▁nick name ▁" B uff alo ▁R angers ," ▁which ▁U . S . ▁newsp apers ▁had ▁applied ▁to ▁the ▁unit ▁as ▁a ▁hom age ▁to ▁the ▁Buff alo ▁Sold iers . ▁" B uff alo " ▁subsequently ▁became ▁both ▁the ▁division ' s ▁mot to ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁its ▁password ▁for ▁pat rol s ▁upon ▁their ▁return ▁to ▁company ▁lines . ▁The ▁ 2 nd ▁R anger ▁Company ▁was ▁the ▁only ▁R anger ▁company ▁in ▁the ▁history ▁of ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Army ▁to ▁consist ▁entirely ▁of ▁African - Amer icans . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁Form ation ▁and ▁training ▁ ▁The ▁U . S . ▁Army , ▁which ▁up ▁until ▁that ▁point ▁typically ▁did ▁not ▁allow ▁ ▁African - American ▁soldiers ▁to ▁serve ▁in ▁special ▁forces ▁units , ▁author ized ▁African - Amer icans ▁to ▁apply ▁to ▁become ▁R angers . ▁However , ▁in ▁spite ▁of ▁Executive ▁Order ▁ 9 9 8 1 , ▁which ▁had ▁de - se greg ated ▁the ▁U . S . ▁military ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 8 , ▁the ▁Army ▁opt ed ▁to ▁pool ▁all ▁black ▁applic ants ▁into ▁one ▁company . ▁By ▁ 1 9 5 0 , ▁most ▁units ▁were ▁still ▁de ▁fact o ▁seg reg ated , ▁and ▁in ▁the ▁ 8 2 nd ▁Air bor ne ▁Division , ▁R anger ▁applic ants ▁came ▁from ▁the ▁all - black ▁units ▁including ▁the ▁ 3 rd ▁Battalion , ▁ 5 0 5 th ▁Air bor ne ▁Infantry , ▁the ▁ 7 5 8