Rangers at Dieppe: The First Combat Action of U.S. Army Rangers in World War II

Army, Sep 2008 by Spencer, Jimmie W

Varied Fare Rangers at Dieppe: The First Combat Action of U.S. Army Rangers in World War II. Jim DeFelice. Berkley Caliber. 300 pages; black-and-white photographs; index; $24.95.

Two years before the now famous World War II D-Day invasion, a small group of U.S. Army Rangers participated in an amphibious assault on the German-held French port of Dieppe. The raid, a combined CanadianBritish assault, included 50 Rangers who, despite the fact that their combat training was not yet complete, would be thrust into the crucible of the battle. It was a disaster.

Rangers at Dieppe by Jim DeFelice is the story of this little-known raid and the courageous men who fought and died on that hopeless mission, a remarkable saga of heroism under fire. Any close examination of the history of U.S. Army Rangers will reveal Dieppe in Ranger DNA.

Lord (Admiral) Louis Mountbatten, head of combined operations, set the tone as he addressed the assembled men on the eve of the raid. "Tomorrow we deal the Hun a bloody blow." He went on to say, "We expect over 60 percent casualties. To those of you that will die tomorrow, may God have mercy on your souls." His prediction was about right; his ability to inspire the troops, however, left something to be desired.

Poor planning, faulty intelligence, and lack of proper air cover and naval support, combined with just plain bad luck, conspired to ensure that the fight for Dieppe became a slaughter. Canadian losses were horrific. The casualty rate for the Canadian 2nd Division remains its greatest loss in Canadian military history.

The raid was the virtual starting point for the history of modern-day Rangers and the beginning of a legacy of courage, sacrifice and commitment that continues to this day. It was a baptism by fire for the Rangers and resulted in the first American blood spilled on European soil.

DeFelice takes the reader through the initial call for volunteers for a new outfit "modeled after the British Commandos" to the arduous combat training conducted by a cadre of battlehardened British Commandos. This is their story, drawn from historical records and told by the Rangers who were there.

DeFelice does a creditable job of answering the two critical questions: why and who. Why was the raid conducted in the first place and who or what caused failure at every stage of the operation? To the extent that it is possible for someone who was not there, DeFelice captures the emotion that the soldiers must have felt; the physical strain, the mental stress, the acts of cowardice and the acts of courage.

This is a well-written account of the exploits of members of the Greatest Generation that will appeal to both amateur and professional historians and anyone simply looking for a good story. My only complaint is that the maps are not very helpful; the photographs, on the other hand, are very good. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

-CSM Jimmie W. Spencer, USA Ret.