Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
General William Darby was an American hero who organized and trained Army Rangers
Driving into downtown Fort Smith on Rogers Avenue stands one of the most noticeable statues in the state, that of William O. Darby. Darby is depicted in his full World War II uniform riding on his famous Harley-Davidson motorcycle. Always unique, daring, and adventuresome, Darby rode the motorcycle checking on his elite troops and leading them into battle.
William O. Darby was born in Fort Smith and grew up there. Upon his graduation from Fort Smith High School, he gained an appointment to West Point. It is worthy of note, although he became one of the greatest of American soldiers, he was actually third on the Arkansas list and only achieved his appointment when the other two withdrew their names.
After graduation in 1933, Darby was assigned to an artillery unit and became a career officer. When World War II began, he was a part of the first group sent to Europe to fight.
While stationed in Ireland, Darby became interested in the British Commandos. The Commandos were a unique fighting force. Men selected for the Commandos were the best of the best. Specially trained to carry out the most difficult and dangerous tasks, they were the first to be sent into battle.
Darby was appointed by General Russell Hartle to organize and train a new elite commando group called the Army Rangers. The group was first used in the battle for North Africa. The elite troops established their reputation by executing several successful night raids with the daring Darby fighting in the front alongside his men. His commanding officer report read, “Lt. Col. Darby struck the heavily fortified enemy position at dawn. Always conspicuously at the head of this troops, he personally led assaults against the enemy line in the face of heavy machine gun and artillery fire.”
“Darby’s” Rangers were expanded to include four battalions and were involved in battles across North Africa. The 1st, 3nd and 4th Ranger battalions spearheaded the invasion in Sicily and on mainland Italy. In January of 1944, the Rangers were sent into battle in Cisterna, Italy. Attempting to flank the enemy by following a half empty irrigation ditch, the group was discovered and faced the full attack by a German Panzer division. Pinned down and with no help coming, the 1,500-strong Ranger group was decimated with only 500 surviving. Back at Army Headquarters, Darby asked his staff to leave the room, placed his head down and sobbed quietly for the men he lost.
The Rangers were absorbed into other units and as a hero, Darby was sent back to the War Department to spend the rest of the war. Unhappy, he appealed to command until being sent back to Europe on an inspection tour. Hearing that the commander of the 10th Mountain Division was injured, he volunteered to report to the front. While there, his troops spearheaded the attack on a bridgehead in the Po River Valley. As he was outlining plans for the next day, a German shell exploded near his location and he was killed by a piece of flying shrapnel. Two days later, German forces in Italy surrendered. Darby received a promotion to brigadier general, the only soldier to receive such a promotion posthumously.
Several books have been written about Darby and his exploits. In 1958, the motion picture Darby’s Rangers was released with James Garner playing Darby. Several other films included stories concerning his exploits. His list of metals is too extensive to list, two Army installation in Europe are named for him, and the U.S. Ranger training facility is called Fort Darby. Darby Jr. High in Fort Smith is named in his honor as is a high school in Italy. Army General George S. Patton, a man known for his bravery and well as his candid speech said of Darby, “He was the bravest man I ever knew.” It is said that a man’s life is like a book with the cover at birth, the story within, and then death at the back. Dead at 34, Darby’s front and back cover would be very thin but it is the life and legacy of those few pages that make this unforgettable man a hero.
Curtis Varnell, Ph.D., is a longtime teacher in the area, the author of several books on local history, a regular columnist on that topic and the science and social studies coordinator for the Guy Fenter Education Service Cooperative at Branch. Email him at curtis.varnell@wscstarfish.com.