Ccc was organized the same way as other macvsoc field commands, and its flexible composition permitted fluctuation in the number of subordinate elements depending on mission requirements. Us macvsog reconnaissance team in vietnam by gordon l. The combat elements associated with ccc were used to reinforce and assist the recon mission. Macvsog halo teams 1970 1971 rt montana 1969 rt viper onezero 1971 rt west virginia oneone 1971 rt maine 1970 rt iowa 1969 the golfcourse macvsog equipment. According to meyer, they didnt carry ids, dog tags, combat patches. This is due to the fact that many of the insignia were remade in country for new arrivals or new recon team members. Original vietnam war theater special forces macv sog recon team alaska patch. A slideshow of soldiers in the clandestine military assistance command vietnamstudies observation group who jumped the fence into cambodia and laos to conduct sensitive recon missions. In addition to recon teams, macv sog deployed exploitation teams into areas occupied by the north vietnamese army and viet cong. The citation is awarded to units for extraordinary heroism in action.
Awesome, theater made rare original vietnam elite special forces macv sog recon team viper hunter killer spike recon commandos. Vietnam war special forces green beret macv sog ccn. Entered service on 29 june 1966 at mercer, new jersey. Sog teams operating out of bases in thailand continued to operate long after the us exodus. In 1968, every macv sog recon man was wounded at least once, and about half were killed. The first chapter introduces the macvsog, followed by a chapter on the prerequisites of becoming a member of macvsog and the training those individuals received upon acceptance. This is an awesome illustrated primer on the elite military assistance command, vietnam studies and observations group macvsog. Macvsog recon casualties exceeded 100 percent, the highest sustained american loss rate since the civil war. Only one available special, rt indiana patch used worn. Headquarters macv, yet there were many more let by other agencies of the us federal government in south vietnam.
The aim of the group is to understand the missions macvsog undertook during the vietnam war by exploring its tactics and equipment through living history displays, reenactments and. It was not standard operating procedure to have an officer on a recon team, but you did what you were told to do. Besides recon teams, macvsog also deployed exploitation teams or hatchet teams which were of platoon size and. Vietnam war original theater special forces macv sog recon a team ccc patch. These were contracts let by the state department, the agency for international development and so on. Macv sog was a part of that war from beginning to end.
Original vietnam war special forces macv sog rt recon team. A hatchet force or hatchet team was a special operations team of american and south vietnamese members of macv sog during the vietnam war, who operated in small covert operations along the ho chi minh trail from 1966. Due to the unconventional nature of macvsogs mission, the gear these. He belonged to team vermont of the 5th special forces group in the macvsog military assistance command, vietnam studies and observation group. Of course we didnt wear the sog patch or a unit patch. Made of of cambodia special forces, which were cia and us special forces commanded. Pursued by human trackers and even bloodhounds, these small teams outmaneuvered, outfought and outran their. Macv sog captured three pavn soldiers from cambodia and one from laos. History of the military assistance command, vietnam macv. Macvsogmilitary assistance command, vietnamspecial operations. The uniform, cammie, shown was not an item worn by members of sog, or at least no one recalls them. Sog green berets connect with todays a teams sofrep. Apr 24, 2018 nearly a decade in the making, gentle propositions is a vietnam war odyssey as experienced through the eyes of a young special forces soldier who volunteers to run recon with macv sog out of.
How topsecret commando unit sog took on the most dangerous. He was a member of a unit called macvsog, or military assistance command, vietnam special. Soldier systems dailys inventory reflects the tigerstripes resurgence, with items ranging from a skateboard to a hat featuring the iconic pattern. The presidential unit citation army was awarded to macvsog military assistance command, vietnam studies and observations group, during a ceremony at ft. Letourneau, who ran missions with sog recon teams idaho and virginia in 6869, said it was heartwarming to learn that some contemporary a team members are wearing sog recon patches. Ccc was organized the same way as other macv soc field commands, and its flexible composition permitted fluctuation in the number of subordinate elements depending on mission requirements. Macv sog recon casualties exceeded 100 percent, the highest sustained american loss rate since the civil war. See more ideas about vietnam war, special forces and vietnam.
Macv sog ccn recon team missouri patch patch quartermaster. It was macv sog commando teams that attacked coastal defenses in north vietnam that precipitated the gulf of tonkin incident. One of the few rt units that we have specific information on re. Individual equipment team equipment weapons personal gear original macv sog gear australian sasr seal team 1. Oct 08, 2015 sog was commanded by army colonels and was a formal component of westmorelands military assistance command, vietnam macv. This page is intended for the discussion of the military assistance command vietnam team 2 located with the arvn 2nd division. Marine corps, force reconnaissance and cia personnel. Sog recons trademark gun, the xm177, was nicknamed the car15. The collector will find that many of the macv sog insignia can be found in handsewn and machinesewn versions and in many variants. The distinctive macvsog patch, was strictly unofficial and authorized for wear in base camp. Alaska ccn, asp ccn, diamondback ccn and virginia ccn in a chronological pictorial order. Macv sog special forces recon team kentucky cheesecloth backed cheesecloth backed rt kentucky very rare, cheesecloth backed patch of command and control norths, recon team kentucky special forces recon unit operating out of da nang. The tigerstripe has since become a staple for companies seeking to infuse some military history into their apparel. Never assigned an official crest or patch, sog personnel accepted this unofficial selfdesigned insignia.
Macvsog special forces recon team kentucky cheesecloth backed cheesecloth backed rt kentucky very rare, cheesecloth backed patch of command and control norths, recon team kentucky special forces recon unit operating out of da nang. Military assistance command vietnam macv study and observation group sog was the joint service high commands unconventionalwarfare task force engaged in highly classified clandestine operations throughout southeast asia. Sog teams provided the most reliable boots on the ground intelligence. Team history of a clandestine army, volume 10 is now available.
Recon teams succeeded in capturing 12 enemy soldiers in laos during that year. Military assistance command, vietnam studies and observations group macvsog was a. 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. I was assigned to a few battalions and the recon company before we started up the sensor unit. Oct 11, 2017 teams carried enough weapons, food and water to get them through a 5day recon mission. This element was a highly classified, multiservice united states special operations unit which conducted covert unconventional warfare operations prior to. Ccn, always the largest of the three macv sog field commands, was command ed by a lieutenant colonel.
During the vietnam war and in its legacy, perhaps no group of men has created more interest or exhibited more heroism and valor than the soldiers, marines, sailors. Jan 25, 2019 the distinctive macv sog patch, was strictly unofficial and authorized for wear in base camp. Macvsog reconnaissance teams were also bolstered by the creation of exploitation forces, which could either support. But despite such high losses, macv sog boasted the highest kill ratio in u. Macvsog history article the united states army army. Command and control north had its headquarters in danang. This website has been established for former advisory team members military and civilian, as well as facs, shotguns, naval, air. Macv teams military assistance command teams vietnam. The first macv sog recon teams were initially called spike teams, each team usually consisting of 3 us sf members and 9 indigenous personnel.
Nearly a decade in the making, gentle propositions is a vietnam war odyssey as experienced through the eyes of a young special forces soldier. May 22, 2018 subscribe for weekly veteran lifestyle podcasts. Macvsog recon team patch, rt west virginia ccc not sure if this is authentic, lots of remakes around, but i like the graphics. Us 5th sfg macvsog rt alabama ccc defenders recon team. The patch was worn by recon hatchet members on non uniform garments. Vietnam war theater special forces macv sog ccn recon team connecticut patch. Macv sog ccn recon team missouri patch macv sog reconnaissance teams composed of special forces soldiers and indigenous personnel penetrated the enemys most dangerous redoubts in the jungles of the laotian wilderness and the sanctuaries of eastern cambodia. It was placed there in keeping with the covert nature of their missions. The favorite sog firearm was the automatic car15, a modified m16 with a stock that expanded or contracted 1.
Military assistance command vietnam macvsog elite special forces classified operations. The first macvsog recon teams were initially called spike teams, each team usually consisting of 3 us sf members and 9 indigenous personnel. Sep 20, 2011 in 1964 military assistance command, vietnam, activated a joint unconventional task force known as the studies and observation groupmacvsog. The most unconventional and clandestine operations performed by sf personnel in vietnam were undertaken by members of macv studies and observation group a purposely misleading title which gave little indication of the units real function. Army special forces green berets, navy seal teams, air force combat controllers, marine recons, air force special operations pilots of the 90th special operations wing, and other special operations personnel. Pursued by human trackers and even bloodhounds, these small teams outmaneuvered, outfought and outran their numerically superior. Small groups of americans often in remote areas supported only by vietnamese forces whose capabilities and loyalty were sometimes suspect. A knife more commonly seen in use by the usmc it was one of the more common knives used by macv sog teams.
Frankly, i was amazed to see the sog recon patches, said watkins, who served. Elite, us special forces rt recon team asp macvsog cheesecloth backed recon team asp rt asp command and control da nang danang full airborne qualified unit including indigenous personnel. The units specialized in search and destroy missions and in locating missing american servicemen in laos, cambodia and north vietnam. It was assigned conduct of classified special unconventional warfare missions into laos and north vietnam. Letourneau, who ran missions with sog recon teams idaho and virginia in 6869, said it was heartwarming to learn that some contemporary. Every american on these teams would also carry a 40mm grenade launcher, the m79. Macv teams were out there alone not on base camps, air bases or at sea. Military assistance command vietnam macvsog elite special forces. The distinctive macv sog patch, was strictly unofficial and authorized for wear in base camp. During the vietnam war and in its legacy, perhaps no group of men has created more interest or exhibited more heroism. In 1964 military assistance command, vietnam, activated a joint unconventional task force known as the studies and observation groupmacvsog. The military assistance command, vietnam studies and observations group macvsog was a highly classified, multiservice united states special forces unit which conducted covert unconventional warfare operations prior to and during the vietnam war. We would always carry a basic load of 550600 rounds for the carpet team, about 10 hand grenades and a dozen or more rounds for the m79 grenade launcher. During the vietnam war and in its legacy, perhaps no group of men has created more interest or exhibited more heroism and valor than the soldiers, marines, sailors and.
Ccn was organized along the lines of ccc and was composed of spike recon teams rt, hatchet forces and lettered slam companies. Besides recon teams, macvsog also deployed exploitation teams or hatchet teams which were of platoon size and consisted of americans and indigenous. Ccc fielded approximately 30 recon teams that were named after us states. Vietnam war special forces green beret macv sog ccn recon. On 28 november 1970 recon team kentucky was conducting a longrange reconnaissance mission in attopeu province, laos, near the triborder area of vietnam, laos and cambodia. Ccc was formed by macvsog in late 1967, located in. The collector will find that many of the macvsog insignia can be found in handsewn and machinesewn versions and in many variants. Col john singlaub, the co chief of sog in 1968, was a key member of westmorelands staff in the 101st airborne division and was personally selected by westmoreland to command sog. Macvsog recon team members stand with pat watkins shortly after he.
In 1968, sog recon teams conducted hundreds of missions gathering valuable intelligence but suffered 79 special forces soldiers killed in action or missing. Special forces vietnam macvsog recon team patches with. There were sog patches worn, it seems at fob 2 by nonoperational recon hatchet members on their uniforms. It is interesting to note that the green berets in many cases wore their patches inside the green beret. But despite such high losses, macvsog boasted the highest kill ratio in u. Oct 6, 2015 special forces vietnam macvsog recon team patches. Raymond harris service was unlike that of any other veteran interviewed for this series. Military assistance command, vietnam studies and observations. Vietnam war theater special forces macv sog recon team. As a cover its mission was to conduct analysis of lessons learned in combat involved all branches of service.
Records of military assistance command, vietnam macv. Finally, nnr has accessioned the military prime contract. Teams carried enough weapons, food and water to get them through a 5day recon mission. Both sog and the 5th special forces group had been preparing for just such an eventuality. Cheesecloth backed vietnam war patch filler made for collecting, swapping, made during conflict and through to midlate 1980s in vietnam pieces were made in vietnam. Macv sog reconnaissance teams composed of special forces soldiers and indigenous personnel that penetrated the enemys most dangerous redoubts in the jungles of the laotian wilderness and the sanctuaries of eastern cambodia. Macvsog the black operators of the vietnam war the. Macv sog halo teams 1970 1971 rt montana 1969 rt viper onezero 1971 rt west virginia oneone 1971 rt maine 1970 rt iowa 1969 the golfcourse macv sog equipment. In april 1967, macv sog was ordered to commence operation daniel boone, a crossborder recon effort in cambodia. This was the logical military move at this point in the conflict, but it was already too late. In midafternoon, the team, which consisted of two us special forces soldiers and a number of arvn special forces personnel, was attacked by a companysized enemy force. This is an excellent little primer on the military assistance command vietnam studies and operations group macvsog which operated during the vietnam war. Ranging deep in the enemys rear, macvsog reconnaissance teams forced. In 1968, every macvsog recon man was wounded at least once, and about half were killed.
Individual equipment team equipment weapons personal gear original macvsog gear australian sasr seal team 1. Black rifle coffee company will also be launching a line of tigerstripe apparel in the near future. Awesome, theater made rare original vietnam special forces macv sog recon team indiana patch. Conducted classified operations into laos and cambodia. One of the teams weekend purchases was a deact m19 mortar tube as used by some macv sog teams when running heavy. Richard lewis cox ssgt e6, 5 th sf, sog attachment, kontum, vn, ccc and ccn, rt arkansas was the one zero of recon team arkansas for a tour.
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