In today's SOF Pic of the Day, Staff Sergeant Robert James Graham is shown with his bow in Vietnam. If you look carefully, you can see that Graham is clutching it with his right hand. Graham wasn't just any old regular grunt; he was a MACV-SOG commando during his time in Vietnam. And he didn't pick up that bow in country; he wrote a letter back home to a buddy in Canada … [Read more...] about SOF Pic of the Day: MACV-SOG Commando Robert James Graham and His Bow in Vietnam
As the U.S.'s involvement in Vietnam steadily grew with more conventional troops, so did its secret war. To counter the Viet Cong's guerrilla campaign, which was supported by the North Vietnamese Army (NVA) and was raging inside South Vietnam, the Pentagon established a highly secretive special operations organization in 1964. The Military Assistance Command Vietnam-Studies … [Read more...] about MACV-SOG, Created in Vietnam, Still Influences US Special Operations
On this day 57 years ago, the Military Assistance Command Vietnam (MACV), activated the "Studies and Observation Group" which became known simply as SOG. MACV headquarters in Saigon issued General Order 6, which created a highly secret new organization, Joint Special Operations Task Force to execute clandestine operations. SOG, was approved by President Lyndon Johnson three … [Read more...] about January 24, 1964, MACV-SOG is Created, Joint SOF Task Force
Christmas Day, 1968 was just another day for MACV-SOG Spike Team Idaho. Early that morning ST Idaho was loaded onto Kingbees and flown to the Quang Tri launch site. That day’s target was one of the MA targets west of the DMZ in Laos, along the river that ran through the DMZ. In the briefing room there was a large map with all of the DMZ targets and all of the MA targets in … [Read more...] about A hot MACV-SOG Christmas Day in Laos
Editors note: MACV-SOG was organized and functioned as the first true joint special operations task force (JSOTF). Formed during the Vietnam War, the unit conducted special operations, to include providing intelligence, psychological operations, and personnel recovery, in support of the theater campaign … [Read more...] about John “Tilt” Meyer’s MACV-SOG Loadout
Near the end of September, the brass asked Schaff if he’d mind becoming the One-One, or assistant team leader. The brass wanted to put an overweight Special Forces sergeant from Germany who had a previous tour of duty with a Green Beret A-Team, but no experience in Laos, in the One-Zero slot simply because he had more rank. Schaff objected. He was quietly removed from the team … [Read more...] about Across the Fence with MACV-SOG: You shot me three times
Near the end of September, the brass asked Schaff if he’d mind becoming the One-One, or assistant team leader. The brass wanted to put an overweight Special Forces sergeant from Germany who had a previous tour of duty with a Green Beret A-Team, but no experience in Laos, in the One-Zero slot simply because he had more rank. Schaff objected. He was quietly removed from the team … [Read more...] about SOFREP ARCHIVE: Across the fence with MACV-SOG, ‘You shot me 3 times.’
Jack Murphy is back in studio, and it's been nearly a hundred episodes since we've heard from our MACV-SOG writer John Stryker Meyer. There is no shortage of things to talk about with John. For one, he has an article out detailing how the current administration has completely ignored the POW/MIA issue and in particular is yet to name a director for the DPAA (Defense Prisoner … [Read more...] about Episode 263: Army MACV-SOG Vietnam vet John Stryker Meyer furious over inaction by Trump administration on POW/MIA issue
Near the end of September, the brass asked Schaff if he’d mind becoming the One-One, or assistant team leader. The brass wanted to put an overweight Special Forces sergeant from Germany who had a previous tour of duty with a Green Beret A-Team, but no experience in Laos, in the One-Zero slot simply because he had more rank. Schaff objected. He was quietly removed from the team … [Read more...] about Across the fence with MACV-SOG: You shot me 3 times
I thought you guys might enjoy this video I discovered the other day, it gives a nice peek into the world of our Vietnam-era Special Operations units: Before SOCOM: LRRPs, Rangers, UDT/SEALs, Special Forces, MACV-SOG, Force Recon… This article originally published on SOFREP 04.01.2012 … [Read more...] about An era before SOCOM: LRRPs, Rangers, UDT/SEALs, Special Forces, MACV-SOG, Force Recon… SOFREP Original Content
All the content in this article comes from ProfessionalSoldiers.com, a forum from Green Berets for Green Berets. I had read it and listened to the recording many years before I come aboard at SOFREP and I wanted to share it as a tribute to the brave men of MACV-SOG as this piece of history showcases vividly what those men endured. This is a recording of two Recon Teams … [Read more...] about Radio traffic from Vietnam: MACV-SOG recon teams in contact
As time marches forward, SOFREP continues to reflect on Spec Ops history, including insights into once-secret operations. One such secret operation was conducted for eight years during the Vietnam War, hidden from the press, the public, and the politicians. The secret war was conducted under the aegis of the Military Assistance Command Vietnam - Studies and Observations Group, … [Read more...] about SFC Ricardo Gonzalez Davis: A MACV-SOG Warrior Remembered
