Shawn Ryan Show #227 Henry Dick Thompson - MACV-SOG Operator, Codename "Dynamite"
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Aug 14, 2025 
Henry Dick Thompson, a retired U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel and legendary MACV-SOG operator known as "Dynamite," shares gripping tales of his covert operations during the Vietnam War. He discusses the importance of mental resilience and support for veterans, while recounting the high-stakes environments of combat, including tactical strategies and the personal toll of war. Thompson also reflects on the impact of sleep deprivation in military training and shares insights on transitioning from combat to civilian life, emphasizing the need for empathy towards veterans.
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Hostile Homecoming And A Personal Policy
- Henry "Dick" Thompson described being spat on and called names when returning from Vietnam and having to restrain violent impulses.
- He turned that experience into a company policy to buy coffee and give challenge coins to veterans to welcome them home.
Apply Combat Skills To Civilian Leadership
- Use your military skills (planning, decision-making, organization) to succeed in civilian life instead of discarding them.
- Adapt SOG techniques where relevant and deliberately translate combat skills into business and leadership tasks.
Packing Heavier: Ammo, Grenades, Claymores
- Thompson explained increasing magazine counts and explosives on recon teams after learning from firefights, carrying 50 magazines and more grenades and claymores.
- He described daisy-chaining claymores and staging timed fuses to break enemy assaults and then trap survivors with additional devices.
