Description
Book Synopsis"The ultimate reference on Army Special Operations in Vietnam. One thing for sure, you will want to read this book."
Vietnam veteran, 173rd Airborne Brigade"It's a book that any aspiring future Special Forces troop should read."
Major General Jack Singlaub, (ret), U.S. Army Special Forces, CIA and OSSDuring the Vietnam War, the Special Forces men of the top-secret Studies and Observations Group ran covert operations deep behind enemy lines - along the Ho Chi Minh Trail in Laos, into the enemy’s secret Cambodian sanctuaries, even striking into the heartland of North Vietnam. In 1972 the U.S. military destroying all known photos of the top-secret Studies and Observations Group, with the intention that details could never be made public. But unknown to those in charge, SOG veterans brought back with them hundreds of photographs of SOG in action and kept them secret for more than three decades. This new edition brings together an amazing collection of more than 700 irreplaceable photos bring to life the stories of SOG legends Larry Thorne, Bob Howard, Dick Meadows, George Sisler, "Q" and others, and documents what really happened deep inside enemy territory: Operation Tailwind, the Son Tay raid, SOG's defense of Khe Sanh, Hatchet Force operations, Bright Light rescues, HALO insertions, string extractions, SOG's darkest programs and much more. This book captures some of the most dramatic combat photos to emerge from the war, creating a stunning mosaic telling SOG's entire story.
Trade ReviewIf you are interested in Southeast Asia wars, this is an essential volume for both the aviation historian and the scale modeler. * IPMS USA 14/12/2022 *
...gives fascinating insight into this shadowy organization. * Military Heritage 10/11/2022 *
Table of ContentsPART ONE: THE SECRET WAR BEGINS Chapter 1: Colby’s Covert War Chapter 2: Switching Back—SOG Is Born Chapter 3: Shining Brass PART TWO: THE HO CHI MINH TRAIL Chapter 4: Unfolding the Mysteries of the Trail PART THREE: SOG’s AIR ARM Chapter 5: Blackbirds and Night Skies Chapter 6: Special Helicopters and Special Crews Chapter 7: FACs and Fighters PART FOUR: RECON WEAPONS, MISSIONS, AND TACTICS Chapter 8: Recon Equipment and Weapons Chapter 9: Recon Missions Chapter 10: NVA Counterrecon Forces and Tactics Chapter 11: Recon Tactics and Techniques PART FIVE: RECON OPERATIONS Chapter 12: Getting Teams In and Out Chapter 13: HALO: The Ultimate Infiltration Technique Chapter 14: The Recon Ethic Chapter 15: Into Cambodia PART SIX: SOG’S HATCHET FORCES Chapter 16: Hatchet Force Operations Chapter 17: Operation Tailwind PART SEVEN: OTHER FRONTS IN THE SECRET WARS Chapter 18: Bright Light Rescues Chapter 19: The Greatest Raid of All Chapter 20: SOG in the Defense Chapter 21: SOG’s Darkest Programs Afterword Glossary
