The History of Special Forces; Origins, Misconceptions, and Facts | Dr. Sacquety returns!
Pineland Underground
The Evolution of Special Operations Forces
This chapter explores the historical development and complexities of special operations forces, particularly highlighting the evolution of training and selection processes for units such as the Alamo Scouts and the 10th Special Forces Group. It reflects on the impact of past conflicts and organizations, such as the OSS, on modern military structure, including the establishment of SOCOM and the introduction of warrant officer roles. The discussion reveals how historical contexts shaped operational tactics and the interconnectivity of military branches in forming effective special forces units.
Did you know the Special Forces Operation Detachment Alpha hasn't always had twelve people in it?
Did you know only 1% of the first official Special Forces organization was made up of members of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS)?
The history of Special Forces is a tapestry, weaving together organizations like Merrill’s Marauders (or Unit Galahad), the Philippine resistance movements in WWII, the original PSYWAR School, and the Ranger Regiment's early days.
Join us as we host Dr. Troy J. Sacquety, the Army Special Operations Forces' Command Historian, as he dives deep with us on the nuances and facts of the impetus and history of the Special Forces Regiment.
And listen through the end to hear the controversial history of the green beret!
About the guest:
Dr. Sacquety earned an MA from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and a PhD in Military History from Texas A&M University. Prior to joining the USASOC History Office staff in August 2006, he worked several years for the Central Intelligence Agency. His research interests include Army and Office of Strategic Services special operations during World War II, and U.S. Army Civil Affairs.
About the hosts:
Maj. Ashley "Ash" Holzmann is an experienced Psychological Operations Officer who served within the re-established PSYWAR School at the United States Army JFK Special Warfare Center and School. He is now transitioning to attend grad school at Arizona State University with a follow-on assignment at West Point's Army Cyber Institute where he will research mis/disinformation.
Sgt. Maj. Derek Riley is one of the most experienced Civil Affairs Non-commissioned Officers in the Army Special Operations Regiment. He has incredible deployment experience and serves within the Civil Affairs Proponent at the United States Army JFK Special Warfare Center and School.
From the episode:
Brief biography of Brig. Gen. Evans Carlson:
All Special Forces Groups in the 1st Special Forces Regiment trace their official U.S. Army lineage and honors to the FSSF activation on 9 July 1942:
https://arsof-history.org/first_special_service_force/legacy.html
The Coordinator of Information (COI), which became the Office of Strategic Services (OSS):
https://www.soc.mil/OSS/the-beginning.html
The origins of the OSS and its relationship with modern Army Special Operations:
https://arsof-history.org/articles/v3n4_oss_primer_page_1.html
British Special Operations Executive:
https://www.nam.ac.uk/explore/SOE
The French Bureau Central de Renseignements et d’Action (BCRA):
https://www.cheminsdememoire.gouv.fr/en/bcra-dgse
The OSS also required immense amounts of coordination and logistics to be successful:
https://arsof-history.org/articles/v3n1_supplying_resistance_page_1.html
Jedburghs (including their epically great patch):
https://www.soc.mil/OSS/jedburghs.html
The Green Berets, written by Robin Moore, was the book mentioned from the Vietnam era:
https://www.specialforceshistory.info/books/the-green-berets-robin-moore.html
Detachment 101:
https://arsof-history.org/articles/v4n3_myitkyina_part_2_page_1.html
Special Forces in the Korean War:
https://arsof-history.org/articles/v2n2_catch_as_catch_page_1.html
Special Operations in the Korean War:
The Alamo Scouts:
https://www.army.mil/article/214389/the_alamo_scouts
The Alamo Scouts have been recognized as Distinguished Members of the Special Forces Regiment:
https://www.swcs.mil/Portals/111/sf_alamo-scouts.pdf
A diary of the Alamo Scouts:
https://arsof-history.org/articles/v4n3_alamo_scouts_page_1.html
Maj. Gen. McClure:
https://arsof-history.org/articles/v7n2_mcclure_page_1.html
Brig. Gen. Russel Volckmann:
https://arsof-history.org/icons/volckmann.html
Col. Wendell Fertig:
Lt. Col. Melvin R. Blair:
https://arsof-history.org/articles/v7n1_smoke_bomb_hill_page_1.html
Lt. Martin Waters:
https://arsof-history.org/articles/v4n1_myitkyina_part_1_page_1.html
Col. Aaron Bank:
https://arsof-history.org/icons/bank.html
Colombian Lanceros:
https://arsof-history.org/articles/pdf/v2n4_colombian_sof.pdf
8240:
https://arsof-history.org/articles/v3n3_wolfpack_donkeys_page_1.html
Formation of the Rangers:
https://arsof-history.org/articles/v2n3_rangers_wwii_page_1.html
The history of Special Operations Command (not to be confused with 1st SOCOM):
https://www.defense.gov/News/Feature-Stories/Story/Article/1800521/
The history of 1st SOCOM:
https://arsof-history.org/1stsocom/index.html
The Lodge Act:
https://www.cia.gov/readingroom/docs/CIA-RDP57-00384R001000010010-1.pdf
Program of Instruction (POI) is essentially the syllabus for Army instruction.
The Special Forces tab was approved in 1983:
https://web.archive.org/web/20000510192433/http://www.qmmuseum.lee.army.mil/airborne/sf_tab.htm
History of the ODA and its size over time:
https://arsof-history.org/articles/v19n1_evolution_of_the_special_forces_oda_page_1.html
The history of the green beret:
Edson Raff's involvement:
https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2003-mar-22-me-passings22.1-story.html
95th Civil Affairs patch:
https://www.shopmyexchange.com/army-unit-patch-95th-civil-affairs-brigade-ocp-/7048045
Want a deeper dive on the conflict in Burma? Dr. Sacquety did another interview at the following link:
Detachment 101 and John Ford:
http://www.easaul.com/oss-detachment-101.html
The Range of Military Operations (ROMO):
Recommended Civil Affairs reading:
The Hunt Report:
https://www.civilaffairsassoc.org/post/2018/05/08/civil-affairs-centennial-ca100-the-hunt-report
Civil Affairs articles from the ARSOF Historian's Office:
https://arsof-history.org/pdf/handbook_civil_affairs.pdf
Recommended Special Forces reading from the episode:
The Green Berets by Robin Moore:
https://www.amazon.com/Green-Berets-Robin-Moore/dp/0312984928
From OSS to Green Berets:
https://www.amazon.com/Oss-Green-Berets-Special-Forces/dp/0891412719
Dr. Sacquety is also the author of the book The OSS in Burma: Jungle War against the Japanese:
Army Special Operations Recruiting:
https://www.soc.mil/USASOCHQ/recruiting.html
GoArmySOF Site:
https://www.goarmysof.army.mil/
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