LRSC Grunt
13 August 2000, 19:12
This article is from Postnet.com
Army units honored by WWII prisoners
Aug. 11, 2000 | 8:44 p.m.
FORT BENNING, Ga. (AP) -- Former World War II prisoners of war honored their liberators with a memorial dedication Friday, 55 years after Army units freed 512 men from a prison camp in the Philippines.
The Americans were rescued Jan. 30, 1945, by members of the 6th Ranger Battalion and the 6th Army Alamo Scouts. The Alamo Scouts were a long-range surveillance unit that operated behind enemy lines from 1943 to 1945.
At a ceremony at the Rangers training headquarters at Fort Benning, Ga., the POWs dedicated a bronze plaque with the names of 143 men who participated in the operation, assisted by 284 Filipino guerrillas.
The plaque will be installed on a granite memorial outside the Ranger Hall of Fame.
``I'm satisfied, and I'll go to sleep tonight knowing that I've finally honored these men,'' said John Cook, 79, a retired Army medic from San Bruno, Calif., who spent 34 months as a prisoner.
The surprise assault killed 500 Japanese and two Rangers. None of the prisoners was injured during the rescue and 30-mile trek to U.S. lines.
The liberation -- which took less than 30 minutes -- is still recognized as an example of a virtually flawless special operation, according to Fort Benning officials. One of the mission leaders, Capt. Robert Prince, was inducted into the Ranger Hall of Fame in 1999.
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On the Net:
Ranger Training Brigade: http://www-benning.army.mil/rtb/rtbmain.htm
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BTW, if you havent heard about the Alamo Scouts, I highly recommend you read this book!!! It is the only book that was able to consolidate their history due to the fact they were operating under secrecy during WWII. I dont think the NCDUs, Scouts and Raiders, OSS, or even anyone had a track record like that came anywhere near theirs during WWII.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0934793565/qid%3D966204945/104-8069903-1051103
(notie tracys comment!!)
You can also find more info here:
http://www.ranger.org/alamo/alamo.htm
Tom!!!! You need to add these guys history to your web site!!!
[This message has been edited by LRSC Grunt (edited 08-13-2000).]
Army units honored by WWII prisoners
Aug. 11, 2000 | 8:44 p.m.
FORT BENNING, Ga. (AP) -- Former World War II prisoners of war honored their liberators with a memorial dedication Friday, 55 years after Army units freed 512 men from a prison camp in the Philippines.
The Americans were rescued Jan. 30, 1945, by members of the 6th Ranger Battalion and the 6th Army Alamo Scouts. The Alamo Scouts were a long-range surveillance unit that operated behind enemy lines from 1943 to 1945.
At a ceremony at the Rangers training headquarters at Fort Benning, Ga., the POWs dedicated a bronze plaque with the names of 143 men who participated in the operation, assisted by 284 Filipino guerrillas.
The plaque will be installed on a granite memorial outside the Ranger Hall of Fame.
``I'm satisfied, and I'll go to sleep tonight knowing that I've finally honored these men,'' said John Cook, 79, a retired Army medic from San Bruno, Calif., who spent 34 months as a prisoner.
The surprise assault killed 500 Japanese and two Rangers. None of the prisoners was injured during the rescue and 30-mile trek to U.S. lines.
The liberation -- which took less than 30 minutes -- is still recognized as an example of a virtually flawless special operation, according to Fort Benning officials. One of the mission leaders, Capt. Robert Prince, was inducted into the Ranger Hall of Fame in 1999.
------
On the Net:
Ranger Training Brigade: http://www-benning.army.mil/rtb/rtbmain.htm
-----------------------------------------
BTW, if you havent heard about the Alamo Scouts, I highly recommend you read this book!!! It is the only book that was able to consolidate their history due to the fact they were operating under secrecy during WWII. I dont think the NCDUs, Scouts and Raiders, OSS, or even anyone had a track record like that came anywhere near theirs during WWII.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0934793565/qid%3D966204945/104-8069903-1051103
(notie tracys comment!!)
You can also find more info here:
http://www.ranger.org/alamo/alamo.htm
Tom!!!! You need to add these guys history to your web site!!!
[This message has been edited by LRSC Grunt (edited 08-13-2000).]