July 10, 1943

The First, Third, and Fourth Ranger battalions, under the leadership of West Point graduate William Orlando Darby from Fort Smith (Sebastian County), spearheaded the invasion into Sicily during World War II. Darby had been chosen, about the time he was promoted to major, to organize and train the elite commando unit, which was activated as the First Ranger Battalion in 1942 and was subsequently expanded. The troops served notably in the Anzio beachhead and Cisterna, Italy, efforts.

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