th ▁T ank ▁Battalion ▁and ▁the ▁ 8 0 th ▁Anti - A ircraft ▁Art illery ▁Battalion . ▁Many ▁of ▁the ▁applic ants ▁were ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁veter ans ▁who ▁had ▁seen ▁combat , ▁and ▁many ▁others ▁had ▁served ▁with ▁the ▁ 5 5 5 th ▁Par ach ute ▁Infantry ▁Battalion . ▁ ▁Of ▁a ▁pool ▁of ▁ 5 , 0 0 0 ▁applic ants , ▁on ▁ 2 ▁October ▁the ▁R anger ▁Training ▁School ▁selected ▁ 2 2 ▁officers ▁and ▁ 3 1 4 ▁en list ed ▁men ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁three ▁R anger ▁companies , ▁which ▁were ▁entirely ▁white . ▁A ▁fourth , ▁all ▁African - American ▁company ▁was ▁organized ▁several ▁days ▁later . ▁The ▁ 2 nd ▁R anger ▁Infantry ▁Company ▁( A ir bor ne ) ▁was ▁organized ▁on ▁ 9 ▁October ▁ 1 9 5 0 , ▁assuming ▁the ▁line age ▁of ▁A ▁Company ▁of ▁the ▁ 2 nd ▁R anger ▁Battalion . ▁It ▁had ▁an ▁initial ▁strength ▁of ▁ 1 3 5 ▁en list ed ▁men ▁and ▁ 5 ▁officers ▁under ▁the ▁command ▁of ▁First ▁Lieutenant ▁Warren ▁E . ▁Allen , ▁company ▁commander , ▁and ▁Second ▁Lieutenant ▁James ▁C . ▁Queen , ▁executive ▁officer . ▁Origin ally ▁it ▁had ▁been ▁designated ▁the ▁ 4 th ▁R anger ▁Infantry ▁Company ▁( A ir bor ne ), ▁but ▁the ▁two ▁companies ▁switched ▁design ations , ▁apparently ▁to ▁prevent ▁accus ations ▁of ▁ra cial ▁disc rim ination . ▁The ▁unit ▁was ▁formally ▁activ ated ▁on ▁ 2 5 ▁October ▁