Special agent id card and pass macvsog vietnam war. A new book and website from sog medic stephen perry has just been released, you can order your copy on the link here. Lrrp vs sog armchair general and historynet the best. The secret wars of americas commandos in vietnam, john l. The sog was task organized differently than conventional units, tailoring their organization to the adaptability that was needed in order to be successful with the most dangerous clandestine missions of the vietnam war. Apr 16, 2020 he has written two nonfiction books on sog secret wars. The military assistance command, vietnam, studies and observations group macv sog was activated, january 24, 1964, to function as a joint special operations task force.
What were the favorite weapons of sog and macv troops during. Most of the issue ones were sterile for the purpose of. This was imperative for reducing the sound of their movements. Macvsog cmoh sog chronicles the secret war in vietnam. Some readers may be wondering what is the difference between sog. Military assistance command, vietnam studies and observations group macvsog was a highly classified, multiservice united states special operations. The centerpiece of sog chronicles volume one is the 1970 story of operation tailwind, features a sog element of 16 green berets and 120 indigenous soldiers that went deeper into laos than any operation during the secret war. Weapons of vietnam s covert warriors, appeared originally in the april 2015. They cooperated closely with the cia, and army and air force units were routine. Plaster, a threetour veteran of vietnam tells the story of the most highly classified united states covert operatives to serve in the war. This unit was part of macvsog military assistance command vietnam studies and observations group, or studies and observations group. Army green berets, undertook helped save the lives of infantrymen fighting across vietnam. The secret war in vietnam, former operator john stryker meyer described carrying the rifles using atypical slings.
Aug 02, 2011 sog was the primary outofcountry program conducted by us army special forces troops green berets based in vietnam under the military assistance command vietnam. I think in dorling kindersleys book on wwii, theres a picture of strapon foot outer soles issued to american airmen in the pacific so that when walking on a beach their. This is an awesome illustrated primer on the elite military assistance command, vietnam studies and observations group macv sog. A magnificent book of enormous power and a milestone in the literature of special operations. The secret wars of americas commandos in vietnam reprint by plaster, major ret. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. Macvsogmilitary assistance command, vietnamspecial operations group later renamed studies and observations groupwas the elite military unit of the vietnam war, so secret that its existence was denied by the u. During the vietnam war sog conducted crossborder operations. It is the iconic weapon of us special forces in vietnam. They were designed to leave traces that look like footprints of peasants 800x433 65 comments.
We have been speaking to another sog veteran, this time bill barclay of rt krait who were part of ccn. Personal accounts from the veterans of vietnam s studies and observation group. Discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that. In his preface to vietnam declassified, thomas ahern writes that when he left vietnam in 1965, i knew we were losing, but i had no idea why the saigon government was in retreat in the countryside, and the vc ascendant. During the vietnam war, the men of the studies and observations group sog carried an astonishing array of firearms while operating behind enemy lines. This book covers the fighting done by special operations groups sog during the vietnam war. What were the favorite weapons of sog and macv troops.
He called my writing on the suppressed swedish k a stupid statement and insisted that sog did not such weapons as if that. Macvsogmilitary assistance command, vietnamspecial operations. He was at ccn, august 23, 1968, when it was hit and they lost the mos. A decorated vietnam war veteran who served in the covert studies and observations group sog, plaster cofounded a renowned sniper school that trains military and. Sep 20, 2011 us macvsog reconnaissance team in vietnam ebook written by gordon l. This being if you lost it or threw it away it wasnt like loosing your randall. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read us macvsog reconnaissance team in vietnam. In vietnam, the united states chose to lose a humiliating and destructive war against a small, nonnuclear adversary while all its nuclear weapons remained on the shelf. The secret war in vietnam expanded edition, and coauthored on the ground.
Under the name studies and observations group sog, the secret was kept so well that few veterans ever heard of it until long after the war. This book captures some of the most dramatic photos to emerge from the war. Sogs real mission was to conduct covert strategic reconnaissance missions into laos, cambodia and south vietnam as well as sabotage and black. The inaugural edition of sog chronicles volume one will be the first in a series of books focusing on the many untold stories from that eightyear secret war where green berets went deep behind enemy lines without conventional support from artillery, tanks, or ground support troops where communist forces massed 50,000100,000 troops to combat. The secret wars of americas commandos in vietnam reprint by major ret. Alan posted an excellent answer, so i will add what i know about sog. The bell uh1 iroquois nicknamed huey was used extensively in counterguerilla operations both as a troop carrier and a gunship. Plaster is a national authority on sniping, firearms, and special. A friend of mine who carried one of these called it a throw awayknife. Us macvsog reconnaissance team in vietnam osprey publishing. Sog medic stories from vietnam and over the fence by joe parnar and robert dumont in the years since the vietnam war, the elite unit known as sog has spawned many myths, legends and war stories. But for every man they lost during the secret war in laos, cambodia and north vietnam, sog commandos killed an average of 158 enemy soldiers. The secret wars of americas commandos in vietnam and sog. Sog was different as they did a lot of crossing national borders.
Robert howard, medal of honor winner, the vietnam wars most highly decorated soldier. Equipment of us special forces units macv sog during the vietnam war. Cia and counterinsurgency in vietnam, hayden peake. America was involved in the last nine years of the war and the end involved the humiliating mass evacuation of american. February was well into north vietnams monsoon season, and when there werent fullfledged typhoons there were squalls and showers, day after day, wretched conditions for small craft like this junkbut people must eat, so fish must be caught. Us macvsog reconnaissance team in vietnam by gordon l. Military assistance command vietnam macv sog special operations forces id card and pass rare vietnam war original document name.
This element was a highly classified, multiservice united states special operations unit which conducted covert unconventional warfare operations prior to and during the vietnam war. Dec 14, 2017 21 videos play all the vietnam war 1954 1975 simple history mix play all mix simple history youtube why were korean soldiers so feared in the vietnam war. Sog s real mission was to conduct covert strategic reconnaissance missions into laos, cambodia and south vietnam as well as sabotage and black. As a cover its mission was to conduct analysis of lessons learned in combat by all branches of service. The first and foremost key term is studies and observation group. The missions that these special operators, including a large number of u.
The military continued in the base 351, 740, 701, 609, 6, 611 demilitarized zone, the western laos. The joint command in the years of withdrawal, 19681973. A photo history of the secret wars ultimate sniper. Listen as two sog members describe their missions in. Ra 4435 2651 issued by macv sog special identification and pass. The scope of research is an examination of sog operations and senior leader. Secret wars of americas commandos in vietnam by john. Oct 25, 2017 the anti vietnam war movement in 39 photos. It was a complicated conflict which lasted over 40 years. All material contained in this section is ed and remains the property of the authorowner unless otherwise noted.
Secret wars of americas commandos in vietnam by john l. The secret wars of americas commandos in vietnam 9781501183461. Plaster born 1949 is a former united states army special forces officer regarded as one of the leading sniper experts in the world. After supplies and weapons were found in a viet cong tunnel network, a soldier burns a nearby hut used. All sog vets are welcome to submit any stories for publication here. K a stupid statement and insisted that sog did not such weapons as if that were. Command and control north ccn, command and control central ccc, and. Us macvsog reconnaissance team in vietnam warrior book. In addition, some weaponsnotably antipersonnel explosives, the k50m a ppsh41 copy, and homemade versions of the rpg2were manufactured in north vietnam. Plaster, a threetour veteran of vietnam tells the story of the m. The inaugural edition of sog chronicles volume one will be the first in a series of books focusing on the many untold stories from that eightyear secret war where green berets went deep behind enemy lines without conventional support from artillery, tanks, or ground support troops where communist forces massed 50,000100,000 troops to combat them while keeping the ho chi minh trail supply lines open. Kennedy became involved in 1961, the situation was out of control. When my first sog volume was published in 1997, virtually no one even vietnam vets had ever heard of sog.
Macvsog the black operators of the vietnam war the. K a stupid statement and insisted that sog did not such weapons as if that. South vietnam was divided into three command areas. Since 1993, plaster has been a precision rifle instructor at the gunsite. Vietnam scu special forces macv sog twill patch, green beret, cidg, original. See more ideas about vietnam war, special forces and south vietnam. Behind enemy lines with the elite warriors of sog by john l. A secret warriors secret war in laos news sarasota. In the latter role it was outfitted with a variety of armaments including m60 machine guns, multibarreled 7. He has written two nonfiction books on sog secret wars. Vintage vietnam era us pilots survival knife camillus ny 51967 named scabbard. The secret war in vietnam, former operator john stryker meyer described carrying the rifles using atypical slings either a canvas strap or a cravat. He served three tours in the topsecret unconventional warfare group, studies and observations group, in vietnam. Oct 12, 2016 10 rare and obscure ww1 era guns i the great war special feat.
Plaster served three oneyear tours with macvsog, and his book sog. Because of the cuban invasion fiasco in april of that year, he ordered all cia paramilitary and uw programs transferred to the pentagon. Men attached to special operations group or as it was also known as special observation group earlier in the war. The military assistance command studies and observations group, now better known as sog, was one of those true darkarts units that hid dangerous men with dangerous jobs behind a boring name. The primary question this thesis aims to answer isdid studies and observation. Stuff special forces recon men carried on the battlefield. Oct 11, 2017 military assistance command, vietnam studies and observations group macvsog aka macsog or just simply sog was a top secret, diversely functional us special operations team that practiced clandestine and some black ops untraditional combat missions before and during the vietnam war 1. Plaster is a national authority on sniping, firearms, and special operations, as well as the. Osbourne special operations special forces service number. Sog compromised by jack murphy jul 20, 2012 share this. Assistance command vietnam, studies and observation group macv sog or just. What was macvsog and what did it do during the vietnam war.
Us macvsog reconnaissance team in vietnam warrior, band. Military assistance command, vietnam studies and observations. By 1969 the us army had identified 40 riflecarbine types, 22 machine gun types, 17 types of mortar, 20 recoilless rifle or rocket launcher types, nine types of antitank weapons. Us macvsog reconnaissance team in vietnam warrior book 159 kindle edition.
In 1964 military assistance command, vietnam, activated a joint unconventional task force known as the studies and observation groupmacvsog. Sog is the term given to them by collectors as this is who used them the most. A slideshow of soldiers in the clandestine military assistance command vietnam studies observation group who jumped the fence into cambodia and laos to conduct sensitive recon missions. How topsecret commando unit sog took on the most dangerous. For america, the vietnam war was unlike any other war it had fought before. The favorite sog firearm was the automatic car15, a modified m16 with a stock that expanded or contracted 1. See more ideas about vietnam war, special forces and vietnam. And the sog units normaly used vietnamese or cambodians with a few advisors to blend in, etc. January 1, 1971 department of foundation work january 1971 established smag macvrecondo sms work department july. This book tells the story of secret black military operations run by the united states during the vietnam war. During the vietnam war sog conducted crossborder operations into laos tapping communication lines, attacking north vietnamese convoys, snatching captives, and more. Historians interested in the units activities had to wait until the early 1990s, when macv sog s annexes to the annual macv command histories and a pentagon documentation study of the organization were declassified for the senate select committee on powmia affairs hearings on the vietnam war powmia issue. Sog was the primary outofcountry program conducted by us army special forces troops green berets based in vietnam under the military assistance command vietnam.
The military assistance command, vietnam studies and observations group macvsog was a highly classified, jointservice special operations unit of the united states armed forces, which ran covert and unconventional warfare operations during the second indochina war, in the period 19641972. Sog was the acronym for studies and observations group, a cover title for the vietnam war s covert special warfare groupessentially the oss of southeast asia. These groups secretly worked within laos and cambodia and sought to disrupt the ho chi minh trail that brought north vietnamese army supplies to south vietnam. Mcleroy sog op 35 in january, 1961 president kennedy ordered the cia to begin unconventional warfare uw operations against north vietnam. During the eightyear secret war in vietnam, when green beretled reconnaissance teams and companysized elements ran top secret missions.
Sog needed to have the ability to not just blend in, but confuse the enemy by familiarizing themselves with russian and chinese weapons. The secret wars of americas commandos in vietnam by. Air force to start bombing south vietnam, using planes with south vietnamese markings. Sog was a special operations task force formed officially on 24 january 1964 as part of. The secret wars of americas commandos in vietnam john l.
A friend of mine who carried one of these called it. After supplies and weapons were found in a viet cong tunnel network, a soldier burns a nearby hut used for rice storage by the viet cong. Behind enemy lines with the elite warriors of sog and sog. Sog was established to conduct strategic reconnaissance missions in republic of vietnam south vietnam, the democratic republic of vietnam north vietnam, laos, and cambodia. Sog 1 colbys secret war it was a miserable sea yet navigable despite the looming islands and the swells that propelled the heaving 38foot junk. The group reported directly to the pentagons joint chiefs of staff, and much of its history and exploits. A decorated vietnam war veteran who served in the covert studies and. The vietnam war was the first conflict that saw wide scale tactical deployment of helicopters.
Military assistance command, vietnam studies and observations group macv sog was a highly classified, multiservice united states special operations unit which conducted covert unconventional warfare operations prior to and during the vietnam war established on 24 january 1964, the unit conducted strategic reconnaissance missions in the republic of vietnam south vietnam. The secret war in vietnam, former operator john stryker meyer described carrying the rifles using atypical slings either a canvas strap or a cravat taped securely to the rifle. Of all cases of cold war conflict in which the united states could have used nuclear weapons, the vietnam war provides one of the strongest tests of a taboo against their first use. Sog s special forces men ran covert operations deep behind enemy lines along the ho chi minh trail in laos, into the enemys secret cambodian sanctuaries, even striking into the heartland of north vietnam. Group sog covert and clandestine operations contribute significantly to the vietnam. The secret war in vietnam, heres an excerpt on what i carried for weapons firepower. But few of these stories are told with the perspective and detailed recall of special forces medic joe parnar. Mobile strike forces in vietnam 196670 battle orders, band 30. Teams carried enough weapons, food and water to get them through a 5day recon mission. Plaster is a national authority on sniping, firearms, and special operations, as well as the author of secret commandos. Lrrp teams had six members while an sog could have over 18.
Two viet cong prisoners are led to an arvn command outpost at ha tien. Robert howard, medal of honor winner, the vietnam war s most highly decorated soldier. Army medic, was part of the secret studies and observation group sog an organization made up of special forces volunteers who served in vietnam. Only about 100 of the model 639 were made in the early 1970s, and many of those were sent back to colt in 1975 under a recall. In 1964 military assistance command, vietnam, activated a joint unconventional task force known as the studies and observation groupmacv sog. See more ideas about vietnam war, laos and special forces. The joint command in the years of withdrawal, 1968. Mar 09, 2008 sog is the term given to them by collectors as this is who used them the most. The weapons and gear special forces recon teams carried in the. The weapons and gear special forces recon teams carried in. Cosmas the united states army in vietnam the joint command in the years of withdrawal 19681973 macv pin. Book store sog chronicles, the secret war in vietnam.
The most comprehensive examination of widespread covert american actions during the vietnam war. Every green beret received at least one purple heart, including the sole medic, gary mike rose. Codenamed the studies and observations group, sog was the most secret elite us military unit to serve in the vietnam warso secret its very existence was denied by the government. As for firearms, the men in macvsog typically carried the car15. The studies and observations group aka sog, macsog, and macv sog was a top secret, joint unconventional warfare task force created on 24 january 1964 by the joint chiefs of staff as a subsidiary command of the military assistance command, vietnam macv. Composed entirely of volunteers from such ace fighting units as the army green berets, air force air commandos, and navy seals, sog took on the most dangerous. Plaster, receiving a new xm177e2 from colt last month, left, contrasted with a slide during his presentation on the weapons of macv sog in the vietnam conflict, showing.
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