Fort Smith Museum of History
General William O. Darby
Updated Exhibits in the Darby Memorial Room
April 29 and 30, 2016

To coincide with the unveiling of the statue of General William O. Darby riding his Harley-Davidson, during the Steel Horse Motorcycle Rally, visitors may view updated exhibits in the Darby Memorial Room. A cell phone audio tour will feature Presson and Darby Watkins, nephews of General Darby, to include the story of the Fort Smith native and famous founder of Darby's Rangers in WWII.

The updated exhibition includes Darby's his early life in Fort Smith and education at West Point, his years as a soldier and the lasting legacy of the well-known founder of the modern Army Rangers.

William Orlando Darby was born in Fort Smith on February 8, 1911 to Percy and Nell Darby. A natural born leader, from a young age Darby desired to be a soldier. Following graduation from Fort Smith High School in 1929, he received an appointment to the United States Military academy at West Point, New York. After graduation from West Point in 1933, Darby was assigned to the First Battalion, Eighty-second Field Artillery of the First Cavalry at Fort Bliss, Texas. Following Pearl Harbor, Darby was assigned as aid-de-camp to Major General Russell P. Hartle and selected to train an elite combat unit known as Darby's Rangers. The First United States Army Ranger Battalion was activated on July 9, 1942. Darby’s Rangers distinguished themselves in combat in North Africa and Europe.

Colonel William O. Darby was killed in action on April 30, 1945 at Torbole, Italy and posthumously promoted to Brigadier General on May 15, 1945. He was buried in a military cemetery outside of Cisterna, Italy and reinterred at the Fort Smith National Cemetery in 1949. During his career Darby received three Purple Hearts, two Distinguished Service Crosses, the Silver Star, the Legion of Merit, the Russian Order of Kutuzov and the French Croix de Guerre.

Army Rangers of today honor the legacy of General William O. Darby. Numerous thing are named for him including Darby Junior High School in Fort Smith, the Army troopship USNS General William O. Darby, the USAT General William O. Darby, Camp Darby in Italy, many Army training fields, the 1958 Warner Brothers film "Darby's Rangers" and numerous civic clubs and organizations carry his name. Cisterna, Italy and Fort Smith are sister cities in memory of General William O. Darby and his Rangers.

General Lucien K. Truscott, Fifth Army Commander, said of Darby following his death, "Never have I seen a more gallant, heroic officer." General George S. Patton called Darby, "The bravest man I ever knew."

Photograph: "Newsweek" January 4, 1943 featuring General Darby riding his Harley-Davidson Motorcycle.