By 1967, MACV-SOG had also been given the mission of supporting the new Muscle Shoals portion of the electronic and physical barrier system under construction along the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) in I Corps. Never happy with its long-term agent operations in North Vietnam, SOG decided to initiate a new program whose missions would be shorter in duration, conducted closer to South Vietnam, and carried out by smaller teams. The 5th SF had gone so far as to create Projects B-56 Sigma and B-50 Omega, units based on SOG's Shining Brass organization, which had been conducting in-country recon efforts on behalf of the field forces, awaiting authorization to begin the Cambodian operations. The Laotian cross-border effort was renamed Prairie Fire and it was combined with Daniel Boone in the newly created Ground Studies Group (OPS-35). SOG recon teams were tasked with reconnaissance and the hand emplacement of electronic sensors both in the western DMZ (Nickel Steel) and in southeastern Laos.[22]. On 21 September 1965 the Pentagon authorized MACSOG to begin cross-border operations within Laos in areas contiguous to the South Vietnam's western border. General Westmoreland, encouraged by the Joint Chiefs of Staff, requested 200,000 more troops, under the stipulation that they would be used to conduct cross-border operations to pursue the foe. On 18 October 1965, MACV-SOG conducted its first cross-border mission against target D-1, a suspected truck terminus on Laotian Route 165, 15 miles (24 km) inside Laos. Missions into North Vietnam were initiated as early as I February 1964 under Operation Plan 34A. MACV had sought authority for the launching of such missions (Operation Shining Brass) since 1964 in an attempt to put boots on the ground in a reconnaissance role to observe, first hand, the enemy logistical system known as the Ho Chi Minh Trail (the Truong Son Road to the North Vietnamese). The unit was more concerned over Washington's continuous rejection of one of the original goals of the operation: the formation of a resistance movement by potential dissident elements in North Vietnam. [36], The teams were ferried into action by RVNAF H-34 Kingbees of the 219th Helicopter Squadron and assorted U.S. Army aviation units in the Prairie Fire area, and by the USAF helicopters of the 20th SOS in the Salem House area. Operations into Laos commenced in September 1965 as part of Operation SHINING BRASS, renamed PRAIRIE FIRE in 1968. Since the enemy had to come out from his cover and launched conventional operations, the U.S. and South Vietnam lost no opportunity in engaging them. This fiction was supported by the radio broadcasts of SOG's "Voice of the SSPL", leaflet drops, and gift kits containing pre-tuned radios which could only receive broadcasts from the unit's transmitters. [citation needed] On 8 February, 16,000 (later 20,000) South Vietnamese troops, backed by U.S. helicopter and air support, rolled into Laos along Route 9 and headed for the PAVN logistical hub at Tchepone. High Shining Brass - Kindle edition by Lomax, Don, Durand, Robert, Lomax, Don, Robins, Clem. Operations into Laos commenced in September 1965 as part of Operation SHINING BRASS, renamed PRAIRIE FIRE in 1968. That opportunity was provided by the overthrow of Cambodia's Prince Sihanouk by the pro-American General Lon Nol.[40]. His account of the Vietnam War, "A Bright Shining Lie: John Paul Vann and America in Vietnam," took him 15 years to write. By the end of 1965, MACV-SOG had shaken itself out into operational groups commanded from its Saigon headquarters. MACV had sought authority for the launching of such missions (Operation Shining Brass) since 1964 in an attempt to put boots on the ground in a reconnaissance role to observe, first hand, the enemy logistical system known as the Ho Chi Minh Trail (the Truong Son Road to the North Vietnamese). Instead, the STD's units were launched on in-country missions until the dissolution of their parent organization in March 1973. Although there had been some small leaks by the media during the conflict, they were usually erroneous and easily dismissed. The unit consisted of four heavily modified C-123 Provider aircraft flown by Nationalist Chinese aircrews in SOG's employ. The following missions were plagued with difficulties, but, after additional training, the team's performance improved dramatically.[23]. Vietnam Journal tells the fictional adventures of war correspondent Scott "Journal" Neithammer. On 21 September 1965, the Pentagon authorized MACV-SOG to begin cross-border operations in Laos in areas contiguous to South Vietnam's western border. Thorne’s last action occurred on Oct. 18, 1965, during the secret Operation Shining Brass in Laos. Johnson also went to the United States Congress that same day and requested the passage of the Southeast Asia Resolution (better known as the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution) asking for the unprecedented authority to conduct military actions in Southeast Asia without a declaration of war. [35] Command and Control South (CCS) at Ban Me Thuot, also commanded by a lieutenant colonel, consisted of 30 teams and an exploitation battalion. MACV, through the Seventh Air Force, had begun carryi… In Laos, the North Vietnamese cleared their logistical corridor to the west for security reasons and increased their aid and support for the Pathet Lao. After a two-week stay, the fishermen were returned to northern waters. In addition to VIETNAM JOURNAL, Lomax contributed stories to TWO-FISTED TALES, created the mini-series HIGH SHINING BRASS about covert operations in Vietnam, and was also the the writer for 'THE NAM and THE PUNISHER for Marvel Comics. Recon teams succeeded in capturing 12 enemy soldiers in Laos during that year. The CIA had been loath to conduct such operations in the north, since similar operations in the Soviet Union, Eastern Europe, and the PRC had been abject failures and North Vietnam was considered an even tougher target to penetrate.[30][31]. MACV had sought authority for the launching of such missions (Operation Shining Brass) since 1964 in an attempt to put boots on the ground in a reconnaissance role to observe, first hand, the enemy logistical system known as the Ho Chi Minh Trail (the Truong Son Road to the North Vietnamese).d MACV, through the Seventh Air Force, had begun carr… They consisted of two (later three) Haymaker battalions (which were never used) divided into company-sized "Hatchet" forces which were, in turn, sub-divided into "Hornet" platoons. During 1966 and 1967, it became obvious to MACV that the North Vietnamese were using neutral Cambodia as a part of their logistical system, funneling men and supplies to the southernmost seat of battle. About SOG; SOG Chiefs. [24] This was the logical military move at this point in the conflict, but it was already too late. [32] Hanoi continued this process year after year, learning SOG's operational methods and bending them to its purpose. After a slow and shaky start, the unit got its operations underway. Under pressure from Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara, the program, along with all other agency para-military operations, was turned over to the military in the wake of the disastrous Bay of Pigs Invasion operation in Cuba.[3]. Changes to the infiltration program (in the form of the diversionary Operation Forae), spurred by suspicions at headquarters, came only in 1967. Due to the disclosure of the cover name Shining Brass in a U.S. newspaper article, SOG decided that new cover designations were necessary for all of its operational elements. Start by squeezing the juice from half of a lemon into a bowl. The unit participated in most of the significant campaigns of the Vietnam War, including the Gulf of Tonkin incident which precipitated increased American involvement, Operation Steel Tiger, Operation Tiger Hound, the Tet Offensive, Operation Commando Hunt, the Cambodian Campaign, Operation Lam Son 719, and the Easter Offensive. Recon teams conducted diversionary operations prior to the invasion and helped cover the South Vietnamese withdrawal, but they were otherwise forbidden from participation in the very operation that both MACV-SOG and MACV had come to consider its raison d'etre.[47]. By 1970, they had created a layered and effective system, and SOG recon teams found their time on the ground both shortened and more dangerous. [20] The Joint Chiefs decided in favor of MACV-SOG, since it had already successfully conducted covert cross-border operations. Missions into North Vietnam were initiated as early as I February 1964 under Operation Plan 34A. Nixon had escalated U.S. involvement in Cambodia by authorizing the secret Operation Menu bombings and by the time of Sihanouk's ouster, the program had been in operation for 14 months. Another source of aerial support came from the CH-3 Jolly Green Giant helicopters of D-Flight, 20th Special Operations Squadron (20th SOS) (callsign Pony Express), which had arrived at Nakhon Phanom Royal Thai Navy Base during the year. Thorne’s last action occurred on Oct. 18, 1965, during the secret Operation Shining Brass in Laos. Originally, these consisted of a continuation of the CIA's agent infiltrations. [2], These operations (OPLAN 34-Alpha) were conducted in an effort to convince North Vietnam to cease its sponsorship of the Viet Cong (VC) insurgency in South Vietnam. Description: This was a series of cross-border reconnaissance and intelligence operations conducted by mixed Special Forces and LLDB teams beginning in September, 1965. COL Clyde R. Russell; COL Donald R. Blackburn; COL John K. “Jack” Singlaub; COL Stephen E. Cavanaugh; COL John F. “Skip” Sadler Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for High Shining Brass #s: 1,2,4 (Apple, 1990) American spy in Vietnam story at the best online prices at eBay! The teams were to rely on stealth and were usually smaller in size than those that operated in Laos. U.S. participation in Cambodian operations (which were already being turned over to all-Vietnamese teams) ended on 1 July 1970 and the same stipulation was to apply in Laos no later than 8 February 1971 (the only qualifications to the restrictions, in both operational areas, were in case of either POW rescue missions or aircraft crash site inspections). [14]:123–4 William H. Sullivan, U.S. By 1969, the North Vietnamese had also worked out their doctrine and techniques for dealing with the recon teams. His expectations and assumptions were incorrect. This second reported attack led President Lyndon B. Johnson to launch Operation Pierce Arrow, an aerial attack against North Vietnamese targets on 5 August. After a slow initial start, the first agent team was recovered from the north. Missions into North Vietnam were initiated as early as I February 1964 under Operation Plan 34A. By the end of 1969, SOG was authorized 394 U.S. personnel, but it is useful to compare those numbers to the actual strengths of the operational elements. The second incident, in which Maddox and Turner Joy were claimed to be attacked, never took place. "[16] The ambassador responded in kind. [42] With intelligence on communist Base Areas in eastern Cambodia gleaned from MACV-SOG, huge stockpiles of PAVN arms, ammunition, and supplies were overrun and captured. There were 1,041 Army, 476 Air Force, 17 Marine Corps, and seven CIA personnel assigned to those units. [50] For SOG, Vietnamization was finally nigh. Vietnam Journal collections were published by … [21], Daniel Boone was not the only addition to SOG's size and missions. Operations into Laos commenced in September 1965 as part of Operation SHINING BRASS, renamed PRAIRIE FIRE in 1968. Military Assistance Command, Vietnam – Studies and Observations Group (MACV-SOG) was a highly classified, multi-service United States special operations unit which conducted covert unconventional warfare operations prior to and during the Vietnam War. [29], The security apparatus of North Vietnam had decades in which to learn to cope with not only the CIA's program, but with the unconventional and covert operations of its French predecessors. first Shining Brass mission was that "they were looking for a crashed US Air Force C-123 cargo aircraft that was lost near the South Vietnamese/Lao border." Feb 66, Luc Luong Dac Biet (LLDB), An unidentified Vietnamese Lieutenant and a Sergeant, Kham Duc, Ops 35, Shining Brass, MIA (The facts regarding the loss of these men are unknown). Vietnam War–era American multi-service special operations unit, Never assigned an official crest or patch, SOG personnel accepted this unofficial self-designed insignia. [44] Although unknown to the U.S. public, many MACV-SOG veterans participated in Operation Ivory Coast, the Son Tay POW camp raid carried out in North Vietnam on 21 November 1970. Soon, however, an early warning system was created by placing radio-equipped air watch units within the flight paths between the launch sites and Base Areas. During this period, Apple also published Lomax's four-issue limited series High Shining Brass, collecting the Vietnam War stories of Robert Durand. [53] The operational elements had already been absorbed and were expanded by the inclusion of troops from the now-disbanded South Vietnamese Special Forces. The answer shocked intelligence analysts. Yet both Commander in Chief, Pacific Command (CINCPAC) and he were well aware of the possible connections, at least insofar as they might have existed in the minds of the Hanoi leadership. In May, Operation Freedom Deal, a continuous aerial campaign against the PAVN/Viet Cong and the Khmer Rouge was initiated. The FAC was also the lifeline through which the team would communicate with its FOB and through which it could call for extraction if compromised. In 1970, he saw an opportunity to buy time for the Saigon government during Vietnamization, the phased withdrawal of U.S. troops that began in the previous year. When helicopter operations were finally authorized for Daniel Boone, they were provided by the dedicated support of the Huey gunships and transports of the U.S. Air Force's 20th SOS (callsign Green Hornets). During this period, Apple also published Lomax's four-issue limited series High Shining Brass, collecting the Vietnam War stories of Robert Durand. [51] The Ground Studies Group was disestablished and replaced by the Liaison Service Advisory Detachments. On the afternoon of 2 August, three P 4-class torpedo boats of the Vietnam People's Navy came out from Hon Me and attacked the Maddox. Ironically, MACV-SOG's role in the operation was only peripheral. In reality, for MACV-SOG, the point was moot. Similar operations had originally been under the purview of the CIA, which had carried out the emplacement of agent teams in North Vietnam using airdrops and over-the-beach insertions. [34] To give an example of the cost of such operations, during the year 20 Americans were killed, 199 wounded, and nine went missing in the Prairie Fire area. During 1969 404 recon missions and 48 exploitation force operations were conducted in Laos. first Shining Brass mission was that "they were looking for a crashed US Air Force C-123 cargo aircraft that was lost near the South Vietnamese/Lao border." The American vessel was undamaged, and the U.S. claimed that one of the attacking vessels had been sunk and that the others were damaged by U.S. carrier-based aircraft. Casualties among the Special Commando Units (SCUs – pronounced Sues), as the indigenous mercenaries were titled, were: 57 killed, 270 wounded, and 31 missing. They were supported by 3,068 SCUs, and 5,402 South Vietnamese and third-country civilian employees, leading to a total of 10,210 military personnel and civilians either assigned to or working for MACV-SOG.[37]. Operational control of Sigma and Omega was eventually handed over to SOG. Further, in conjunction with planning cross-border missions, Larry Thorne flew as the observer for many intelligence gathering reconnaissance The mission was deemed a success with 88 bombing sorties flown against the terminus resulting in multiple secondary explosions, but also resulted in SOG's first casualty, Special Forces Captain Larry Thorne in a helicopter crash. Command and Control North (CCN) at Da Nang, commanded by a lieutenant colonel, used 60 recon teams and two exploitation battalions (four companies of three platoons). Nixon then authorized a series of incursions by U.S. and South Vietnamese ground forces that began on 30 April. The plan called for SOG Recon Team Iowa, flying in a Sikorsky CH-34 helicopter of the South Vietnamese air force, to be dropped off along the Ho Chi Minh Trail and search for enemy supply dumps that could be bombed later by aircraft. 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