K-ISOM - Kommando Magazine Special Edition 1/2025

Issue No. I/2025 “MACV-SOG 1964-1972”

02 Contents
03 Preface
04 Introduction: The backstory.
– Dutch East Indies 1945.
– The Korean War 1950 – 1953.
– The Indochina War 1946 – 1954.
-Australia First! Vietnam 1965 + CIA.
10 The founding of the Green Berets of the Special Forces in 1952.
– First Special Service Force 1942.
– “Jedburghs” 1943.
– OSS (Office of Strategic Services)
– Establishment of the Special Forces and their structure from 1952 onwards.
16 The Vietnam War 1965 – 1973.
– Security policy background.
– Military situation in 1965.
– Shadow Wars.
19 US Special Forces in Vietnam.
– Structures, staffing levels, units.
28 Military Assistance Command, Vietnam.
– MACV and the CIA.
– MACV – SOG.
– Reconnaissance Projects.
– SOG in detail: “Spike” & “Roadrunner”.
– “Hatchet” & “Mike” Force.
52 MACV-SOG Operational Management:
– “Prairie Fire” operations.
– Laos & Cambodia.
– “Slam” operations.
– Operation Shining Brass.
– OPS Plan, Alpha 1, Larry Thorne.
– Operation “Daniel Boone”.
– “Snakebite,” JPRC, Air Ops.
– OPS35 & “Footboy”, STRATA.
– “Salem House” operations.
– Operation “Tailwind”.
– Operations “Tailwind”/“Kingpin”.
– Operation Thundercloud.
64 Air warfare in Vietnam.
76 Equipment from MACV-SOG.
86 MACV-SOG armament.
94 “Apocalypse Now” – The true story.
96 Imprint