 from Korea, to Germany, from Alaska, to Puerto Rico. All over the world, the United States Army is on the alert to defend our country, you, the American people, against aggression. This is the big picture, an official television report to the nation from the United States Army. Now to show you part of the big picture, here is Sergeant James Mansfield. The toughest men in uniform today. That is the reputation won in battle by the men of the United States Army Rangers. This elite body of combat troops can proudly boast of gallant fighting dating back to 1742. The Rangers were with General Washington's colonial troops. In World War II, they fought the German and Italian armies. They were in the Pacific fighting in the action at Luzon. And when the communist aggressors struck in Korea, the call for the Rangers sounded again. Rangers are men who volunteer from all units of the army. If they pass the physical and weapons test, they are sent to the mountains of Georgia and the swamps of Florida for the most rugged training in the army today. Here, recorded on film by Signal Corps cameraman, are the United States Army Rangers. My Rangers' mission is to blow this power plant over here. The reason for the mission, the enemy is using it to launch guided missiles against our friendly forces here. These men are Ranger students. They are at the mountain camp of the Ranger department Infantry School Fort Benning, Georgia. They are about to embark on a 72-hour patrol as tough and realistic as anything short of combat can be. This is their last and most difficult patrol problem. If they complete it successfully, they will be Rangers, the elite of the infantry. But much had to be accomplished before they were ready for this, their final test of courage and ability. It all started about seven weeks ago, back here at Fort Benning, Georgia, the headquarters for what is rated as the toughest school in the army. A new class is just reported in. From units all over the world, they came to take this course and earn the title Ranger. There are tactical officers addressing them. It'll be the attack officer's job to orient, observe, and appraise this class to make sure it runs through the rugged course as smoothly as possible. And although the students will operate their own administration through their own student officers, they will always be responsible to this man, their attack officer. Now, it takes a good soldier. It takes a man with stamina, moral courage, and intestinal fortitude to complete this particular course. We know that you men are volunteers. Your company commanders have had faith in you. Don't let them down. Company, change, hop! The Ranger department believes in the buddy system. And early in the course, each man teams up with another. For eight weeks, they will be inseparable. Let's follow these two through the course. Hey, how about I have a cigarette, boy? Thanks, I will. Yeah, I see by a patch of them the 508. Yeah, a head-second. No kidding. I used to be in second myself. You know Sergeant Applin over there? Yeah, he's a first sergeant head-second. I know him well. Say, my name's Ricketts. Bill Brayman here. Say, what say we be buddies to this Ranger course? All right, might as well, I guess. You will find that everything here is done on the double. Cross-country running builds the kind of endurance you need to keep going day and night out on patrol. The bayonet classes strengthen bodies and encourage a spree, as well as teach the technique with a long knife. Teaching, that's the emphasis here at Fort Benning. Teach the men what to do. They will have plenty of opportunity to apply what they have learned when they start leading their own patrols through the swamps of West Florida and over the mountains of North Georgia. Learning how to use demolitions is important to a Ranger. He must become familiar with all types and still maintain a healthy respect for the danger involved. Knowledge and care are the two prerequisites to success in handling such high-powered stuff. Training the mind and training the body. A Ranger may often have to lead a small unit behind enemy lines. Proficiency in the precise side of hand-to-hand combat is a must. And we'll take up the overhand row. I really want to hear you stand off, make funny noises, tire. PT, lots of it. A man has to be in top-notch physical shape to get through this course. Exercise of the body, twist. That's it, Sean. And so the fort-bending phase of instruction is almost over. This has been merely preparation for the tougher training that lies ahead. 200 miles further south along the Gulf Coast of Florida. It's about a six-hour bus ride, and the class gets an early start. The Florida Camp of the Ranger Department is located at Auxiliary Field 7, Eglin Air Force Base, 35 miles from civilization. It is here in this desolate wilderness of scrub oak, slash pine, and cypress swamp that the Ranger students will get their first taste of day and night patrolling. The camp commander, Major Simons, in his welcoming address left no doubts as to the difficulties to be expected. We believe that a prerequisite to successfully completing the course is to be able to operate in a sound tactical manner after you've been put under extreme physical strain, to be able to have your mind work when your body is tired. As far as we're concerned, an infantryman is limited by only one thing, what he's got in his guts and what he's got in his head. We think that before you're through here, you'll find that you can push yourself and force yourself to go a great deal further than you've ever gone before, or that you thought it was possible for you to go. Are there any questions? After the major got done, it was double time over to an outdoor class on survival. Here is where you learn to live off the land. A palmetta can be a source of nourishment if you know what to do. Not much left from the size plant we started with. This is it, man, this is what you eat. Here, take a try and see how it tastes. Tough and not too tasty, but it can keep you going. Survival also means knowing the ways of the wildlife in the area. This big diamond back can put you out of commission for keeps. Learn to recognize him well. On the other hand, if you play your cards right, well, rattlesnake meat is a gourmet delight and costs a pretty penny. You're in luck, this one's for free. There are lots of snakes around here, but the majority are harmless. To prove the point, every student handles one. Ranger, you don't seem happy with the situation, but then neither does your little friend. Speaking of little friends, here's another one you might meet any day or night for that matter. He's really just a baby, so much mouth and all so hungry looking. You can take what pleasure you may from the cold fact that no ranger students have been lost down alligator gullets, yet the men were learning about the swamps and what to expect from them. They were destined to become familiar with them on a much more personal basis. They watched as one of the instructors demonstrated the rope drop confidence test. The confidence tests, a prerequisite to graduation, are well named. The problems involved are not really hard at all. You would think nothing of walking a plank if it were on the ground, but 30 feet in the air with swamp water underneath, it is somehow different. The purpose of this test is to prove to each man that the difference is only in his mental attitude. If he can do it on the ground, he can do it here. And he does it, and he learns that he can do more than he thought he could. He becomes more confident of his own ability. But the bulk of the time here is spent in patrol activity. Every patrol is organized and carried through by the students. But with every patrol, there was an observer, an officer instructor from the ranger department. During the problem, he gives no advice, corrects no errors, he merely observes. As soon as the patrol is over, he holds his critique. This is where mistakes are brought to light and learning accomplished. Here a ranger combat patrol moving through the swamps by day clashes with some of the enemy. Infantry school personnel wearing the distinctive uniform and playing the part of aggressors, hand grenade simulators and blank ammunition, recreate the fury of a firefight, a bus ride back to Fort Benning, a day to clean up and rest a bit, and then up to the mountain training camp in North Georgia. Situated about 20 miles from the famous old mining town of Delanaga, the camp is in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Here the ranger students become familiar with another, perhaps tougher type of terrain. The first few days are taken up with learning the technique of traveling in the mountains. Here man's best friend is his rope. And ranger students learn to make good use of it. This is a rope bridge for getting across a narrow ravine. Ranger Ricketts gets ready for a ride on the horizontal traverse. This is a method for sending men in material over rough terrain, the easy way. Next comes a class in repelling. An instructor demonstrates the correct technique. Pelling is the mountaineer's method of descending a sheer cliff. It is dangerous only if you don't know what you're doing. The ranger department instructors make sure every student knows well what he is about. Goober, the camp mascot says he'll take a rain check anyhow. But the class moves over and down the cliff. They may have to use this technique someday. It's a long way down the first time, and it's kind of good to get solid ground underfoot once again. The mountain camp has their own brand of confidence test, casually called the death slide. It takes guts to pull yourself 100 feet up this swaying rope ladder. It takes guts to snap a pulley block onto a steel cable and let yourself go. It takes a lot of guts, but there isn't a man who has done it once who wouldn't do it over again just for kicks. Despite the apparent danger of much of this training, the ranger department has never had a fatal accident and few serious ones. Thorough preparation eliminates accidents before they can occur. There are patrol problems in the mountains too. For here again, the emphasis is on student leadership in a combat situation. The patrol observer chose Ranger Brayman for the first leader. He is completing his patrol order. Every man will carry his rifle except Ranger Waraz. He will carry his light machine gun. Ranger Sanders will be his ammo barrel, and every man will have his hands and face thoroughly blackened. And anything that will rattle or make noise will be securely tied down because we're traveling at night. They've got 50 miles from this point to the objective. Now this is 50 miles we've got to go. And it's pretty rough territory. The last patrol problem is the toughest and most difficult. It takes two days and three nights to accomplish the mission. Simulate the destruction of the Blue Ridge power plant 50 miles away. While the ranger students are being briefed for their mission, other infantry school personnel are drawing weapons and blank ammunition. These are the aggressors, the maneuver enemy. They will seek every opportunity to keep the rangers from accomplishing their mission. This patrol problem will be as realistic as training will allow. Later, the man under the direction of the student patrol leader, blackened their faces. This will provide a better concealment at night. A shiny face can be seen a long way, even in the dark. Goober can't go along when he gets the treatment anyhow. Then the patrol draws the equipment that Ranger Brayman has specified they should carry. If he has forgotten anything, they will have to do without. The observer makes no corrections. The students will run this patrol problem from start to finish. Raffle machine gun ammo. Thank you. Greenberg, demolition is unraveled. That night, under cover of darkness, the patrol moves out. They pass through a friendly outpost and reach Valley Divide Road. This is the battle line. Somewhere on the other side waits the aggressor. Scouts move out first to reconnoiter. All clear. The main body crosses in a rush and the patrol starts working up the hill on the other side. Then, aggressor outpost. The object of the patrol at this point is to avoid contact. A firefight now could ruin the mission. So they swing around, pass the outpost. In order to avoid further contact with aggressor forces, Ranger Brayman has purposely chosen a difficult route, but his planning pays off. Once across Rock Creek Dam, the patrol will be behind the aggressor main force for sure. But it's a long way to go and you've got to keep moving. The mountains make for rugged going, especially at night. The area is full of fast water. It's cold and tricky underfoot. But you keep pushing. Daylight gives the patrol a chance to rest and stash away the few cans of sea rations they brought with them. And although some can rest, there must always be others out on security details to make sure that the patrol is not surprised by aggressor forces. Right now, it is very vulnerable. The next night finds the patrol on the move once more. The observer has selected a new leader. They have reached the Takoa River and the point is searching for an easy crossing. He spots Swan Bridge. Then he moves up for a closer look. It is guarded by an aggressor sentry. So he waves up the patrol leader. The patrol leader decides that there may be other aggressors in the area. There's nothing for them to do, but move back downstream and make a wet crossing. Two men have gone ahead to secure the other side. Now the main body moves across. Once across, they reorganize and push on. Towards dawn, they reach the shore of Lake Takoa. A quick glimpse at the map tells the patrol leader that it's just about where he should be. Down the lake a few miles is their objective, the Blue Ridge power plant. But soon it will be light, so they will camp here on a finger of land. Security has been set up and the patrol can rest. They're dead beaten without food. They were supposed to rendezvous with a friendly partisan to obtain added rations, but somehow they missed him. Perhaps he was never there. And I'm so bushed if I had a porcupine I'd use it for a pillow in the right to sleep. If I had a porcupine, I'd eat him. Yeah, it does seem like our last can of sea rations about 10 years ago. Well, anyway, we made it to the lake. Tonight we'll blow the power plant and it's all over, but it's a critique. I will make it. The next night there is a new patrol leader, Ranger Ricketts. As soon as it's dark, they move out towards the objective. Okay, there she is. I want you to place your security in a perimeter on the high ground to our rear. Place the machine gun on the right flank to cover our assault on the power plant. I'll lead the assault group down this draw to our front. Got it? Right. The security group sets up their machine gun. They will cover the advance of the assault group. Ranger Ricketts leads the assault group up with care. Everybody's tired, bone tired, and hungry enough too. But they're pretty well out in the open now and they have been through too much to get careless so close to success. Man knows exactly what to do. Each has a job that was specified back at the base camp when Ranger Braemann gave his patrol order. In the assault group, there will be a two-man demolition team. Ranger Ricketts will dispose of the aggressor sentry. The rest of the men will act as security. As they get closer, two men drop off to either side to act as local security. Then the rest of the assault group makes the final rush to the wall. A dummy charges set inside the installation. Then the patrol takes off, picking up their security on the way. As they move out of the area, a real charge goes off outside the plant just for effect. Back at camp, it's coffee and sandwiches while the observer holds a critique. First off, we had a good patrol. We got a pretty good patrol order. We had a pretty good route. We moved out through our own lines. We hit the objective. Three days later, we got back. Ranger Braemann, Ranger Holloway, Ranger Ricketts, three patrol orders, leaders, did a good job. One thing I was wondering, Ranger Braemann and your patrol order, you only got one machine gun. After all, we're moving pretty far behind enemy lines. Hitting an objective, it's pretty important and well guarded. Then it was so far, I figured it would be better to travel light. Well, that's good reasoning. The only thing is, you can carry a BAR or a submachine gun. You'd have your extra firepower. You'd still be pretty light going. Everybody's dead tired, but this is where learning is accomplished. And the whole patrol is eager to find out how they did. After the critique, there's only one thing left. Graduation back at Fort Benning. Their training here at the Ranger Department is done. There are not so many now as started, but every man who saw it through is a better soldier for it. Even Goober learned a lot. Every Ranger will now return to his parent unit, where his new knowledge will spread to those around him, until the entire unit will be a better fighting team, stronger and more wise. That unit will owe a great deal to these men who had the guts to get through the toughest course in the Army and win the patch that dubs you, Ranger. Their training completed, men of the Rangers are rejoining their units, proud to carry on their traditions as the hardiest and most daring fighters in the history of warfare. In time of all out war, the Army looks to the men of the civilian reserve components to make up the bulk of its fighting strength. Next week in the story of Corporal Greg Bennett, we'll tell you about the Army's organized reserve corps. You'll see how the new Armed Forces Reserve Act affects all of us, soldiers and civilians alike. This is Sergeant James Mansfield inviting you to be with us then. The big picture is a weekly television report to the nation on the activities of the Army at home and overseas, produced by the Signal Corps Pictorial Center, presented by the U.S. Army in cooperation with this station. You can be an important part of the big picture. You can proudly serve with the best equipped, the best trained, the best fighting team in the world today, the United States Army.