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Operation Eagle Claw

Tuesday, April 24th, 2018

Today marks the anniversary of Operation Eagle Claw. In the early morning hours of 25 April, 1980 President Carter announced to a stunned world that the United States had undertaken an ambitious raid into Iran to liberate 52 American hostages held illegally at our Embassy compound in Tehran. Unfortunately, Operation Eagle Claw was unsuccessful and we lost eight American servicemen in a horrible aircraft ground collision. Join me in remembering their sacrifice.

However, their deaths were not in vain. The hostages were eventually repatriated and the accident was the watershed event that created, over the next several decades, the world’s preeminent Special Operations capability; USSOCOM and its components. We wouldn’t be where are today without the determination of that fledgling task force. Join me in remembering those that had the guts to try.

Posted in History, Memorial, SOF | 2 Comments »

Shoot That Guy, That One Right Over There

Monday, April 23rd, 2018

Larry Burrows photo, c1969.

Posted in History | 8 Comments »

Forgotten Weapons with Larry Vickers on the XM-8 Carbine

Friday, April 20th, 2018

Fogotten Weapons hosts Larry Vickers as he discusses the XM-8.

Tags: Forgotten Weapons, Larry Vickers
Posted in Advertiser, History, weapons | 12 Comments »

Patriot’s Day – America’s Beginnings

Thursday, April 19th, 2018

While some may argue that the Boston Massacre marks the beginning of the Revolutionary War due to the deaths of Colonists, the events of April 19th, 1775 mark the first shots from an American Army, on British troops, starting a war that would last for over eight years and see the ascendency of the American Eagle over this land we now call the United States.

This battle is also where we draw our concept of the iconic Minute Man from.

Each Patriot’s Day, I remember those men at Concord and consider what it must have been for them to stand there together, in the face of the world’s greatest army and take up arms in the defense of their colony from oppression.

This militia came together on that morning to protect their arms from seizure by an oppressive government. That is a fact.

“Stand your ground. Don’t fire unless fired upon, but if they mean to have a war, let it begin here.”
-John Parker
Captain of Militia

As the initial volleys of fire were exchanged near daybreak on Lexington Green, colonial volunteers fell back in the face of over 500 occupying British troops. But as the battle moved on to Concord, the tide turned, and the redcoats were routed as more and more colonists joined the fray.

The British troops retreated through Concord where they were reinforced. Despite boasting a strength of 1700 men, they remained no match for the determined colonists who forced them to retreat to the safety of Charlestown in Boston. The militiamen continued their pursuit which transformed into the Siege of Boston.

Today, join me in remembering those American warriors who pledged their lives to give us our hard fought freedoms and this great land.

Posted in History | 8 Comments »

Brothers in Berets: The Evolution of Air Force Special Tactics, 1953–2003

Saturday, April 7th, 2018

MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala. —
Air University Press new publication announcement:

Brothers in Berets: The Evolution of Air Force Special Tactics, 1953–2003 by Forrest L. Marion.

Relying largely on oral history interviews, this work explores the evolution and contributions of the Battlefield Airmen assigned to Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) special tactics units over 50 years.

“Their story deserves telling within the US Air Force and to the general public,” notes Gen John Jumper, USAF, retired.

Battlefield Airmen core competencies include performing duties primarily on the ground, often “outside the wire,” and under austere conditions—all skills needed for carrying the fight to the enemy on the ground. The AFSOC special tactics community is a small brotherhood of highly trained and equally dedicated warriors consisting of special tactics officers and combat controllers, combat rescue officers and pararescuemen, and officer and enlisted special operations weathermen.

Its members have proven themselves as force multipliers time and time again throughout their history in places like Somalia, Serbia, and the battlefields of Afghanistan and Iraq.

Download our publications at www.airuniversity.af.mil/AUPress. Order publications by e-mailing aupress@us.af.mil or calling 334-953-2773 (DSN 493). Publications are also available at the Air University Press Bookstore, 600 Chennault Circle, Building 1405 (Muir S. Fairchild Research Information Center), Maxwell AFB.

Posted in Air Force, History, SOF | 2 Comments »

Combat Control Teams Used AR-15s As Early As 1965 In Vietnam

Wednesday, March 21st, 2018

CMSgt Gene Alcock (USAF, Ret) has long served his country in both the Air Force and industry. These past years, he’s continued as a historian, documenting the history of the Combat Control Teams he served on. He recently shared this photo from 1965 which depicts one of the earliest uses of the AR-15 rifle in a combat setting.

USAF NEWS FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

HQ, 2D AIR DIVISION (PACAF), APO SAN FRANCISCO, CA 93307

14 OCTOBER 1965 – BONG SON SPECIAL FORCES CAMP, RVN – CCT TSgt Stan Williams, 32, of Erwin, NC “talks in” a C-123 Provider of the 315th Air Commando Group during an airlift of Army of the Republic of Vietnam troops at Bong Son Special Forces camp. The army unit was heading for Tuy Hoa North, after spending more than two months in the field. Watching the aircraft land is TSgt Gene Adcock, 28, of Christopher, IL, another member of the team.

The radio vehicle pictured is the MRC-94. The weapon, an Armalite AR-15 and a B- 2 air traffic control light are shown on the ground at the right wheel.
(Air Force Photo by SSgt B. W. Cook)

Tags: CCT
Posted in Air Force, History, weapons | 9 Comments »

Army Historical Foundation Calls for Stories of Women Soldiers

Saturday, March 17th, 2018

ARLINGTON, Va. – The Army Historical Foundation is calling for women Soldiers, or loved ones and friends on their behalf, to submit their stories of service to the Foundation’s Registry of the American Soldier. The Registry is a searchable online record of photos and Soldiers’ stories that will appear in the future National Museum of the United States Army, currently under construction at Fort Belvoir, Va. The Foundation is encouraging women to enter their stories to ensure the Registry reflects the diversity of the 30 million Americans who have served in the U.S. Army.

“The military community rightly commemorates Women’s History Month every March by highlighting the contributions of our women service members, but it’s important that these Soldiers also see their time in uniform permanently honored, year-round,” said retired Gen. Ann E. Dunwoody, Foundation board member and the first women to achieve the rank of four-star general. “The Registry of the American Soldier provides a way for all Soldiers to see their stories forever preserved in the nation’s future home for U.S. Army history.”

More than 117,000 Soldiers are currently entered in the Registry, which is already accessible online. Photos of Soldiers in uniform accompanying their stories are encouraged. There is no cost to submit a story. The Foundation also hosts a Registry for Army family members; Department of the Army Civilians (DAC); and other supporters of the Army; and a separate Registry for Army service animals.

To submit an entry for the Registry, visit armyhistory.org and click “Registries.”

Tags: Army Historical Foundation
Posted in For the Ladies, History | Comments Off on Army Historical Foundation Calls for Stories of Women Soldiers

REFORGER 87

Sunday, March 11th, 2018

Return of Forces to Germany or REFORGER was an annual exercise in Europe during the Cold War. It featured units arriving in Europe and drawing equipment from Prepositioning Of Materiel Configured in Unit Set (POMCUS) sites and then rolling out to engage a fictitious enemy. European-based units conducted training based on their General Defense Plans. A Combat Photography unit captured III Corps’ portions of the 1987 REFORGER exercise on video. At the time there were two additional Corps (V and VII) already in Germany.

Since I am currently in Germany and participated in REFORGER 88, which was actually the last of the series to feature large maneuver, I thought it would be a cool share.

Part 1

Part 2

Posted in Cold War, History | 29 Comments »