Bill Darby was the original commander of the U.S. Army Rangers, an elite force patterned after, and trained by, the legendary British Commandos.  Darby’s Rangers (as they came to be known) were the first American Soldiers to actively engage the German Army in combat, at a desperate time when America had few resources to counter Nazi aggression in Europe, during the early days of World War II.

 

Billy Darby was born on February 8, 1911 to a very close-knit family: Father ‘Percy’, Mother ‘Nell’ and a sister ‘Thelma’.  A major portion of this Collection was donated by another sister, Doris, who was born a few years later

 

Young Darby was encouraged to explore music and literature at an early age.  His parents were very active, both in the community (they owned a Printing business) and the First Methodist Church.  Father ‘Percy’s’ passion, was forming and leading the popular ‘Darby’s Orchestra’.  Billy learned the clarinet and saxophone and occasionally performed with his father’s group at Ft. Smith’s popular Electric Park, also at weddings, social events and many of the local silent movie houses.

 

Billy Darby’s Ft. Smith High School days were filled with activities common to any vivacious teenager.  He joined a local hiking group (similar to the Boy Scouts), and loved to read popular culture novels and magazines.  One of his favorites was a serial Army adventure series called the ‘Khaki Boys’.  He was a member of the Annual Staff, the school band and enjoyed acting in school drama productions.  Darby Junior High School, which bears his name, still uses the original auditorium (and grand stage) from that time.

 

During his senior year, the promising young man overcame great odds to secure an appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York.  Amazingly, two candidates ahead of him were disqualified for various reasons.  Another close call occurred when a panel of medical examiners ruled in his favor after the discovery of a “rapid pulse” during a physical examination.  

 

The Collection features one of Darby’s West Point uniforms, his cadet sword and other items from that period.  Bill Darby graduated in 1933 in the middle of his class.  A classmate remembered his deft handling of a potentially explosive situation involving bruised egos, when Darby was given command of a Cadet Company in which he had not been a member.  “One of the first examples (of Billy’s outstanding character) was his Captaining ‘I’ Company as a cadet in the face of resentment at his transfer from another company.  In a short space of time the entire company was eating out of his hand.”

Second Lieutenant William O Darby entered the Depression era Army as a member of one of the last horse mounted artillery units (Fort Bliss, Texas) whose primary duty was patrolling the Mexican Border.  Over the next nine years, the young officer experienced many duty stations, where he was exposed to an ever increasing array of weaponry and tactics as the world moved closer to war.  Some of his uniforms from that period are on display here.

In 1942, America’s leaders were painfully aware that it would be quite some time before an invasion of Europe could be realized.  Taking a cue from the successful hit and run tactics of the famed British Commandos, the Army was tasked with organizing and (and with British help) training an elite group of soldiers, to be classified as Rangers.  The First Ranger Battalion and its offspring, the Third and Fourth Battalions, experienced a rare partnership where both officers and enlisted men trained, fought and-many times-died together.  The original group of 500 soldiers suffered a casualty rate of 90 per cent.

Darby’s Rangers spearheaded invasions in North Africa, Sicily and Italy.  The Darby Room displays many large photos from that period, most of which were taken by the iconic photographer, Phil Stern-himself a Ranger.  Ranger Stern was wounded so severely that he was given Last Rites on the battlefield.  He survived and went on to be a feature photographer for Life Magazine and other major publications.  His subjects included: James Dean, Marilyn Monroe, JFK and John Wayne.

 

Fort Smith’s downtown ‘Cisterna Park’ is named after the Italian city, some 20 miles outside of Rome, where Darby’s command was defeated by an overwhelming number of elite German forces.  The Rangers were attempting to seize the strategically important city prior to invading the capital.  Over 700 Rangers were killed, wounded or captured.  It would take nearly four more months of bitter fighting before Cisterna’s liberation.  A few months later, Darby wrote his Mother, Nell: “It is tragic but yet it should still make the people back home stand up and be proud that we do have soldiers who are proud to fight like fury, without thought of themselves, for their country.” In appreciation of the Ranger Sacrifice, Cisterna, Italy and Ft. Smith became Sister Cities.

 

Cisterna Park proudly hosts a new, bronze statue of General Darby, by the well-known artist and sculptor, Kevin Kresse, which is scheduled for dedication on April 30th, 2016-The 71st anniversary of the Ranger Leader’s death.  

 

William Orlando Darby was killed in combat while serving as Assistant division commander of the famed Tenth Mountain Division, just days before the German Army surrendered in Italy.  His long journey from North Africa to Sicily, then up the boot of Italy was virtually completed.  At the age of thirty-four, he was posthumously given the rank of Brigadier General-the only American soldier in World War II to receive such an honor.

 

Bill Darby was awarded 3 Purple Hearts, 2 Distinguished Service Crosses, a Silver Star, the British Legion of Merit, the Russian Order of Kutuzov and the French Croix de Guerre.
Darby’s beloved hometown boasts the Darby Foundation which is headquartered in his boyhood home on a street bearing his name, not far from the Museum.  Please ask any of our staff for directions. 

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By Darby Watkins

Nephew of General Darby

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