On August 17-18, 1942, members of the 2nd Marine Raider Battalion made an attack on a small island in the Pacific Ocean held by Japanese forces during World War II. The raid had several objectives – destroy Japanese installations, gather intelligence of the Gilbert Islands area (map by Wikipedia), capture prisoners, and divert Japanese attention away from allied landings on Guadalcanal that occurred on August 9th. The raid also was an initial test of the raiding tactics and capabilities of the Marine Raider units.

Makin Island. The small island was the home of a Japanese seaplane base and had a garrison of less than 100 men. The island was a strategic atoll in the Marshalls as it afforded the Japanese a location from which to conduct air patrols along the eastern flank of the Japanese perimeter. The island is known as Butaritari Island, however, during World War II, the military referred to it as Makin Island. It had a large lagoon surrounded by the island that could accomodate fairly large ships; although the entrances to the lagoon were narrow. The island would later be taken by American forces in the November 1943.

Image. Astronaut photo, U.S. government. Government of Kiribati mapping information. (2012) Makin Island (Butaritari Island, Wikepedia).

Image. Gilbert Islands, Makin Island is the top island of the archilago. By Pitichinaccio – CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1350215

Submarine Infiltration. The Marine Raiders were transported to the island from Pearl Harbor aboard two large mine-laying submarines that had been converted to troop transports – the Nautilus and the Argonaut. The subs departed Pearl Harbor on August 8, 1942. Each of the submarines carried a company of raiders – for a total of 211 men (some sources say 221). The two companies were Companies A and B. The voyage was several days long – under cramped and hot conditions inside the submarines – one sub arriving on the 16th and the second on the 17th. During the Makin Island battle the submarines would provide fire support for the raiding party; firing against enemy positions on land, aircraft, and boats. During the course of the raid the submarines would be forced to submerge several times to avoid attack from enemy aircraft.

Landing Difficulties. The raiding force was to depart the subs in inflatable boats with motors and make a predawn landing on two locations on Butaritari Island beginning at 03:00 of the 17th. Once ashore it would destroy the garrison and then withdraw that evening. Things went badly from the outset while boarding the rubber boats from the subs. When the subs surfaced there were high seas and heavy rain. Many of the underpowered rubber boats were swamped and the engines had difficulty starting due to flooding with water. Some rubber boats were towed by others to make it to the island landing site. Due to the weather, it was decided at the last minute to utilize only one landing site on the island; instead of two. However, one element didn’t get the word and was separated from the main force. Some of the boat motors malfunctioned, slowing the landing process and causing confusion amongst the raiders. Once on shore the rubber boats were stashed in vegetation. Unfortunately, one of the Marines discharged his weapon shortly after the landing ruining the element of surprise.

Battle with the Garrison Force. The Marines were soon in contact with the Japanese force, estimated at 85 personnel, upon landing upon the island. Enemy snipers and machine guns halted the Marines advance towards the garrison. The Japanese then launched two banzai attacks which were defeated by the Americans. At that point, although not known to the Marines, the Japanese force was greatly diminished. Later in the day the Japanese attacked with air attacks and attempted to land troops in the lagoon with seaplanes – but unsuccessfully. Eventually, over the course of the next two days the surviving Japanese forces were dispersed and scattered around the island. The Japanese garrison was destroyed; to include the radio station, fuel, and other supplies.

Leaving the Island – More Difficulties. The departure from the island was a disaster. The heavy surf and barrier reef caused a lot of problems. Many of the outboard engines of the 18 rubber boats did not work. It was difficult to paddle against the heavy breakers and some boats capsized with the loss of equipment. Seven boats and less than 100 men did make it to the submarines on the evening of the 17th; but more than 100 men were still stranded on the island and were to remain overnight on the island. Things were thought to be dire for the Americans. Many had lost their clothing and weapons in the severe surf and the raid force had overestimated the remaining strength of the Japanese garrison. At one point in the early morning of the 18th, the commander of the raid, Lt Col Carlson, contemplated surrender to the enemy.

Back on the Subs. However, during the course of the next day – the 18th – it became evident that there was little Japanese resistance on the island and that the submarines were still available for exfiltration. A more suitable location was found for leaving the island on rubber boats – one with less surf. Almost all of the remainder of the raiding force would make it to the submarines the night of the 18th. Nine men were inadvertently left behind once the submarines set off for Pearl Harbor, arriving on August 25th (Nautilus) and August 26th (Argonaut).

Casualties. The Marine unit suffered losses in the raid. The official tally states that 18 (19?) were dead and 12 missing; among those missing were nine that had been left alive on the island. Seven Marines had drowned. They were captured on August 30th and later beheaded by the Japanese at Kwajalein Atol. Figures on Japanese losses vary, depending on the source. Estimates range from 65 to 160 enemy dead. Two Japanese seaplanes were destroyed while trying to reinforce the island with troops.

Marine Raiders. The Marine Corps had established four Raider battalions during World War II to provide the capability of small light units that could strike deep into enemy territory during the Pacific campaign. The Second Marine Raider Battalion was designated on February 19, 1942. For Raider Battalions would serve in the Pacific over the course of two years. In early 1944 the four battalions were disbanded. On February 1, 1944, the 1st Raider Regiment was redesignated the 4th Marine Regiment. Members of the Raider Training Center were transferred to the newly formed 5th Marine Division. In 2014, the Marine Special Operations Regiment, a subordinate unit of the United States Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command (MARSOC), ws redesignated the Marine Raider Regiment.

Achievements of the Raid. The Makin Island raid was a learning moment for the Marines and the training of the Marine Raider battalions. The commander of the raiding party, Lt Col Evan Carlson, received the Navy Cross for his efforts in the battle. He would retire as a Brigadier General. Although the mission did not achieve all of its objectives it did prove to be a morale booster for the Marines and Navy and was a public relations success for the war effort. In 1943, the film Gung Ho! was released (see movie trailer, 1943). It depicted the 2nd Raider Battalion’s raid on Makin Island. Two U.S. Navy ships would bear the name of USS Makin Island. The 2nd Marine Raider Battalion would see more fighting during the Guadalcanal campaign.

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Image of Nautilus: U.S. Marines arrive at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii on 26 August 1942 on board the U.S. submarine Nautilus following their raid on Makin Island on 17-18 August, 1942.
Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1388486

References:

“The Makin Island Raid”, Proceedings, U.S. Naval Institute, October 1946.
https://www.usni.org/magazines/proceedings/1946/october/makin-island-raid

“Last Reminiscence of a Makin Island Raider”, Proceedings, U.S. Naval Institute, October 2022.
https://www.usni.org/magazines/naval-history-magazine/2022/october/last-reminiscence-makin-island-raider

“The Makin Island Raid, August 1942”, The Text Message, National Archives, November 14, 2012.
https://text-message.blogs.archives.gov/2012/11/14/seventy-years-ago-the-makin-island-raid-august-1942-2/

Videos:

Video – The Echoes of Makin Island. This video has clips of the 1943 movie Gung Ho!. Defense Media Activity – Marines, August 15, 2023, DVIDS, 3 minutes.
https://www.dvidshub.net/video/893859/echoes-makin-island

Video – 1942 Raid on Makin Raid. The History Guy, YouTube, 2020, 17 minutes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvE03k7t2d4

Video – Raid on Makin Island. Kings and Generals, YouTube, 2022, 20 minutes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJ3YN-QFYbI

Author Wieslaw Rogalski provides a detailed account of the selection, training, and employment of Polish men and women who parachuted into Nazi-occupied Poland to help form up the Polish resistance. He traces the history of this effort in Special Operations Executive: Polish Section. The primary aim of his book is to ascertain the ultimate effectiveness of SOE assistance provided to the Second Polish Republic during World War II. Attention is also given to the politics involved in British support to the Poles; but, at the same time, later in the war, ensuring the Soviet Union continues the fight on the Eastern Front.

1939. Just prior to the start of World War II, the United Kingdom and Poland signed a pact of mutual assistance which led to early contacts between British and Polish military authorities. It is here where Rogalski starts his narrative – with details about the British Military Mission to Poland in 1939. He goes on to describe the state of the Polish Army prior to the German invasion – detailing the shortages of military equipment, array of forces, and more.

1939 – German Onslaught. In September 1939 the Germans invaded Poland and overwhelmed the Polish army; although it fought bravely. The author describes the defeat and, once the Soviets invaded from the east, how some Polish forces and the government fled Poland, many eventually taking refuge in France. Of course, once the Germans attacked France, the Polish government and military forces left for Britain.

Ramping Up the Resistance and SOE. This is the point where the author describes the formation of a a large and effective Polish resistance movement within Poland called the Home Army. He also details the establishment of the British Special Operations Executive (SOE) and the subsequent formation of the “Polish Section”. Covered in the book are the relationships of the British government, Polish government in exile, SOE, Polish Section, the Air Ministry, and other organizations. The personalities of the Polish government, SOE, Polish Section, and others get a lot of attention in this book.

Selection and Training. The selection and training of the Poles was difficult and comprehensive, covering the use of weapons, communications, tradecraft, demolitions, intelligence, parachutes, and more. The training sites were located in Scotland and England; and later, at other locations around the world. The Poles enjoyed more autonomy in the SOE training program than did those from other nations who would link up with their respective resistance movements. Once fully trained the Poles were parachuted into occupied Poland to link up with the Home Army.

Air Bridge. The establishment of an air bridge to accomplish personnel infiltrations and supply drops was a difficult and dangerous task. There were several air routes for infiltrating the Poles, weapons, ammunition, communications gear, and other equipment. Various aircraft were tried, some more suited for the long two-way trip than others. The initial air infiltrations were conducted over Denmark, then the southern tip of Sweden, over the Baltic Sea and then into Poland. Later flights were launched from Italy and over the Caucasus and Hungary into Poland. Some air infiltration (and exfiltration) routes worked better than others. Hundreds of Poles would parachute into Poland from early 1941 to late 1944 from aircraft. Most of the drops sites would be in central Poland. The author provides a wealth of details about the aircraft, air infiltration routes, difficulties of getting support from the Air Ministry, and the use of Polish pilots for the infiltration and supply flights.

1941. It wasn’t long before the Germans broke their agreement with the Soviets and launched Operation Barbarossa – a widescale attack against that country in 1941. The relationship between the British and the Poles would see a drastic adjustment once the Soviet Union became an ally of Britain. Moscow had plans for Poland after the war and that did not include the survival of the Second Polish Republic; rather it wanted to establish a Communist regime. Britain had to balance its support for the Polish government in exile in London and its support to the Polish resistance movement with the need to keep the Soviets fighting on the Eastern Front. The Polish Home Army wanted to be equipped and supplied sufficiently to be able to conduct guerrilla warfare and to subsequently support an uprising of the Polish people against the Germans. However, according to the author, the British were content to supply just enough assistance through the air drops to support sabotage, subversion, and intelligence gathering.

Relevance to Current Events. Although this book covers events decades ago, in World War II, it has relevance to today’s security environment in Europe. In World War II resistance movements formed under Nazi occupation were supported by the Special Operations Executive (SOE) and the Office of Strategic Services (OSS). Today, a similar construct is occurring – Russian forces occupying eastern Ukraine and resistance by the Ukrainian Armed Forces in a conventional fight; but also special operations and resistance activities taking place behind the lines in the Russian occupied territories.

Supporting a Resistance Movement in Today’s World. In light of the Russian invasion of Ukraine; the Nordic, Baltic, and East European countries are prudent in improving their ability to deter or delay a Russian invasion until NATO can respond. In the future, it is possible that Western nations could be providing assistance to guerrillas and an underground in Russian occupied countries. However, the world has changed since World War II – and assisting a resistance movement the way it was done in the 1940s would not work well today. A read of Rogalski’s book provides a good account of the logistical difficulties of supporting a resistance movement in a Russian-occupied Eastern European country.

ROC. When the Russians first invaded eastern Ukraine and Crimea in 2014, Special Operations Command Europe (SOCEUR) became very active in providing advice, support, and training to the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Much of this training was in accordance with the Resistance Operating Concept – a method with which Nordic, Baltic, and East European countries can conduct ‘resistance operations’ in the event of an invasion or occupation by Russian military forces. Just as the SOE Polish Section supported the Home Army in Poland, western SOF forces may find themselves conducting unconventional warfare and supporting resistance movements in the Baltic States, the Nordic countries, or in Eastern Europe.

A British Dilemma. The British were caught in the middle – do they support the Polish Home Army fighting in Poland and risk alienating their valuable ally, the Soviet Union on the Eastern Front? Or do they keep their relationship with the Soviets intact and ensure they continue their march on Berlin? The United Kingdom attempted to straddle the middle ground. The allies would provide just enough assistance to the Home Army to enable it to conduct sabotage, subversion, and intelligence gathering . . . and to demonstrate continued support for the Poles. However, the quantity and types of weapons and equipment that would support a general uprising were not provided. This would ensure the Soviets were not antagonized by the support provided to the Home Army; to the extent that the Soviets might scale down their campaign against Germany.

Warsaw Uprising 1944. As the Soviets were approaching Warsaw the Home Army rose up against the Germans in the summer of 1944. The British and the United States flew supplies, weapons, ammunition, money, equipment, and humanitarian supplies to Warsaw to aid the revolt. It was enough to show support for the Poles; but not enough for the uprising to be successful. The Soviets halted their advance short of Warsaw; only to continue once the Germans had defeated the Warsaw uprising (Wikipedia).

Aftermath. The end of the Second World War would see a Soviet-occupied Poland and the death of the Second Polish Republic. The Home Army was disbanded, the Polish government in exile was dissolved, and the thousands of Poles in conventional Polish military units fighting alongside Allied units around the world were discharged. After the war many were assimilated into the United Kingdom and other allied nations; choosing not to return to a Soviet-occupied Poland. The Soviets tightened their grip on Poland and established a communist regime that would last for decades. Members of the Home Army were hunted down, interrogated, imprisoned, or killed. Wieslaw Rogalski’s book is an excellent read for one who is interested in history, World War II, and resistance movements. It is also a good study on the difficulties of supporting a resistance movement in an occupied East European country.

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About the Book Author: Wieslaw Rogalski was born in England in 1950. His parents came to Britain as members of the Polish Allied Forces under British Command.

Special Operations Executive: Polish Section, The Death of the Second Polish Republic, by Wieslaw Rogalski, Helion & Company Limited, Warick, England, 2022. Available on Amazon.com and the SOF News Book Shop.

D-Day – The Battle for Normandy began on June 6, 1944. Allied armies stormed ashore in a huge amphibious landing accompanied by air support and paratroopers striking targets inland. Once ashore the troops pushed against German forces and established areas from which to strike further into France.

(U.S. Army graphic by Daniel Torok, June 5, 2017).

SOF News Update 20180312 – 2003 JSOC raid into Iraq, intel in corporate world, some great SF photos, USSOCOM and ‘hard problems’, Britain’s WWII GW, conflict in Mali, Kurds shifting focus to invading Turkish forces, MQ-1 Predator to retire, 10th SFGA dietitian, Green Berets and their weapons, ‘own the night’, SERE, early SF history, USAF Reserve CSAR, and more.

Podcast – 2003 JSOC raid in Iraq. Modern War Institute’s The Spear presents a 30-minute podcast on a special operations mission into Iraq. Col. Phil Ryan, the commander of the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment tells the story. In 2003, Ryan was a pilot in the unit when it entered Iraq at the very beginning of the invasion of Iraq. Listen to “Podcast: The Spear – a 2003 Helicopter Mission Deep into Iraq”, Modern War Institute at West Point, March 7, 2018.

Solving ‘Hard Problems’ for USSOCOM. The Special Operations Forces Acquisition, Technology & Logistics (SOF AT&L) organization within the U.S. Special Operations Command is seeking assistance to solve ‘hard problems’ in areas that are of critical importance to the success of mission accomplishment. These areas are small unit dominance, mission assured communications, and signature management. Read more about SOF Hard Problems.

Green Berets and Their Weapons. There are several military occupational specialities (MOS) on a Special Forces Operational Detachment Alpha (SFODA). Two members of the team are ‘weapons men’. These guys have the most fun. See “Watch Green Berets demonstrate a lot of cool firepower”, We Are the Mighty, March 8, 2018.

MQ-1 Predator Has Seen Its Time. The Air Force is phasing out the famed Predator UAV. Read more by Joe Chapa, a major in the U.S. Air Force. Read “The Sunset of the Predator: Reflections on the End of an Era”, War on the Rocks, March 9, 2018.

SERE: “. . . the biggest mental challenge . . .” Tom McCollum left the 82nd to go through Special Forces training. Then he hit SERE training. (Fayetteville Observer, Mar 11, 2018).

Britain’s WWII Guerrilla Warfare History. Historian Giles Milton is interviewed about his book Churchill’s Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare. Churchill recognized the changing nature of war and allowed a team of independent-minded operatives to operate in the new environment. Read “The Secret History of Britain’s WWII Guerrilla Warfare”, Military.com, March 8, 2018.

USAF Reserve CSAR Units Feeling the Pinch. The burgeoning economy and increase in air travel are prompting the commercial airlines to offer very attractive packages to active duty Air Force navigators and pilots. The USAF reserve units are also being affected. Read “Reserve Rescue Aircrews to Air Force: Don’t Forget About Us”, Military.com, March 10, 2018.

Early SF History. I was at a fundraising event this past Saturday night talking with a SSG from Special Forces who was manning a static display. One of my friends with me had served with the 77th SFG in the early days. The SSG had no clue there was a 77th and had no real idea on the history of Special Forces beyond what has happened since 9/11. I spent about 10 minutes bringing him up to date. By coincidence I bumped into this article on the Internet! “Becoming Special Forces”, Paraglide, March 8, 2018.

ANASOC’s Team Leader Course. The Afghan National Army Special Operations Command conducts a six-week long Noncommissioned Officer’s Team Leader Course near Kabul. Read more (DVIDS, Feb 22, 2018).

‘Own the Night’ – Not as Much Now. As the U.S. continues to provide night vision goggles to our ‘partnered forces’ (in Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere) the insurgents they fight will gradually attain night vision capability. One way this happens is when the insurgent capture the equipment in raids and ambushes. Another avenue is the corruption within these ‘partnered forces’ when the equipment is sold to insurgents. Still yet another way of attaining night vision capability is to buy commercial off-the-shelf night vision goggles. Read more in “How much longer will US and partner forces ‘own the night’ in combat?”, Army Times, March 11, 2018.

Conflict in Mali. The Tuareg militias are clashing with the Islamic State-loyal militants in northern Mali. The analysts at Threat Matrix of the Long War Journal provide info on the clashes. (March 8, 2018).

10th SFGA Dietitian. Kelsey Bailey, a Tactical Performance Dietitian for the Special Forces Group based in Colorado, says a good diet starts off at the grocery store. Read “Go Further With Food – Fort Carson Dietitian Leads Commissary Tour”, DVIDS, February 28, 2018.

Kurds of Syria Shifting Focus. Kurdish forces are shifting their focus to the Turkish invasion of Kurd-held areas of Syria. This means that the Kurds attention on the Islamic State fighters has lessened in order to confront the more immediate and severe threat from the north. One would think that the SF ODAs in Syria would get an opportunity to hit the weights; but I am sure the Bn CSM / S3 has them busy with other duties and missions. Read “Turkey’s war on Kurds unsettles fronts in northern Syria”, AP, March 9, 2018.

Afghan SOF Take Losses in Battle. At least 10 Afghan commandos (some news reports say more) were killed in an ambush in Farah province on March 9th. “Afghan special forces hit hard in deadly Taliban ambush”, FDD’s Long War Journal, March 10, 2018.

Afghan SOF Staying Busy. Maj Anthony Mayne, of NSOCC-A, provides a roll-up of recent Afghan SOF operations around Afghanistan. (DVIDS, Mar 9, 2018).

Intelligence in the Corporate World. The world of intelligence is not just for three-letter agencies of the U.S. government. Smart application of basic intelligence principles can enable business corporations to understand and adapt to a complex world of dynamically evolving threats and constantly evolving opportunities. Read “A CEO’s Brief Guide to Intelligence: Not Just for Three-Letter Agencies”, The Cipher Brief, March 9, 2018.

SF Photos – and Motivation for SFQC. View 30 great photographs from the 1st Special Forces Command Facebook and read some motivational passages targeting the candidate for Special Forces training. (The Chive, March 8, 2018).

In World War II the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) placed intelligence and operating agents in enemy-controlled Albania. The OSS in Albania provided a wealth of intelligence via radio transmissions. The operational and intelligence teams of the Special Operations Executive (SOE) and the Office of Strategic Services infiltrated by sea or parachute and linked up with nationalist and communist Albanian resistance fighters based in the interior mountain regions. The occupying German and Italian military units were clustered along the coast, main roads, and large towns and cities.

As was the case in many East European countries during World War II the better organized and more successful resistance movements tended to be of a communist flavor. Albania was no exception – and the SOE and OSS in Albania were reluctantly placed in a position to work with these communist partisans. This caused some friction between the SOE and OSS. The SOE had the lead in Yugoslavia and were in support of Tito’s Communist groups. The OSS was not in favor of this policy but had to bow to the British policy.

Although the SOE was the principal mentor of the OSS early in World War II – the OSS later became more independent. In the Balkans the competition between the two agencies usually saw the OSS in Albania take the subordinate role; this was reversed later in the war when the two agencies worked together (or maybe apart) in Italy. [1]

One OSS intelligence team was exceptionally successful – and this was largely in part due to the abilities and courage of its radio operator. On December 31, 1943 Marine Gunnery Sergeant Nic Kukich landed on the coast of Albania after a boat insertion with his three-man team. He would leave and depart a few times but spent much of 1944 and 1945 in the areas of Albania occupied by the Germans and Italians. Read more of his exploits in “Nick ‘Cooky’ Kukich: Covert Operative in Albania”, Warfare History Network, November 8, 2016.

Footnotes:

[1] For more on the OSS / SOE relationship during World War II read “Office of Strategic Services versus Special Operations Executive: Competition for the Italian Resistance, 1943-1945”, Journal of Cold War Studies, Vol. 17, No. 4, Fall 2015, pp. 41-58, by Tommaso Piffer, MIT Press Journals.
www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/JCWS_a_00596

References:

The OSS in World War II Albania, by Peter Lucas. Published by McFarland & Company, Inc., 2007. Available at Amazon.com.

Special Operations: AAF Aid to European Resistance Movements, 1943-1945, by Warren, Harris Gaylord, 1947.
https://archive.org/details/SpecialOperationsAAF

The Dawn of SOWT: OSS Weathermen in the Balkans, 1944, by Bryan David Carnes, Marshal University, 2015.
http://mds.marshall.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1933&context=etd

A Laconian’s Story of espionage, Fosters.com, June 3, 2007. http://www.fosters.com/article/20070603/GJNEWS02/106030294

“Peter Lucas: Albania enshrines OSS heroes”, The Lowell Sun, May 20, 2014. www.lowellsun.com/peterlucas/ci_25797841/peter-lucas-albania-enshrines-oss-heroes

Bibliography: OSS and SOE Operations in the Balkans – Albania, Intellit, Muskingum University.
http://intellit.muskingum.edu/wwii_folder/wwiioss_folder/oss_bal_alb.html

Albanian Resistance during World War II, Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albanian_resistance_during_World_War_II

Going back in history we can see that World War II UW or unconventional warfare took place in a number of theaters around the world. Most notably in France, the Balkans, and Southeast Asia. In France the Special Operations Executive (SOE) of the United Kingdom and the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) of the United States worked in conjunction with the Free French to form up, train, and parachute into France three-man Jedburgh teams. These teams linked up with the French Resistance to assist in the training, direction, equipping, and coordination to assist in the allied invasion of France.

Ben Jones, the author of Eisenhower’s Guerrillas,  recently spoke (October 28, 2016) at the Special Operations Association Symposium in Alexandra, Virginia on the topic of World War II UW. He recounts how the Jedburgh teams were formed and employed but also takes a careful look at the strategic arena and the diplomacy involved in the conduct of unconventional warfare during World War II.

He is especially keen to point out that the French Resistance had its own way of doing business and its own set of goals and objectives. The allied generals recognized this and worked within this environment. One statement by Ben Jones is key and applicable to the United States attempt (thus far somewhat haphazard) to establish resistance movements in Syria (to fight either the government regime or ISIS or both) using unconventional warfare.

“The fact that the United States seems to have no clear aim or post-war vision for the middle east today, is in my view, why we have confused our friends and can’t attract guerrilla allies. A clearly understood aim is vital in order to bring guerrillas to our side. After all, people have to know what they are fighting for, before they will be willing to fight.”

Read more about the lessons of World War II UW in “The Jedburghs and Unconventional Warfare”, The Foreign Policy Initiative, November 2016.

Military History 20160824 – Once a week we look into the past to bring to you recent news reports and stories about past military operations, conflicts, weapons and more. This week: What Soldiers carried in Vietnam, importance of historical unit patches, where did the “Green Tab” come from, book reviews on WWII special operations, and a old Soldier passes on.

“What They Carried”. Soldiers and Marines who fought in the Vietnam War carried many things to include P-38 can openers, heat tabs, ponchos, Zippo lighters for their cigarettes, gum, LRRP rations, and more. Read “What They Carried”, Pulse, August 12, 2016.

Army’s ‘Green Tab’. The green tab worn by unit commanders and senior NCOs are the result of General Eisenhower in World War II. Read “Genesis of the Army Green Tab”, by Major Matt Cavanaugh, Modern War  Institute, West Point, September 15, 2014.

General Vessey Dies. Retired Army Gen. John W. Vessey was a World War II veteran who rose from a Minnesota National Guard private to become the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs. Besides taking part in the Normandy Beach landings in WWII he was instrumental in the defeat of the Soviet Union in ‘The Cold War’. Read more in a report by the Association of the United States Army, August 19, 2016.

Battle of Long Tan (Vietnam 50 Yrs Ago). Last week marked the anniversary of a battle that took place in Vietnam that killed 18 Australians and many more Vietnamese Soldiers. Usually a commemorative event is held at the site of the battle but this year the Vietnamese government cancelled it at the last minute. Read more in “Long Tan: The Battle Haunting Australia – Vietnam Ties 50 Years After It Ended”, War on the Rocks, August 22, 2016.

Importance of Historic Army Unit Patches. To those who served in the U.S. Army the unit shoulder patch is an important symbol. Read one Army officer’s feelings on the topic in The Power of the Patch, by James King, Modern War Institute at West Point, August 21, 2016.

Book on SOE, Spies, and WWII. Read a book review on Spies in the Congo: The Race for the Ore that Built the Atomic Bomb and The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare: Churchill’s Mavericks Plotting Hitler’s Defeat in “The business of war – and espionage – is never gentlemanly”, The Spectator (UK), August 20, 2016.

During World War II the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), the forerunner of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and U.S. Army Special Forces, used the U.S. Army Air Forces to fly secret missions into Europe. The aircraft would drop supplies, equipment, and OSS agents into Nazi-occupied Europe to French, Norwegian, and other resistance groups.

The 492nd Bombardment group, known as the ‘Carpetbaggers’, used their B-24 Liberators to perform the airdrop missions. Read more in Operation CARPETBAGGER – Night Flights Over Occupied Europe, National Museum of the US Air Force, May 1, 2015.