Fort Smith General Darby Challenge

10/04/2026

🎬🇺🇸 HELP BRING GENERAL DARBY’S STORY TO THE SCREEN! 🇺🇸🎬

On October 30, 2026, former U.S. Army Ranger Jeff Struecker is running 45 MILES through Fort Smith—and he’s doing it for a pretty incredible reason.
He’s helping raise the $65,000 needed to complete "With Love, Billy", a documentary telling the story of Fort Smith native Brigadier General William O. Darby, founder of the legendary WWII “Darby’s Rangers.”

🎥 And you can be part of the film. Literally.

Those who donate here: https://www.jeffstrueckerministries.com/for-darby... to help complete the documentary will be recognized in the film credits. Your name can become part of the story as we help bring Darby’s history, service, sacrifice, and legacy to a much larger audience.

The documentary is being led by Association Benàch in Nago-Torbole, Italy—the community where Darby was killed in combat in 1945. Using photographs, documents, archival material, and firsthand accounts, "With Love, Billy" will tell the story of the man whose life connects Fort Smith, where his story began, with Nago-Torbole, where it ended.

And that connection is still alive today through the City of Fort Smith’s sister-city relationship with Nago-Torbole. 🇺🇸🤝🇮🇹

The Fort Smith Museum of History is proud to support Jeff’s run as his local support team and to serve as a historical resource for the film and Association Benàch. We’re sharing photographs, documents, and other materials from our Darby Collection and helping connect this international project back to Darby’s hometown.

And the timing couldn’t be better.

🎖️ 2027 marks the 85th anniversary of the formation of Darby’s Rangers.
Help us make sure General Darby’s story is not only remembered—but seen, heard, and shared.

🏃‍♂️ 45 miles.
🎬 One documentary.
🇺🇸 One Fort Smith hero.
🌎 A story that crosses continents.
Let your name will be on the screen when it gets there.

👉 Help Jeff as he helps Association Benàch in Nago-Torbole, Italy reach the $65,000 goal and bring "With Love, Billy" to life: JeffStrueckerMinistries.com
*Donations are tax deductible.

October 30, 2026. Follow the run. Support the film. Be part of the story.

More info at: fortsmithmuseum.org

10/03/2026

From our friends at Three Rangers Foundation.

On October 3rd, we remember the legacy of Merrill’s Marauders, established on this date in 1943, an all-volunteer unit named after their commander, Brigadier General Frank D. Merrill. Tasked with grueling missions deep behind enemy lines, they endured long-range jungle warfare in some of the toughest terrain of World War II.

The cost was staggering. Of the 2,750 men who began the campaign, nearly every soldier was wounded or fell ill. Yet their grit, sacrifice, and determination laid the foundation for what would become the modern-day Rangers.

For those who want to dive deeper into this incredible story, Gavin Mortimer’s Merrill’s Marauders: The Untold Story of Unit Galahad and the Toughest Special Forces Mission of World War II brings their courage and hardships to life in vivid detail. Visit our Ranger Reading List at threerangersfoundation.org/ranger-reading-list for that and other books of the history of this one-of-a-kind organization.

10/03/2026

Today we remember the US soldiers killed in Mogadishu on Oct 3/4, 1993.

They entered Mogadishu expecting a mission measured in hours. By the next morning, 18 Americans were gone, dozens more were wounded, and the names of the men who never came home had been written permanently into U.S. military history.

On the afternoon of October 3, 1993, Task Force Ranger launched an operation in Mogadishu, Somalia, to capture senior figures associated with Somali faction leader Mohamed Farrah Aidid. Task Force Ranger included elements of the 75th Ranger Regiment, 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment–Delta, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, and other special operations personnel. The assault force reached its objective and detained targeted individuals, but the situation changed dramatically as Somali fighters opened intense fire and struck American helicopters with rocket-propelled grenades.

The first Black Hawk to go down was Super 6-1, piloted by Chief Warrant Officer Clifton Wolcott and Chief Warrant Officer Donovan Briley. As American forces moved toward the crash site, a second Black Hawk, Super 6-4, piloted by Chief Warrant Officer Michael Durant, was also brought down. What had begun as a capture mission quickly became a desperate effort to reach the crash sites, recover the wounded and fallen, and protect isolated soldiers surrounded inside the city.

At the second crash site came one of the battle's most remembered acts of sacrifice. Master Sgt. Gary Gordon and Sgt. 1st Class Randall Shughart, both serving as snipers with Task Force Ranger, repeatedly volunteered to be inserted near the wreckage even though ground forces could not immediately reach it. After permission was granted, they fought their way to the wounded crew, established a defensive perimeter, and continued fighting as Somali fighters closed around them. Both men lost their lives defending the site. Their actions helped save Durant's life, and both were later awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously.

Elsewhere across Mogadishu, Rangers and special operators fought from streets, buildings, and crash positions through the night. A relief force that included soldiers from the 10th Mountain Division, together with Malaysian armored vehicles and Pakistani forces, eventually fought into the city to assist in extracting the trapped Americans. During the withdrawal, some U.S. soldiers had to move on foot toward the safety of the extraction point, an episode later remembered as the Mogadishu Mile.

By the time the battle ended on October 4, 18 American soldiers had lost their lives. Army historical sources also record dozens wounded; published Army accounts vary somewhat in the exact wounded total depending on how casualties are counted, but the loss of 18 Americans in the battle is consistently recorded.

These were the 18 Americans remembered by the U.S. Army in connection with the Battle of Mogadishu:

- Master Sgt. Gary I. Gordon
- Sgt. 1st Class Randall D. Shughart
- Staff Sgt. Daniel D. Busch
- Sgt. 1st Class Earl R. Fillmore Jr.
- Master Sgt. Timothy L. Martin
- Cpl. James M. “Jamie” Smith
- Spc. James M. Cavaco
- Sgt. Casey J. Joyce
- Cpl. Richard W. Kowalewski Jr.
- Sgt. Dominick M. Pilla
- Sgt. Lorenzo M. Ruiz
- Staff Sgt. William D. Cleveland Jr.
- Staff Sgt. Thomas J. Field
- Chief Warrant Officer Raymond A. Frank
- Chief Warrant Officer Clifton P. Wolcott
- Chief Warrant Officer Donovan L. Briley
- Sgt. Cornell L. Houston Sr.
- Pfc. James H. Martin Jr. Army

They came from different units and carried different responsibilities Rangers, Delta operators, aviators, and soldiers supporting the rescue effort but they were bound together by the same battle. Some fell at the helicopter crash sites. Others were lost while trying to reach fellow soldiers, defend positions, or bring the wounded out of the city. Their deaths became inseparable from the story of Task Force Ranger and from the lessons the Army drew from the battle afterward.

The Battle of Mogadishu remains one of the most significant U.S. Army engagements of the post-Vietnam era. In later years, veterans repeatedly emphasized that the battle should not be remembered only for the helicopters that went down or for the ferocity of the fighting, but for the men who repeatedly moved toward danger to reach and protect one another. The Army continues to commemorate the battle, and the names of the 18 fallen remain central to those remembrances.

On October 3–4, we remember them not simply as names connected to “Black Hawk Down,” but as 18 American soldiers who went into Mogadishu with their brothers and never returned home. Their service, sacrifice, and place in U.S. military history endure.

This true story is based on historical records. This post is for educational purposes.

Sources: U.S. Army; U.S. Army Center of Military History; U.S. Army Special Operations Command; Army University Press; Congressional Medal of Honor.

09/27/2026

Thank you Do South Magazine! This is such an important initiative!

Jeff Struecker Launches Campaign and 45-Mile Ultramarathon to Fund Documentary Honoring Ranger Founder Gen. William O. Darby Former Army Ranger Jeff Strueck ...

09/17/2026

William O. Darby started as a small-town kid from Fort Smith, Arkansas, and went on to transform America’s military.
On October 30, I’m running 45 miles to honor his sacrifice and help raise funds for a full-length documentary telling his story.
If you have a connection to the Rangers, would you consider donating or sharing with your network about our existing crowdfunding campaign for General Darby so we can reach more people in our community?
ㅤ
Let’s make sure Darby’s story is never forgotten.
Tap the link in the comments to donate.

08/26/2026

Before there were modern U.S. Army Rangers, there was Brigadier General William O. Darby.
His leadership, vision, and courage paved the way for modern elite forces, but his full story needs to be told. We’re officially launching our fundraising campaign to produce a feature documentary honoring his life, service, and enduring impact.
Every contribution brings us one step closer to making this project a reality. Here's how you can help:
1. Donate: Scan the QR code in the graphic or head to the link in the comments.
2. Share: Spread the word by reposting this image and using .
Rangers Lead the Way! 🇺🇸

Before there were modern U.S. Army Rangers, there was Brigadier General William O. Darby.

His leadership, vision, and courage paved the way for modern elite forces, but his full story needs to be told. We’re officially launching our fundraising campaign to produce a feature documentary honoring his life, service, and enduring impact.

Every contribution brings us one step closer to making this project a reality. Here's how you can help:

1. Donate: Scan the QR code in the graphic or head to the link in the comments.
2. Share: Spread the word by reposting this image and using .

Rangers Lead the Way! 🇺🇸

08/02/2026

From our friends at Ranger Legacy Foundation.

07/14/2026

🇺🇸❤️ In June, the leadership of the Fort Smith Museum of History had the distinct honor of attending the 2026 Ranger Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at Fort Benning, Georgia, in support of the Ranger community.

It was a deeply reverent ceremony recognizing extraordinary men whose courage, sacrifice, and unwavering commitment have strengthened the legacy of the United States Army Rangers. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to every member of the 2026 Ranger Hall of Fame induction class. Your service, leadership, and devotion to duty have left an enduring mark on our nation's history. 🇺🇸⭐

We are especially proud to celebrate our friend, Candyss Bryant on her induction as an Honorary Member of the Ranger Hall of Fame. Her tireless dedication to preserving Ranger history and serving the Ranger community has touched countless lives. Congratulations, Candyss—this honor is richly deserved! 👏💙

While in Georgia, we also had the privilege of visiting the National Infantry Museum, one of the nation's premier military history destinations. The museum chronicles the American Infantryman's journey from the Revolutionary War to today's conflicts, including the distinguished legacy of the U.S. Army Rangers. Among those whose legacy is preserved is Major General William O. Darby, Fort Smith native and the first commander of the World War II Rangers—"Darby's Rangers"—whose leadership helped establish the modern Army Ranger tradition. Walking through its exhibits was a powerful reminder of the courage, sacrifice, and selfless service of the men and women who have defended freedom across generations and reaffirmed our own commitment to preserving and sharing Ranger history through our Darby exhibits and the annual Fort Smith General Darby Challenge. 🇺🇸

Thank you to the Ranger community for your friendship, your service, and your steadfast commitment to our country.
Rangers Lead the Way! 🖤💛🇺🇸

06/10/2026

See the work that our friends in Nago-Torbole are doing! Nago-Torbole is one of Fort Smith's Italian sister cities--the town where Col. William O. Darby was KIA on April 30, 1945. Their documentary, With love, Billy is currently in production, headed up by a team of incredible historians, Ben Appleby and Antonella Previdi, along with a talented crew determined to develop the story of Darby's life. Executive Producers Antonella Previdi and Ben Appleby from the Associazione Benàch APS (Historical Research 1914-1945) and directors Elena Goatelli and Angel Esteban captured some powerful scenes for our documentary "With Love, Billy", dedicated to General William O. Darby.🕊️
Follow the page, With love, Billy to see more of the action and to support the project. The Fort Smith Museum of History is proud to lend our support and archives to the project to assist in telling the history of General William O. Darby.