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Army reactivates Rangers’ Dog Company

When Henry “Zeke” Zyrkowski joined the 2nd Rangers in France 63 years ago, it had been five days since they had completed arguably one of the greatest and most daring assaults in the history of warfare at Pointe du Hoc.

The unit that then-Pfc. Zyrkowski joined was Company D, or Dog Company, and it later would go on to further distinguish itself in Huertgen Forest and the Battle of the Bulge.

Shortly after the conclusion of World War II, Dog Company was inactivated and its history lived on only through the veterans that served in its ranks.

Last week, a new page in that history was written at the Evergreen Theater at Fort Lewis, Wash., with the reactivation of the company that helped coin the Ranger motto, “Rangers lead the way.”

“This is truly great,” said Zrykowski of the activation of his former unit. “I’m proud to see Dog Company back in action.”

Zrykowski, a former mortar man, was on hand to uncase the unit’s guidon with Lt. Col. Michael E. Kurilla, the 2nd Ranger Battalion commander.

Kurilla said he was honored to have Zyrkowski participate in the ceremony.

“Our founding fathers’ spirits from World War II live in the Rangers of today,” Kurilla said. “They carry with them the spirit of our World War II Rangers that led the way up the cliffs at Pointe du Hoc and the same spirit that defended Castle Hill against several German divisions.”

Maj. Jonathan M. Chung, the new commander of Company D, said he looks forward to adding to the lineage of the Rangers and his new unit.

“I’m truly honored to be a part of this elite organization, especially during this historical occasion,” said Chung.

Chung added that it is “special to take command of a Ranger company that was last activated in WWII.”

The addition of this company to the Ranger ranks “increases the flexibility on today’s battlefield,” said Company D’s 1st Sgt. Reese Teakell.

While the battlefields of World War II are different from those of today, the spirit of the Rangers lives on. “They guys I served with were really good men,” said Zrykowski. “Today’s Rangers are just as great, even better.”