Members from the unit were the first American soldiers to see combat in the European theater when they participated in the failed raid on Dieppe in France in 1942, during which three Rangers were killed and several more were captured.

However, the unit has lived on in one form or another since then, serving in the Korean and Vietnam Wars before being consolidated into the 75th Ranger Regiment of which it is a part today.

Deployments have included operations in Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan as part of the wider global war on terrorism.

Captain William Orlando Darby, 31-year-old graduate of West Point with amphibious training, was chosen as its commanding officer.

[7] The first Americans to see active combat in the European theater of World War II were forty-four enlisted men and five officers from the 1st Ranger Battalion.

Dispersed among the Canadians and the British commandos, these men were the first American ground soldiers to see action against the Germans in the disastrous Dieppe Raid, officially known as Operation Jubilee.

[3] Attempting to prevent German occupation of seaports in North Africa, the 1st Ranger Battalion spearheaded an invasion at the Port of Arzew in Algeria.

This was accomplished by executing a surprise night amphibious landing, silencing two gun batteries, and opening the way for the capture of Oran.

[2] In Tunisia in 1943, the 1st Battalion executed the first Ranger behind-enemy-lines night raid for the purpose of gaining information and terrorizing the enemy.

Darby, along with fellow commanders, was awarded the Silver Star for this victory and the battalion itself gained the nickname the "Black Death" by the Italians.

[2] Later, in March, American units were being decimated time and again while trying to break through the critical mountain pass at Djbel Ank.

Given this mission, the 1st Rangers undertook a twelve-mile (19 km) night march through rugged terrain to reach the heights of Djbel Ank where, at dawn, the Rangers surprised the enemy from the rear, capturing two hundred prisoners and giving General Patton an opening though which he began the final and victorious battle in North Africa.

The Allies were then able to move ships and equipment to support subsequent campaigns, enabling the later forces to successfully infiltrate enemy lines along the African coast, in Sicily, and up into Italy.

The entire 6615th Ranger Force (Provisional) was destroyed behind enemy lines in a heavily outnumbered encounter at Cisterna, Italy on 30 January 1944, and was officially disbanded on 15 August 1944.

Colonel John Gibson Van Houten was selected by the Army Chief of Staff to head the Ranger training program at Ft. Benning, Georgia.

Caught by surprise and unaware of the size of the American force, two North Korean Regiments hastily withdrew from the area.

[10] After the Vietnam War, division and brigade commanders determined that the U.S. Army needed an elite, rapid deployment, light infantry, so in 1974 General Creighton Abrams charged General Kenneth C. Leuer with the task of activating, organizing, training, and leading the first battalion sized Ranger unit since World War II.

[13][11] The battalion currently supports the Global War on Terrorism, regularly rotating elements to Afghanistan continuing to successfully dismantle terrorist networks;[11] For actions between 14 and 16 November 2010, Charlie Company received the Valorous Unit Award for extraordinary heroism, combat achievement and conspicuous gallantry while executing combat operations in support of a named operation.