By Devin Klecan, DVIDS.

“The eyes and ears of V Corps move on little cat feet. The Long Range Reconnaissance Company could set themselves up on your front lawn, stay all day, and you’d never know they were there, all the time they’d be radioing your every action, including your dinner menu, back to their base camp,” wrote Richard Cole in 1961, a reporter for The Guardian.

On July 15, 1961, the U.S. Army Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol Company 3779 was activated in Wildflecken, Germany, by the Seventh U.S. Army to specifically serve as a special company under V Corps. At first, the company was assigned to the 14th Armored Cavalry Regiment for administration and court-martial jurisdiction. During that time, the company wore the Seventh Army shoulder patch complimented with a blue and white airborne tab, and was the only unit near the East German border actively on jump status.

V Corps needed Soldiers that were ready to fight and win during an era of uncertainty, now known as the Cold War. The Corps deployed across the West German states of Hessen and Bayern (Bavaria), providing protection and support for four of the six hotspots said to be the most likely Soviet penetration corridors into West Germany.

The company conducted extensive exercises such as rehearsals for deep penetration missions in tactically significant areas, troop training for special missions that involved team placements of T-4 Atomic Demolition Munitions, and locating enemy battlefield targets for Army Nuclear Delivery Systems.

In Jan. 1963, the company relocated to Edwards Kaserne (near Frankfurt, Germany), and upon the completion of a successful change of command ceremony shortly after, replaced their Seventh Army patches with the well-known white and blue V Corps patches placed below their airborne tab.

V Corps Soldiers stayed at Edwards Kaserne temporarily. The company moved again on May 9, 1963, to Gibbs Kaserne in Frankfurt to support the corps’ intelligence section, with the Soldiers classified as “V Corps Special Troops.”

At the time, the company was often assigned to honor guard duties in garrison. Later, the company was chosen to provide honor guards to represent the U.S. Army Airborne at the 20th anniversary of the corps’ D-Day landing of 1944 on June 6, 1964. The ceremony consisted of 122 enlisted men and four officers in attendance.

The company name was officially changed to Company D, LRRP,17th Infantry on May 15, 1965, due to the end of the company’s provisional status under V and VII Corps. The company did not change, containing the same personnel, mission, and barracks.

Overlooked by motivated leadership, V Corps’ LRRP’s “developed and perfected aspects of Long Range Patrol Operations that resulted in the issue of the first LRRP TO&E (Table of Organization & Equipment) 7-157E, and the publication of the first Long Range Reconnaissance Company Field Manual, FM 31-16,” wrote Bob Murphy, a Soldier that served in the company from 1964-1967.

The company also formalized the trends for Ranger status, with a requirement to have pre-set designated positions to ensure success in the field. Bearing the title “Ranger” was a requirement, with all 208 Soldiers in the company being Airborne qualified.

The men conducted constant training in cycles, focusing on field training exercises that emphasized the importance of camouflage, radio operator training and combating tactics used by the Soviet Union.

In 1968, the U.S. Army began a large pullout of troops from Europe, code named “OPERATION REFORGER.” The company found itself at Fort Benning, Georgia, in July that same year. At Fort Benning, the company was the only active duty Airborne unit on post. The Soldiers of the company, still bearing the V Corps patch, used their training to act as enemy forces at Ranger training sites. Even more so, about half of the ranks that filled the company saw combat in Vietnam, with most of them having been with the 101st Airborne Division and the 173rd Airborne Brigade in theater.

Yet again, on Feb. 1st, 1969, Company D, underwent a name change to A/75th Infantry (Rangers) with a new commanding officer. Upon the name change, the unit adopted the 197th Infantry Brigade’s shoulder patch and kept the Airborne tab.

The company spent time training other Soldiers heading to Vietnam in the states, but never formally deployed to Vietnam themselves due to V Corps’ objective supporting NATO allies and partners in multiple REFORGER (Return of Forces to Germany) exercises. REFORGER tested the ability of conventional forces to fight in a conventional war scenario to demonstrate American determination. The first REFORGER exercise was conducted on Jan. 6, 1969, with V Corps participating in each exercise that same year.

The A/75 Infantry worked with 1st Cavalry Division primarily by July 1972, but always had to stay on a high mission training status for V Corps’ original mission set for the LRRP. The A/75 Infantry maintained their presence in Germany and deployed in 1973 to participate in the year’s annual REFORGER exercise. Just as V Corps’ LRRP Company before them, the Soldiers of A/75 developed as a unit dedicated to service in Europe. On Dec. 19, 1974, the company was deactivated and cased its colors for the last time.

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Author: This article by Spc. Devin Klecan of Victory Corps was first published on February 1, 2023 by the Defense Visual Information Distribution Service. DVIDS content is in the public domain.

Image: Various photos show V Corps’ Long Range Recon Patrol Company training in Germany in the 1960s, with the unit patch being displayed in the center. U.S. Army photo illustration by Spc. Devin Klecan.

By Walter Ham.

Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) technicians from the U.S. Army’s only EOD company solely designed to support Army Ranger and Special Forces missions marked the 11th anniversary of the company’s Airborne status with a record-breaking EOD parachute jump.

EOD Soldiers from the 28th EOD Company (Airborne) and other Airborne Soldiers recently celebrated the anniversary with the largest U.S. Army Airborne EOD technician jump in history at the Sicily Drop Zone on Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

Maj. Stephen M. Knudsen, the commander of the 28th EOD Company, said 175 jumpers participated in the anniversary jump, with Airborne troops from the U.S. Army Special Operations Command, Joint Special Operations Command, XVIII Airborne Corps, 82nd Airborne Division, 18th Air Support Operations Group and 192nd EOD Battalion.

Among the jumpers were 48 Army EOD technicians from the 28th EOD Company (Airborne) and three other EOD companies that are part of the 192nd EOD Battalion.

“Although this seems like a small number, it was the largest amount of EOD technicians to jump at a single time in Army EOD history,” said Knudsen. “The 192nd EOD Battalion supports the 82nd Airborne Division on a constant rotational basis, supporting each brigade and the Immediate Response Force mission year-round.”

The jump was originally scheduled to mark the 10th anniversary of Airborne status last year but was postponed due to COVID-19 restrictions. Since a German jumpmaster participated in the event, 21 U.S. Army EOD Soldiers also earned German Jump Wings.

The 28th EOD Company is part of the 192nd EOD Battalion, 52nd EOD Group and 20th Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, Explosives (CBRNE) Command, the U.S. Department of Defense’s premier all hazards formation.

Headquartered on Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, the 20th CBRNE Command is home to 75 percent of the active-duty U.S. Army EOD technicians and Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear (CBRN) specialists, as well as the 1st Area Medical Laboratory, CBRNE Analytical and Remediation Activity, five Weapons of Mass Destruction Coordination Teams and three Nuclear Disablement Teams. The multifunctional command has units on 19 bases in 16 states.

In June 2008, the 28th Ordnance Company (EOD) was activated at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and directed by the commander of 20th CBRNE Command to assume all current and future support to the 75th Ranger Regiment, the U.S. Army’s premier direct action raid force.

In 2012, the 28th EOD Company earned its status as the first ever Airborne EOD company.

A 14-year veteran from Sutter Creek, California, Knudsen said the Airborne EOD company has a rigorous selection process.

“Qualified EOD technicians submit a packet to attend assessment and selection, which is comprised of both mental and physical tests,” said Knudsen, who has deployed to Iraq once and Afghanistan three times. “If selected, they then move to Fort Bragg to attend the Direct Action Certification Course and upon completion are operationally employed in support of the 75th Ranger Regiment and Special Operations Command.”

Soldiers from the 28th EOD Company and 192nd EOD Battalion have deployed continuously to hot stops around the world to support military operations at the tip of the spear.

When assigned to the rotational Immediate Response Force mission, EOD technicians must stay ready to deploy within 18 hours.

“The 192nd supports Joint Forcible Entry as a member of the Immediate Response Force for the conventional forces, enabling division commanders to choose an airborne entry capability with a full spectrum of EOD technicians,” said Knudsen.

Purpose built to support the 75th Ranger Regiment, the 28th EOD Company has quietly earned numerous accolades during decades of combat operations. The unit’s EOD technicians have successfully conducted more than 5,200 operations in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan to date.

During the Global War on Terrorism up to this point, 28th EOD Company Soldiers have earned 32 valorous awards, including two Distinguished Service Crosses and 21 Purple Hearts.

“The 28th delivers an EOD capability that enables direct action Special Operations raids that consist of seizure of key terrain to include airfields, destruction of strategic facilities and precision no fail operations responsible for capturing or killing of high value targets with strategic importance,” said Knudsen. “Members of the 28th maintain a combat presence supporting Special Operations.”

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This article by Walter Ham was originally published on December 12, 2022 by the Defense Visual Information Distribution Service. DVIDS publishes content for the public domain.

Photo: U.S. Army Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Soldiers from the 28th EOD Company (Airborne) marked the 11th anniversary of the company’s Airborne status with a record-breaking EOD parachute jump. Honoring the service of the one-of-a-kind unit, 175 Airborne troops from the U.S. Army Special Operations Command, Joint Special Operations Command, XVIII Airborne Corps, 82nd Airborne Division, 18th Air Support Operations Group and 192nd EOD Battalion participated in the jump. Courtesy photo by 20th CBRNE Command, November 10, 2022.

By Fiona G. Holter, USAICoE Staff Historian, October 13, 2022.

On 14 October 1993, CWO3 Michael Durant, a pilot with the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR), was released by Somali insurgents after being held captive for eleven days following the crash of his MH-60L Blackhawk. The Blackhawk, Super 64, was the second helicopter shot down in the Battle of Mogadishu after a high-risk raid by Task Force (TF) Ranger to capture two high value, Somali National Alliance (SNA) assets.

After successfully completing a high-risk raid to capture high-value SNA assets in the Habr Gedir sector of Mogadishu on 3 October, TF Ranger—a team of Army Special Operations Forces (SOF) and support elements—was faced with a new mission after enemy insurgents shot down Super 61, a Blackhawk piloted by CWO4 Clifton “Elvis” Wolcott and CWO3 Donovan “Bull” Briley, who were providing air support to the mission. As TF Ranger saw the helicopter crash, they diverted their resources to secure the crash site and rescue the crew.

As ground troops raced clan militias to the Super 61 crash site, in what became a baited ambush, Super 64, a second Blackhawk piloted by CWO3 Durant was shot down approximately twelve minutes later. A Quick Reaction Force (QRF) comprised of infantry from 2d Battalion, 14th Infantry and 1st Battalion, 87th Infantry were deployed as combat support as well as search and rescue. Supported by Pakistani tanks and Malaysian armored personnel carriers, the QRF teams eventually secured the Super 61 crash site, retrieved the dead and wounded, and provided support to elements of TF Ranger as they redeployed to safety. However, by the time they reached the Super 64 crash site, the crew was missing.

In the aftermath of the Battle of Mogadishu, casualties totaled thirteen dead, eighty-two wounded, and six missing. Lt. Col. (later Col.) James T. Faust, the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) J-2 Chief of Intelligence Operations, TF Ranger, explained that with six missing soldiers, TF Ranger quickly shifted their mission. He said, “everything we built for TF Ranger intelligence focused on Aideed and his infrastructure;” now their mission was to build a new collection plan, combining the efforts of human and signal intelligence and surveillance systems to find the soldiers missing in action.

Within a couple of days, HUMINT sources reported Somali insurgents were dragging dead American soldiers through the streets, which was later confirmed by CNN footage. They also recovered a soldier whose body was left at a roadblock within the city. Eventually, five of the missing were located and declared dead; however, the search for Durant continued.

Maj. Gen. (then Capt.) Robert Walters, the Assistant S-2, 1st Battalion, 160th SOAR, which deployed with TF Ranger, explained that after other search methods failed, the S-2 shop reached out to Durant’s wife for a list of his favorite songs, “divided the city into quadrants and then put speakers on [their] helicopters and played his favorite song, a different one in each of the four quadrants.” He explained their hope was Durant would hear the song and mention it in a Red Cross message, helping them narrow down the search. Unfortunately, none of Durant’s messages were mailed but, on 14 October 1993, after being held captive for eleven days, he was released to the International Committee of the Red Cross.

The events of 3-4 October 1993 prompted withdrawal of U.S. forces from Somalia. According to CWO4 (Retired) Gregory Peterson, a senior civilian analyst at JSOC at the time of the raid, “While the common legacy of TF Ranger is the casualties associated with the October raid, that operation survives today as [a] hallmark of surgical Special Operations units.”

Overall, it was a costly learning experience and one that also demonstrated the courage of SOF Soldiers who earned two Medals of Honor. In 2021, the Army and Congress approved upgrades for sixty awards for valor in the Battle of Mogadishu, including fifty-eight new Silver Stars and two Distinguished Flying Crosses.

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This story by Fiona G. Holter was first published on October 12, 2022 by the U.S. Army Intelligence Center of Excellence and posted by the Defense Visual Information Distribution System. DVIDS content is in the public domain.

Photo: Crew of Super 64, September 1993. From left: Winn Mahuron, Tommy Field, Bill Cleveland, Ray Frank, and Mike Durant. The crew served with TF Ranger in Operation Gothic Serpent in Somalia. Photo by Maj. Robin Cox.

Read more about “Operation Gothic Serpent” and the Battle of Mogadishu, SOF News, July 18, 2020.

Colonel (Ret.) Ralph Puckett Jr. was awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions while serving as the commander of the 8th Ranger Company during the Korean War. Puckett was a career Army soldier who served in both the Korean and Vietnam wars. After his service in Korea he attended Special Forces training and commanded Special Forces B and C teams in the 10th Special Forces Group in Bad Tolz, Germany. He was awarded the Medal of Honor by President Biden in a ceremony on May 21, 2021 at the White House.

In November 1950 Puckett and his Rangers attacked and secured Hill 205 in the vicinity of Unsan, Korea. His company held off five Chinese counterattacks after taking the hill – even though they were outnumbered ten to one. On the sixth counterattack they were overrun in hand-to-hand combat. Puckett was wounded multiple times and unable to move, but his men managed to evacuate him to safety.

Puckett continued to serve on active duty after the Korean War. His subsequent assignments include the U.S. Army Ranger School, West Point, and other postings. While serving as a Ranger advisor to the Columbian Army he help establish the Escuela de Lanceros program. His other awards include a Distinguished Service Cross, two Silver Stars, two Legions of Merit, two Bronze Stars with V device, five Purple Hearts, and others.

In 1971 he retired from the Army and became involved in a number of activities and organizations. He was the national programs coordinator of Outward Bound, Inc. and established Discovery, Inc. He would receive several other prestigious honors after his military retirement to include induction into the U.S. Army Ranger Hall and as honorary colonel of the 75th Ranger Regiment.

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References:

Colonel (Ret.) Ralph Puckett Jr. – Medal of Honor, Army.mil

“President awards Medal of Honor to retired Ranger for actions on Hill 205”, Army News Service, May 21, 2021.

Video – Medal of Honor White House Ceremony, The White House, May 21, 2021.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHiQ0YaIgWE#t=41m50s

Video – Features Col. (Ret) Ralph Puckett talking about his career in the military. U.S. Army, May 21, 2021, 8 mins.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIfF0l7aZaw

Video – Medal of Honor Media Round Table: Col. Ralph Puckett, Jr., U.S. Army, May 21, 2021.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23O8bPW3WSo

“Medal of Honor: Korean conflict hero led Rangers in battle for Hill 205”, Army News Service, May 20, 2021

“Retired Ranger to receive Medal of Honor for Korean Battle”, Army News Service, May 19, 2021.

“Maneuver Center of Excellence celebrates award upgrade for Ranger legend”, Army News Service, May 19, 2021.

“The Battle for Hill 205: U.S. Army Rangers and the Beginning of the Korean War’s Third Phase”, USASOC History Office, December 4, 2020.

By Paul D. LeFavor.

Operation Restore Hope was a US initiative conducted under the umbrella of the United Nations-sanctioned multinational force which operated in Somalia between December 1992 and March 1995. The operation was tasked with carrying out United Nations Security Council Resolution 794: to create a protected environment for conducting humanitarian operations in the southern half of Somalia. Throughout Operation Restore Hope, ODAs from 5th and 10th SF Groups conducted a multitude of stability operations.

During UNOSOM II, the second phase of the UN mission in Somalia, General Aidid, a renegade Somali warlord, had killed and injured several soldiers using improvised bombs. In response, President Clinton approved the proposal to deploy a special task force, TF Ranger, composed of 400 U.S. Army Rangers and 1st SFOD-Delta commandos. Operation Gothic Serpent, conducted from August to October 1993, was launched with the primary mission of capturing warlord Mohamed Farrah Aidid.

On the afternoon of 3 October 1993, informed that two leaders of Aidid’s clan were at a residence in central Mogadishu, TF Ranger sent 19 aircraft, 12 vehicles, and 160 men to kill or capture them. The two Somali leaders were quickly captured, however armed militiamen and civilians converged on the target area from all over the city. When two MH-60 Black Hawk helicopters were shot down, ground forces converged to their locations to recover the personnel. The ensuing battle to get to the downed helicopters turned out to be the most intensive close combat the U.S. troops had engaged in since the Vietnam War.

During the raid, MSG Gary Gordon and SFC Randall Shughart, a sniper/observer team with Task Force Ranger, provided precision and suppressive fire from helicopters above the two helicopter crash sites. Learning that no ground forces were available to rescue one of the downed aircrews and aware that a growing number of enemy were closing in on the site, Gordon and Shughart volunteered to be inserted to protect their critically wounded comrades. After their third request they were inserted one hundred meters south of the downed chopper. Armed with only their personal weapons, the two commandos fought their way to the downed fliers through intense small arms fire, a maze of shanties and shacks, and the enemy converging on the site.

After Gordon and Shughart pulled the wounded from the wreckage, they established a perimeter, put themselves in the most dangerous position, and fought off a series of attacks. The two commandos continued to protect their comrades until they had depleted their ammunition and were themselves fatally wounded. Their actions saved the life of CW3 Michael Durant. Gary Gordon and Randall Shughart were posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for their valiant efforts.

In the end, 18 U.S. troops on the rescue convoy were killed, while estimates of Somali fatalities are around 1,000 militiamen killed during the battle. Although the mission’s objective of capturing Aidid’s associates was accomplished, on October 7 in a nationwide television address, President Clinton effectively ended the US proactive policy in Somalia and called for the withdrawal of all US forces no later than March 31, 1994.

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This article is an excerpt from US Army Small Unit Tactics Handbook, by Paul D. LeFavor, 2015, pages 104-105. Re-posted with permission from Blacksmith Publishing, Fayetteville, NC. US Army Small Unit Tactics Handbook is available at Amazon.com. Paul D. LeFavor is a retired Special Forces Master Sergeant who served in several overseas conflicts and continues to provide training to special operations forces as a contractor. Image derived from CIA maps and a video by the Department of Veterans Affairs.

The Regimental Military Intelligence Battalion of the 75th Ranger Regiment is now an enduring part of the regiment. It was officially activated on June 16, 2020. It had been provisionally activated in May 2017 at Fort Benning, Georgia.

The RMIB is assigned personnel who work as all-source intelligence analysts, drone operators, geospatial analysts, HUMINT collectors, and in the cyber, electronic warfare, and other fields. The RMIB personnel conduct full spectrum intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, cyber, and electronic warfare operations.

The RMIB has a headquarters detachment and two companies. The Military Intelligence Company conducts multi-discipline collection and production, imagery collection, and dissemination of analysis. The Cyber Electromagnetic Activities Company conducts cyber, electronic, signals, and technical surveillance operations. The RMIB enhances the regiment’s situational awareness and informs the staff and commander during the decision-making process. The battalion will be based at Fort Benning, Georgia.

RMIB Officers and Enlisted. There are numerous military intelligence military occupational specialties within the RMIB. Those officers and enlisted who are assigned to the RMIB must pass physical requirements to include the Ranger Fitness Test, Ranger Physical Assessment Test, Combat Water Survivability Assessment, and a 12 mile foot march.

“Today the intelligence and cyber Rangers remain at the top of their fields, able to do things with their tools that are rarely matched by their peers. Each one of the RMIB Rangers earned their tan beret and scroll the same as every other military occupational specialty in the 75th Ranger Regiment formation. Everyone is a Ranger first.”

Lt. Col. Timothy Sikora, Commander, Regimental Military Intelligence Battalion, June 2020

The Ranger Regiment has been extremely busy the last two decades during the Global War on Terrorism. It has had years of non-stop combat deployments across the globe conducting counterinsurgency and counterterrorism operations. The RMIB will enhance the ability of the regiment to find and fix (F3EAD) the enemy on the battlefield and conduct direct action missions. The personnel of the RMIB will improve networking within the intelligence community at large, interoperability between conventional and special operations forces, and relationships with partner nation forces. In addition, it will prepare the regiment for the adversaries that it will confront in the new era of ‘great power competition’.

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References:

Regimental Military Intelligence Battalion – Fort Benning
https://www.benning.army.mil/Tenant/75thRanger/RMIB-ABOUT.html

GoArmy.com – Ranger Battalions. A description of the units that make up the Ranger Regiment.
https://www.goarmy.com/ranger/about-the-army-rangers/army-ranger-battalions.html

Video – 75th Ranger Regiment: Joint the Military Intelligence Battalion, The 75th Ranger Regiment YouTube, February 19, 2019, 3 mins.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWLMqRW3-N8

Lushenko, Maj. Paul A., U.S. Army, “The 75th Ranger Regiment Military Intelligence Battalion: Modernizing for Multi-Domain Battle”, Military Review, July-August 2018.

Skovlund Jr., Marty, “The 75th Ranger Regiment is Adding a Fifth Battalion”, Task & Purpose, May 17, 2017.

Image: From RMIB info page.

Old time Special Forces Soldiers may be forgiven if they feel a little bit of history is slipping away. The John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Museum located on Ardennes Street on Fort Bragg, North Carolina is no more. It has been replaced by the Army Special Operations Forces Museum.

History of the “Old” Museum

The John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Museum was established in 1963. The museum was the brainchild of Major General William P. Yarborough in 1961 – the commanding general of the U.S. Army Special Warfare School. It was housed in the one-story Colonel Arthur D. “Bull” Simons Hall located next to the John F. Kennedy Plaza in building D-2502. The building was situated on the corner of Ardennes Street and Riley Road. It was easily recognizable due to the small howitzers and mortars on display outside the building. The museum had a small Gift Shop with the proceeds from sales going to support museum operations.

For years the JFK Special Warfare Museum provided a historical record of Army special warfare units throughout all of this nation’s conflicts. Most members of Special Forces referred to it as the Special Forces museum although from its inception it always included PSYOP and CA. Many SF Soldiers contributed artifacts and donated money for the museum. [1] Those that visited often strolled through the museum’s gift shop to pick up challenge coins, t-shirts, books, souvenirs, and other SF memorabilia. These items are still available through the museum association’s web store.

Exhibits of the John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Museum included displays from World War I, World War II, the Korean Conflict, and the Vietnam War. Historical units represented included the First Special Service Force, Office of Strategic Services (OSS), and Detachment 101. ‘Modern conflicts’ were represented as well to include Operations Desert Storm, Enduring Freedom, and Iraqi Freedom.

The old museum building (D-2502) had a small footprint – 1,800 square feet and could only house 20% of the artifacts. [2] The building has since been torn down to make way for the SWC campus. If you haven’t been to Ardennes Street for a few years you will not recognize it!

Currently the John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Museum is located at building D-2815 on the corner of Zabitosky and Ardennes – directly across from the JFK Chapel. [3] Some may recall the building as the old TMC.

No Longer About “SF”

The Green Berets of past eras certainly have some concerns. They fear the history of Special Forces will become diluted as the new ARSOF museum becomes more inclusive of other Army special operations units. There is the strong possibility that many items exhibited that are ‘SF’ centric will be put into storage to make room for historical items from the Ranger Regiment and Special Operations Aviation Regiment. A brief visit to selected social media sites will reveal the concern expressed by the older generation of Green Berets.

The Green Berets that served in the 1960s and 1970s lived in a different time when many of them thought that special warfare mean’t Special Forces with a little bit of Psychological Operations and Civil Affairs mixed in (apologies to the PSYOP and CA crowd).

However, we now live in a new era. In the past the term special operations – if used at all – referred to Soldiers serving in the U.S. Army Special Forces Groups. [4] Now it is an umbrella term to refer to SOF units across all four services. Currently, U.S. Army SOF refers to several units to include Special Forces, Ranger Regiment, Psychological Operations, Civil Affairs, and Army special operations aviation units. Collectively these Army SOF units are referred to as ARSOF.

The “New” Museum

The ‘new’ museum will be reorganized under the United States Army Special Operations Command (USASOC). While CA, PSYOP, and SF are trained at the USAJFKSWCS – Rangers and Army SOF aviators are trained elsewhere. Moving the ‘ownership’ of the museum from USAJFKSWCS to USASOC provides the ability to include the other two organizations. A recent press release by USASOC tells us that the new museum will “. . . fully represent all of USASOC’s equities.” [5]

The museum is one of 64 U.S. Army museums in the country and falls under the purview of the Center for Military History. According to an online post (accessed 25 Jan 2020) the museum had “. . . the mission to collect, preserve, exhibit and interpret significant historical property in support of the proponencies, training and educational mission of the U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School.” [6] This made it the regimental museum for the U.S. Army Special Forces, Civil Affairs, and Psychological Operations regiments – including predecessor organizations from the American colonial period to the present.

The new ARSOF Museum will open at the end of February 2020 once a complete historical inventory is conducted to identify and catalog items. In addition, there will be a reorganization and change of authority taking place. Until a permanent facility can be funded and built the new museum will likely occupy ‘several’ places on Fort Bragg. USAJFKSWCS issued a statement saying that the exhibits will be “. . . showcased throughout the command; however, instead of only having access to the history in one building, it will be available to our Soldiers, students, retirees and families throughout the command footprint.” Apparently, in the future, if you want to visit the museum you will have to drive to several sites on Fort Bragg. That does sound a bit problematic.

USASOC certainly has the organizational size to support the new ARSOF Museum. The museum will fall under the control of the USASOC Historians Office. If enough funding is available it will likely provide an improved experience to visitors in the future while equally representing the historical record of all five major components of ARSOF. Looks like another trip to Fort Bragg is on the calendar in a few years to see how this turns out!

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Footnotes:

[1] In the 70s the author donated $100 (big money back then) towards a Life Membership. With the passage of time I am sure my name has been lost on the roster; although there was a plaque at the front entrance years of the B-2502 building years ago with my name along with the many other Life Members. That is probably now stuffed in a cardboard box at this time. The museum was a special place for me starting with attendance at SFQC and later for the many return visits to FBNC.

[2] Letter from Major General Bennet Sacolic addressed to Museum Association Members, 2012.

[3] In researching this article it is not readily apparent where the ‘physical’ location of the museum will be. I suppose we will find out in the next few years. The museum has moved multiple times over the past several decades.

[4] The term ‘special operations’ was rarely used in early SF history. It may have seen its introduction in the early 80s when UW was deemphasized and SITCA (later SR) and DA became more prevalent in training exercises and doctrine. The term ‘special operator’ apparently was first used by SF in the 1950s. But then again, rarely used. See “The Special Forces Operator”, by Charles H. Brisco, PhD, Veritas, Vol. 1, No. 1, 2018.
https://www.soc.mil/ARSOF_History/articles/v14n1_creed_page_1.html

[5] “U.S. Army JFK Special Warfare Museum becomes Army Special Operations Forces Museum”, US Army, January 24, 2020.

[6] USASOC page on JFK Special Warfare Museum.

References:

John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Museum
https://www.soc.mil/SWCS/museum.html

US Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Museum Association
https://www.jfkwebstore.com/

JFK Special Warfare Museum Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jfk-Special-Warfare-Museum-Ft-Bragg-Nc/212706605444953

Bruce, Robert, “Hidden Treasures of the JFK Special Warfare Museum”, Small Arms Review, July 2006.

U.S. Army Airborne and Special Operations Museum. This museum is located in downtown Fayetteville, North Carolina. It was privately funded and then donated to the U.S. Army.
https://www.asomf.org/

Editorial Notes:

The USASOC Historian’s Office has been contacted for further information; the article will updated once we hear from them. (Update: crickets).

Some minor edits were made to further refine this story based on comments from the reading audience and other sources.

It seems some readers do not recall the use of the term ‘special operations’ in the earlier SF days. Determining when and how ‘special operations’ was introduced into our vocabulary would make for an interesting research project. See more in footnote [4].

One reader wrote in that he recalls an ‘informal’ museum (he believes it to be the very first museum) that was housed in one of the old Orderly Room -type buildings along Gruber Road – adjacent to where 7th Group was located. SF Soldiers donated a bunch of stuff to the collection. (time frame 1965-1966).

Photo:

John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Museum, Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Photo credit to U.S. Army.

SGT Cameron Meddock, an Army Ranger assigned to the 75th Ranger Regiment died of wounds on Friday, January 17, 2019 in at a U.S. medical hospital in Landstuhl, Germany. He had sustained wounds from small arms fire during combat operations on Sunday, January 13, 2019 in Jawand district, Badghis province, Afghanistan.

SGT Meddock, age 26, was a resident of Spearman, Texas. He was a member of 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, based at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington.

A native of Spearman, Texas, Meddock enlisted in the U.S. Army, November 14, 2014. He completed One Station Unit Training as an infantryman, the Basic Airborne Course and the Ranger Assessment and Selection Program 1, Fort Benning, Georgia.

Following successful completion of Ranger Assessment and Selection Program level 1, Meddock was assigned to Company A, 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment where he served as a machine gunner, automatic rifleman, gun team leader and most recently as a fire team leader.

His military education includes the U.S. Army Ranger Course, Basic Airborne Course, Basic Leader Course, and Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape Course.

Meddock’s awards include the Purple Heart, Joint-Service Commendation for Combat, Army Achievement Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal with Campaign Star, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, and NATO Medal.

His decorations include the Ranger Tab, Parachutists Badge, Expert Infantryman’s Badge, Combat Infantryman’s Badge, and the Expert Marksmanship Qualification Badge for a Rifle.

“Sergeant Cameron Meddock is one of America’s precious Sons. The entire Nation should strive to emulate the Warrior, Patriot and Husband that Cameron was. The 75th Ranger Regiment will forever honor Sergeant Cameron Meddock and his family will forever be a member of our Ranger family. Sergeant Cameron Meddock was a phenomenal Ranger, and his selfless service represents the very best of our great Nation. He will be missed dearly and the 2nd Ranger Battalion offers its sincerest condolences to his family. ”

Col. Brandon Tegtmeier, commander, 75th Ranger Regiment.

He was on his second deployment in support of Operation Resolute Support.

**********

References:

January 18, 2019, “DoD Identifies Army Casualty”, DoD News Release.

Photo and Biography provided by the United States Army Special Operations Command (USASOC), Fort Bragg, NC.

Sergeant Leandro Jasso died on Saturday, November 24, 2018 in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was killed as a result of wounds sustained from small arms fire while engaging enemy forces.

Editorial Note: A subsequent Resolute Support news release dated November 27, 2018 states that “An initial review indicates Sgt. Jasso was likely accidentally shot by our Afghan partner force. There are no indications that he was shot intentionally.”

Jasso, age 25, was from Leavenworth, Washington. He was assigned to Company A, 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment based at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington. He was engaged in combat operations in Khash Rod district, Nimroz province. Upon being wounded he was immediately treated and medically evacuated to a medical treatment facility in Garmsir district, Helmand province, where he died of his wounds.

SGT Jasso enlisted in the U.S. Army in August 2012. He completed Basic Combat Training, One Station Unit Training as an infantryman and Basic Airborne Course at Fort Benning, Georgia. Following initial training he was assigned to 2nd Ranger Battalion, where he served as an Assistant Machine Gunner, Automatic Rifleman and Grenadier.

SGT Jasso’s military education includes the Basic Leader Course and U.S. Army Ranger Course. His awards and decorations include:

• Army Achievement Medal
• Army Good Conduct Medal
• National Defense Service Medal
• Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
• Army Service Ribbon
• NATO Medal
• Ranger Tab
• Combat Infantryman’s Badge
• Expert Infantryman’s Badge
• Expert Rifle Marksmanship Badge.

SGT Jasso deployed twice before in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. At the time of his death SGT Jasso was serving as a team leader on his third deployment to Afghanistan.

Jasso was an Eagle Scout who also played on school soccer, wrestling, and football teams. He came from the small town of Leavenworth in central Washington.

News Reports:

“Sgt. Leandro A.S. Jasso was ‘charismatic,’ ‘wonderful kid,’, friends, mentors recall”, Stars and Stripes, November 26, 2018.

“DOD Identifies Army Casualty”,  DoD, November 25, 2018.

“U.S. Service Member Killed in Afghanistan”, Resolute Support Mission, November 24, 2018.

Photo: Provided by USASOC.

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]]> 9221 https://sof.news/video/arsof-video-2017/ Tue, 07 Nov 2017 06:00:30 +0000 http://www.sof.news/?p=4598 A new ARSOF video published by the U.S. Army depicts exciting scenes of Army special operations personnel training in their specialties. Special Forces, 160th SOAR, Rangers, Civil Affairs, and PYSOP are all depicted in this ARSOF video. (one minute long, [...]]]>

A new ARSOF video published by the U.S. Army depicts exciting scenes of Army special operations personnel training in their specialties. Special Forces, 160th SOAR, Rangers, Civil Affairs, and PYSOP are all depicted in this ARSOF video. (one minute long, published November 2017, posted on YouTube account of the U.S. Army).

www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-pIdRvXCa4