Martin Walsh at PLATATAC was given this old 16mm film canister several years ago by an old friend Doug Knight of the Australian Commando Assn. It’s now available on YouTube.
Archive for the ‘History’ Category
Australian Special Air Service (1973)
Sunday, November 9th, 2025Now That’s a Hat!
Wednesday, October 29th, 2025
Sergeant Alwyn John Blades (left), Royal Australian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (RAEME), of Montague Bay, Tasmania and Corporal Frank Crazy Thunder (right) of the 173rd United States Airborne Support Battalion and member of the Oglala Lakota tribe, swap hats at Bien Hoa United States Air Base, Vietnam.
Taken September 1965. Corporal Crazy Thunder wears the iconic slouch hat of the Australian Army and Sergeant Blades wears a larger than normal “Ten Gallon” hat Corporal Crazy Thunder had custom made.
RAEME engineers with the 1st Australian Logistics Company in support of the 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (1RAR) were stationed at Bien Hoa from June of 1965 until June of 1966 when they were moved to Vung Tau.
Courtesy of the Australian War Memorial
Accession Number: DNE/65/0371/VN
Photographer: Sergeant Brian Rupert Dunne
Now This Is An Interesting Photo
Sunday, October 26th, 2025In this taken sometime in October 1968 photo you see USAF General Curtis LeMay meeting with 5th SFG(A) Colonel Harold “Hank “ Aaron at 5th Group HQ in Na Trang, Republic of Vietnam.
Although LeMay is in a simple set of fatigues, he was obviously a civilian when this photo was taken. He had retired in 1965 as Chief of Staff of the Air Force. This is right at the end of his failed bid for Vice Presidency as running mate of George Wallace in their 3rd party candidacy on the American Independent Party ticket. Even Wallace’s staffers thought he was out there for his stance on nuclear weapons.
LeMay served in the US Army’s air component and then in the Air Force from 1929 until 1965 with service in World War Two as well as the Korea and Vietnam wars. Having overseen the use of nuclear weapons at the end of WWII, he was the first commander of Strategic Air Command from 48-57 and transitioned the bomber five from propeller to jet engines aircraft. He also led the first deployment of ICBMs and was a vocal supporter of their use in conflict which often put him at odds with the civilian leadership. He was known as a staunch disciplinarian during his time as Commander of SAC but that actually began during the war in the Pacific when he dealt with high abort rates of bombing missions by declaring that he would fly the lead bomber on all missions and that any crew who did not make it over the target would be court martialled.
We also have LeMay to thank for buying the first M16s for use by Air Police while Chief of Staff, directing the acquisition of 80,000 M16s in 1962.
Operation Urgent Fury
Saturday, October 25th, 2025
On the morning of October 25th, 1983, America awoke to reports that US forced had invaded the small Caribbean nation of Grenada, in order to liberate American medical students from danger posed by political instability. Joined by Regional Security System troops from a variety of Caribbean partner nations, they swiftly overwhelmed the Grenadian and Cuban troops. While Operation Urgent Fury was in name, a joint force operation, and included the use of Special Operations Forces, it highlighted many interoperability challenges, such as use of joint operational overlays and communications issues.
Several stove pipe problems suffered by the pre-Goldwater-Nichols military were identified during this operation. Additionally, Urgent Fury was conducted with many systems dating from the Vietnam war.
Just six years later, during the invasion of Panama, saw the first employment of several new weapons developed during the Reagan buildup such as the F-117 stealth fighter and the Marine Corps LAV-25. Grenada was a great learning experience for the US military as it highlighted issues with joint service operations, particularly in the communications arena as well as interoperability between Special Operations and General Purpose forces. For example, SOF also took a much more prominent role in operation Blue Spoon during the Panama invasion. We’ve come even further in the past three decades.
Finally, as with any conflict, lives were lost. Let us not forget the 19 Americans killed in action and the 116 who were wounded. Unfortunately, there were also 24 Grenadian civilians killed in the conflict.
E-4 Mafia
Monday, October 20th, 2025When I joined the Army Reserve during my Junior year of High School in 1985 we still had Spec-5 and Spec-6s in my unit although they would change later that year to hard stripe NCOs. Until the late 70s there was an also E-7 version. They were abbreviated SP4 through SP7. When they dropped all but the E-4 version the abbreviation became SPC.
The current rank is a leftover from a period during the Cold War Army which had a traditional striped NonCommissioned Officer track for combat arms Soldiers and a Specialist track for technicians. Allegedly, there were two super grades which would take a Soldier all the way to SP9 but I have yet to actually see any evidence of SP8 or SP9 and the ranks were discontinued in 1968 due to concerns a Specialist could be working for an NCO with a lower pay grade. However, the E-4 through E-7 versions were out there in droves throughout the Vietnam-era. Today, the pay grade of E-4 is the largest single pay grade in the Army and is crucial to getting things done. We salute you!
E-Mafia is offering a bundle of OCP embroidered Specialist Rank from Spec-5 through Spec-9 along with a slew of E-4 Mafia morale boosters.
The Click-Rs of WW2
Sunday, October 19th, 2025
Origins and Development
The clicker, formally known as the ‘cricket’, was developed to counteract the challenges of operating in low-visibility conditions, particularly during airborne drops behind enemy lines. The idea was simple yet ingenious—create an audible signal that Allied soldiers could easily use to identify one another without revealing their position to the enemy. The cricket was an inconspicuous, compact device, resembling a small, metal pocket-sized container with a lever that produced a distinct clicking sound. Its design allowed for quick operation—just a light flick of the finger yielded a sound that could travel several yards, depending on the terrain and conditions.
The Man Behind the Clicker
The cricket was popularized by the 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment, part of the 101st Airborne Division, during the D-Day operations in Normandy. Soldiers were trained to use the clicker to establish contact with fellow paratroopers in the dark chaos after jumping from planes. Major Richard Winters, who commanded Easy Company, famously employed the clickers in his strategic operations. His regiment, featured in the book and television series “Band of Brothers,” highlighted the crucial role the cricket played in navigating post-drop confusion.
The Sound of Survival
During the intense nights following the D-Day drop on June 6, 1944, the air was filled with the sounds of war—artillery fire, distant explosions, and the muffled chatter of troops. Amid this cacophony, the click of the cricket became a lifeline, allowing soldiers to identify allies in a sea of shadows. Each click was more than a sound; it was a coded message that signaled, “I’m friendly—where are you?” Simplicity was the clicker’s most significant advantage. Unlike radios, which could fail due to interference or battery depletion, the cricket worked without any power source and was remarkably easy to use under stress. It allowed soldiers to communicate discreetly and efficiently, minimizing the risk of detection from enemy forces.
Tactical Implementation
The use of clickers was not just random; it was part of a broader set of tactical signals that airborne soldiers utilized in conjunction with other means of communication. Soldiers were trained to recognize specific click patterns; one click might mean “good to go,” while a series of clicks could indicate a request for support or urgent assistance. This method of communication was particularly vital during crucial moments, such as consolidating troops after a drop and planning subsequent maneuvers in enemy territory. The ability to quickly identify fellow soldiers was instrumental in U.S. troops’ efforts to regroup and execute their mission, especially in the chaotic aftermath of airborne operations.
Legacy and Cultural Impact
Although crickets fell out of use after World War II, their impact on military strategy and communication methods can still be felt today. The lessons learned from utilizing simple tools like the clicker have influenced modern military protocols concerning communication during covert operations. In pop culture, references to the cricket have appeared as symbols of camaraderie, remembrance, and the relentless spirit of the U.S. soldiers who came before us. They serve as a reminder of the ingenuity and resilience of individuals who fought under dire circumstances. The clickers used by U.S. Army airborne soldiers during World War II may seem like a minor tool in the vast arsenal of warfare. Yet, their contribution to the success of numerous operations is undeniable. They embodied the spirit of adaptability and innovation among soldiers who faced extraordinary challenges. In the annals of military history, the clicker remains a testament to the power of simple solutions in complex battles. This small device played a significant role in the fight for freedom.
This article on the military history of the Cricket Clicker was submitted by Black Hills Designs who offers them for sale as well as a mount for a rifle or a pouch for your load bearing gear.
Anniversary of the Battle of Mogadishu
Friday, October 3rd, 2025On this date in 1993, US service members were engaged in what is now known as the Battle of Mogadishu. They were assigned to a joint organization named ”TF Ranger” to deploy to Mogadishu, Somalia in support of a UN-led humanitarian mission. Tgeir mission was dismantle an armed militia which was threatening that aid program.
By October 3rd, they had been conducting operations for quite some time, but that day’s raid would be unlike anything they had yet experienced. The mission was to raid the city’s Olympic Hotel in order to capture key leaders of the Aidid Militia who had been opposing UN efforts to feed the locals.
Unfortunately, during the exfil portion of the raid, a battle ensued which claimed the lives of 18 Americans and wounded another 73. Additionally, CW3 Michael Durant was captured by the Aideed militia after being shot down while piloting his Blackhawk. Fortunately, Durant was later repatriated and went on to retire from the 160th.
Of the men killed that day, two would be awarded the Medal of Honor, Delta Operators Gary Gordon and Randy Shughart, for their selfless efforts to protect Durant after his aircraft, callsign Super 64, was shot down.
A few years ago, the US Army reevaluated the awards presented to the participants of that battle and amongst the Ranger element, upgraded 60 veteran’s awards including 58 Silver Stars and two Distinguished Flying Crosses. The order of battle included other organizations and their Soldiers have received similar upgrades.
If you are unfamiliar with the events, one of the best accounts of the battle is contained in the book, “Blackhawk Down” by author Mark Bowden. Much of the information was serialized prior to the book’s publication in the Philadelphia Enquirer. Later this was made into a movie bearing the same name.
Please take a moment to remember these men and their sacrifice.
Additionally, the 75th Ranger Regiment was created on this day in 1984, along with the stand up of its 3rd Battalion. Four decades later, the Ranger Regiment boasts five battalions of some of the most elite warriors on the face of our planet.
Signal Corps Radio-Controlled Drones: Origins of the UAS Program
Saturday, August 23rd, 2025Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) are a hallmark of the transforming mission of the U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Command as it embraces the principles behind Army Continuous Transformation. Modern UAS technology is touted as the future of the force, capable of performing a wide array of tasks while keeping Soldiers safe from harm. Although UAS use has been highlighted in recent news coverage of war-fighting efforts across the globe, the basis for current developments begins with the Signal Corps almost 70 years ago.
The CECOM Historical Archive collection documents the use of drone technology for surveillance throughout the late 1950s and early 1960s, a natural progression of the U.S. Army Signal Corps’ historic aviation and photography missions.
An article in the March-April 1956 edition of “Tec-Tac,” Technical and Tactical Training Aid Nonresident Conference Course, produced by The Signal School, Fort Monmouth, NJ, highlights the early development of drone technology for surveillance, written for the knowledge of Signal Soldiers.
Development by the Signal Corps of a new camera-carrying drone will give the combat commander front-line aerial surveillance photographs in less than an hour and at no risk to personnel. The drone, a radio-controlled aerial target plane, was equipped at the Army Electronic Proving Ground (at Fort Huachuca, AZ) for its aerial surveillance mission. The drone can fly in excess of 200 miles an hour and climb at a rate of several thousand feet a minute. Although its take-off is jet-assisted, the drone operates on a gasoline motor-driven propeller while in the air. Equipped with still and motion picture cameras, the drone provides aerial photographic coverage at altitudes from a few hundred feet up to more than four miles.
That same year, a captioned photograph depicted Soldiers operating radio remote controls that could pilot a television robot plane up to 40 miles away. The unmanned aircraft transmitted aerial views of distant sites, using lightweight television equipment developed at the Army’s Signal Corps Engineering Laboratories at Fort Monmouth. The airborne TV station weighed 135 pounds, less than a human pilot.
Development continued through the late 1950s and early 1960s, with the 1957 experiments of a Night Hawk drone, a nighttime photo system, and a still picture camera installed in Target Drone RP-71; the surveillance drone SD-2 of 1959 tested at Yuma Proving Ground, and the 1962 Infrared Surveillance System AN/UAS-4.
In Germany, a photograph taken in April 1960 documents the men of the Drone Section USA Surveillance Unit, Europe, lined up behind the SD-1 Surveillance Drone that flew the first and one hundredth Surveillance Drone flight in Europe as a demonstration for Secretary of Defense Thomas S. Gates, Jr. This was the next-to-last demonstration — the last one was for AUSA members.
In 1965, however, the Army Chief of Staff directed the Army Materiel Command that funds would not be expended on a complete drone system until formal requirements for drones were established, and a study was conducted regarding the need for drones, weighing the desired capabilities against the complexity of operations, maintenance, and training. As the U.S. began operations in Southeast Asia in the mid-1960s, the widespread testing and development of the technology vanished from the historical record, likely due to the densely forested landscape of Vietnam that limited the effectiveness of this type of developing surveillance technology. By 1966, many of the programs that were being developed and tested were declared obsolete, and the technologies and resources were reallocated to other areas across the U.S. Army Electronics Command, a CECOM predecessor.
Though sidelined in the 1960s due to mission needs and the changing face of warfare, the Signal Corps’ drone program laid the foundation for the autonomous systems and capabilities that continue to shape the future of military operations.
By Susan Thompson, CECOM Command Historian
