of our KIA”s.

     Thirty-six of these first 7th Company Rangers went into the pipe line and wound up as replacements in the 1st Ranger Company.  Many we know today are members of our Association.  Five out of the 36 were killed in action.  They are Rangers Charley Bunch, Harrison Frasher, George Smith and M/Sgt. Howard Thompson.  The casualty report records on Alexander T. Ramatowski could not be retrieved from the records center.

     On the second row of this company photograph, (7th Company) we find the serious faces of Captain Charles Carrier and M/Sgt. Howard Thompson.  Captain Carrier became the third company commander of the 1st Ranger Company.  He was captured by the Chinese in the MAY MASSACRE BATTLE, and later died in the POW camp as a result of their cruel torture and mistreatment.  Word from other prisoners upon their release in the prisoner exchange, was the Captain Carrier had been displayed in a  wooden cage by the cruel communist captors.  They tortured and beat him but could never break him.  Along with the rest, we shall never let his name be forgotten.

     Of the eighteen 7th Company Rangers who went as replacements to the 2nd Ranger Company, two were killed in action.  They were Rangers Ralph Sutton and William Van Dunk.  Van Dunk is buried in Mt. Airey, New York and Sutton in the Baptist Church Cemetery, North Charleston, S.C.

     The 3rd Ranger Company received over 50 replacements from this 3rd cycle, 7th Company.  Our Association roster is laced with names from this group today; Earl Tracy, Bob Scully, Neal Ward, Ernie Desmore, Broadus McLeskey, Jim Stamper, Georglus Constantino, Charles Ridenhour and Paul Mays just to name a few.  There were four KIA’s from this group of replacements; Ranger Frank Nicholson, Wesley Mohagen, Francisco Misseri, and Sgt. Roy Clifton.

     Of the eighteen 7th Company replacements who went to the 4th Ranger Company, two were killed in action, Rangers Francis Leo and Frederick Manship.

     The 5th Ranger Company received only six replacements from this 3rd training cycle, 7th Company.  Two of these died in battle while serving with the 5th Ranger Company.  They were Timothy Ontaylabbi, buried at Broken Bow, Oklahoma and Lt. Fred Lang, buried in Tulsa, Oklahoma.  Lang was a hold over from the 6th Ranger Company which had departred earlier for Germany.  There were 17 who went to the 8th Company as replacements, along with Captain Elkenberry.  It has been reported that the 7th Rangers showed great emotion when informed that their Company was being broken up for replacement to the six Ranger Companies in Korea at that time.  These “twin” Ranger Companies, the two 7th’s and the two 9th’s have their story that must be told.  They are an important chapter in our historic Ranger Tradition.

      Ranger Emmett Fike, 10th Company
      1043 Ranger Trail
      Warrior, AL  35180