jrlegacy23 Posted February 7, 2009 Share #1 Posted February 7, 2009 My Grandfather was an Sgt in the Army and we have his certificate for graduating Ranger School. He died about 14 years ago and I had always had this axle that was covered with Black "corrosion" It said Black Raven on one side and I always thought it was blank on the other. I cleaned the axe up the other day and discovered that it says 1938 Ranger School on it and the number 22, with the first 2 being larger than the second 2. Anyone know any history on the Ranger School Axes and what the numbers mean. Is it a rarity? Anyone know what they are worth? I am wondering out of curiosity only, not looking to sell it. It is in really good condition, the black is barely visible to the eye. I want to have it professionally cleaned somewhere and frame it with his Ranger School Certificate. Thanks ahead of time for any information. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
X_redcatcher Posted February 7, 2009 Share #2 Posted February 7, 2009 My guess is that this is from the FOREST RANGER school, it has nothing to do with the US Army Ranger School with those dates on it, sorry.. The US Army Ranger School started WELL after that date. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Meatcan Posted February 7, 2009 Share #3 Posted February 7, 2009 looks like a civvie tool. A very quick google search found this: http://www.prices4antiques.com/tools-measu...en-D9997795.htm http://www.yesteryearstools.com/Yesteryear...0Hoe%20Co..html and there were a lot more links. Interestingly, Kelly was bought by American Fork & Hoe in 1930. You learn something new every day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrlegacy23 Posted February 7, 2009 Author Share #4 Posted February 7, 2009 Thank you for the help. The Certificate just says the same as the axe, it only says Ranger School. Good to know. You say quick search, I had been searching for a week straight and found nothing, I guess its all in the wording : ) . I appreciate the information. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Meatcan Posted February 7, 2009 Share #5 Posted February 7, 2009 Thank you for the help. The Certificate just says the same as the axe, it only says Ranger School. Good to know.You say quick search, I had been searching for a week straight and found nothing, I guess its all in the wording : ) . I appreciate the information. I just typed in "Kelly Axe and Tool" from the photo of the logo you posted. Keep us posted with your further research! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Latewatch Posted February 8, 2009 Share #6 Posted February 8, 2009 My guess is that this is from the FOREST RANGER school, it has nothing to do with the US Army Ranger School with those dates on it, sorry.. The US Army Ranger School started WELL after that date. Yes, The Army Ranger School started in 50-51. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pathfinder505 Posted February 8, 2009 Share #7 Posted February 8, 2009 Yes, The Army Ranger School started in 50-51. I guess no one bothered to tell William O. Darby that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laury Allison Posted February 8, 2009 Share #8 Posted February 8, 2009 I guess no one bothered to tell William O. Darby that. The WWII era Rangers were trained differently...in Scotland as I recall. The current Ranger School was established at Fort Benning Georgia in the 1950-51 time frame. That is when the now familiar black and gold Ranger tab was created and awarded to graduates. With the WWII Rangers, they were assigned to a Battalion and if they didn't make the training, they were sent back to their units. One of my Dad's friends that he worked with was one of Darby's Rangers. He wasn't an original member, but was part of the first replacements. If I remember correctly, he was in the second training session of Rangers. He joined up with the 1st Ranger Battalion in North Africa. He made the Silicy Invasion and was later wounded and captured at Caserno. He wound up in a German POW Camp for 2 1/2 years. George was a helluva man and I respected him very highly and was proud to call him my friend. Sadly, he passed away about 3 years ago. Several years ago he gave me one of his 1st Ranger Battalion scrolls....which I highly cherish. He told my many great stories of good times and bad that woudl be best told over a couple of cold Michelobs. I still think of George often and there aren't many days that I don't think of him. I also had a Great Uncle who was in the 5th Ranger Battalion. He was killed in action in September 1944 if I remember right. I know his name is on the WWII Ranger Memorial across from the museum at Fort Benning, Georgia. He made the D-Day assault. The only "Ranger" Axes I ever remember seeing were some of the tomahawks. If you ever get to Fort Benning, go to Ranger Joe's on Victory Drive. They have some great framed stuff from Ranger Challenges in the dining area and I believe there are some tomahawks in some of them as I recall. Anyway, there were no Army Rangers in 1938. When William Darby thought it up and fought to command the unit in 1942....ever see the movie "Darby's Rangers" starring James Garner? The name did evolve from the early colonial Roger's Rangers. This is an interesting piece, but I don't believe it is tied to Army Rangers, unless the number is some type of serial number? The first BIG question would be was your grandfather an Army Ranger? Laury Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Latewatch Posted February 8, 2009 Share #9 Posted February 8, 2009 I guess no one bothered to tell William O. Darby that. We could go back a whole lot farther then Darby but, as Laury pointed out also, the official US Army Ranger School was opened at Ft. Benning , Georgia with the first class graduating in Novemeber 1950. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pathfinder505 Posted February 8, 2009 Share #10 Posted February 8, 2009 Good points. Army Rangers trace their lineage back to Robert's Rangers. The 1st Battalion rangers were trained at Achnacarry, Scotland . The 1st Ranger Battalion was constituted on May 27, 1942, Eighty percent of these original Rangers came from the 34th Infantry Division. On June 19, 1942, Company A, 1st Ranger Battalion, was officially activated. The early success of the 1st Ranger Battalion brought about the creation of the 3rd and 4th Battalions. The original 1st Battalion was divided into thirds. One third of the Headquarters and each company was placed in each of the Battalions 1-3-4. 3rd Ranger Battalion was Activated on May 21, 1943 at Nemours, Morocco, while 4th Ranger Battalion was activated on May 29, 1943 in Tunisia. On April 1, 1943 the 2nd Ranger Battalion ("Rudder's Rangers") was formed at Camp Forrest, Tennessee along with the 5th Ranger Battalion. Both battalions were officially activated in September 1943 and shipped to Great Britain where they were prepared for Operation Overlord. The "Current" ranger school was established at Ft. Benning, Ga. As Laury said there were no ARMY Rangers in 1938. There were Forest Rangers. Thus the axe. My point was there was a "Ranger School" before 1951 and in the USA. It was closed at the end of World War II and the reconstituted in the early 50's at Ft. Benning. Camp Forrest is now known as Arnold Air Force Base. There was a ceremony there recently were WWII ranger veterans returned to dedicate a plaque to this Ranger training center. My two cents Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pathfinder505 Posted February 8, 2009 Share #11 Posted February 8, 2009 I found this info and decided to post it too. The 1st Ranger Infantry Battalion, in response to parallel missions in Berlin, was reconstituted on September 1, 1948 as Company A, 1st Infantry Battalion, and activated in the Canal Zone. It served there until it was deactivated on January 4, 1950. It was redesignated on October 25, 1950 as the 1st Ranger Infantry Company and allotted to the regular Army and Activated on 28 October 28, 1950 at Fort Benning, Georgia. This unit served in the Korean conflict, and was decommissioned August 1, 1951 in Korea. As a result of budgetary considerations, the US Army spent much of the 1950s and 1960s consolidating and redesignating units that were on inactive status. This unit was redesignated November 24, 1952 as Company A, 1st Ranger Infantry Battalion, in inactive status and was consolidated on April 15, 1960 with the 1st Company, 1st Battalion, 1st Regiment, 1st Special Service Force, and the consolidated unit was redesignated as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 7th Special Forces Group, 1st Special Forces. The unit was further consolidated June 6, 1960 with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 77th Special Forces Group, and the consolidated unit was designated as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 7th Special Forces Group, 1st Special Forces (organic elements constituted May 20, 1960 and activated June 6, 1960). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Latewatch Posted February 9, 2009 Share #12 Posted February 9, 2009 Hey Pathfinder, Ranger Training for Ranger Units has been going on since before there was a United States. The "US Army Ranger School" to train individual Leaders Ranger Methods and Tactics and then send them back to their Units so they could impart/incorporate these tactics into Line Units began in 1950. We're talking semantics here so let's agree to "bury the hachet" and Ranger on. Rangers Lead the Way, Hooah Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pathfinder505 Posted February 9, 2009 Share #13 Posted February 9, 2009 I agree. Hatchet buried! Rangers in the past were formed and used as the need arose then inactivated until the next war etc etc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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