Ranger Infantry Company of the Korean War

Ranger Hall of Fame

MASTER SERGEANT HAROLD L. RINARD

Master Sergeant Harold L. Rinard is inducted into the Ranger Hall of Fame for his actions as a Ranger in both World War II and the Korean War. He entered the service before WW II with the 34th Infantry Division of the Iowa National Guard. In Northern Ireland, he was one of the first to volunteer for Darby’s Rangers. Ranger Rinard was with the landings at North Africa, Salerno, and Anzio, was in the Sicilian Campaign and was with all the major Ranger combat actions of those campaigns. He was wounded three times: first at the battle for the Chiuniz Pass, second on November 30, 1943 in the high mountains of central Italy, and third at Anzio. When the 1st Ranger Battalion was expanded into the 3rd and 4th Ranger Battalions in French Morocco, he volunteered for the 3rd Battalion and was promoted to sergeant for his leadership skills. When the 1st and 3rd Ranger Battalions were leading an attack on Cisterna to break out of the Anzio beachhead, they were struck by the German Hermann Goering Panzer Division and sustained heavy casualties. Only six Rangers returned to friendly lines, about fifty percent of the group having been killed and the remaining Rangers having been captured. Wounded, Ranger Rinard was taken to Poland where he escaped twice and linked up with a British unit on the second escape. When the Korean War started, Rinard was with the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, North Carolina and when the call was made for Ranger volunteers, he was heard to say “ONCE A RANGER ALWAYS A RANGER”. He joined 3rd Airborne Ranger Company at Fort Benning at the beginning of October 1950 as their first cycle of training was starting. He was with 3rd Company for their first graduation on November 13, 1950, and assisted with training of 3rd Company’s second cycle Rangers that went to combat later. During Christmas leave Rinard was assigned to a replacement packet for Ranger companies in combat. He joined 1st Airborne Ranger Company while they were attached to the 23rd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division. In an ensuing battle, five Chinese regiments surrounded 1st Company at a place called Chipyong-ni. Ranger Rinard led an attack by his platoon gaining a key hill position that could bring fire on the enemy and halt their advance. He was among the first to the top of the hill and was later killed in action that day, February 15, 1951. Chipyong-ni is sometimes referred to as the “BASTOGNE” of the Korean War and Ranger Rinard will always be remembered, “Surrender is not a Ranger word.”