US Special forces history

Special Forces traces its lineage to the First Special Service Force (FSSF), constituted on July 5, 1942. A combined U.S. and Canadian unit, the FSSF was originally formed to conduct unconventional warfare in Nazi-occupied Norway. When that mission was canceled, the FSSF was repurposed for combat operations in the Aleutian Islands, Italy, and Southern France. It was officially disbanded on January 6, 1945 in Southern France.

Although not in the official lineage, the experiences of other Special Operations elements contributed to the organization and doctrine of Special Forces. They include the Philippine guerrillas, elements of the Special Operations and Operational Groups Branches of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), the Alamo Scouts, Merrill’s Marauders, the Korean War guerrilla command, and conventional airborne units. All of these units conducted operations in enemy-occupied territory or worked with resistance groups. In 1951, former Philippine guerrilla Lieutenant Colonel Russell W. Volckmann wrote Field Manual 31-21: Organization and Conduct of Guerilla Warfare. It set the doctrinal foundation for the first Special Forces unit, the 10th Special Forces Group, activated on June 11, 1952 under the Psychological Warfare Center , Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Under OSS veteran Colonel Aaron Bank, the 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne) deployed to Bad Tolz, Germany, September 1953. The remaining cadre at Fort Bragg formed the 77th Special Forces Group, which in May 1960 became today’s 7th Special Forces Group. The intervening years saw the number of Special Forces Groups rise and fall.

Special Forces Soldiers first saw combat in 1953 as individuals deployed from 10th SFG (A) to Korea. These men worked with partisans under the Guerrilla Command late in the Korean War. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, teams of Special Forces Soldiers deployed to Laos to work with the Royal Laotian Army. In Vietnam, Special Forces Soldiers, initially, from 1st and 7th Groups, worked as advisors to the Vietnamese army and the Civilian Irregular Defense Forces. Later, 5th Special Forces Group took over this mission. Twenty one Special Forces Soldiers received the nation’s highest award for heroism, the Medal of Honor, for their service in Vietnam.

The three decades following Vietnam witnessed Special Forces participation in virtually every campaign fought by the U.S. Army. In Grenada, Haiti, Panama and in the Balkans, Special Forces teams conducted unconventional warfare operations in support of the regular Army. In Operation Desert Storm, General Norman H. Schwarzkopf described the Special Forces as "the eyes and ears" of the conventional forces and the "glue that held the coalition together."

In the post 9-11 Global War on Terrorism, Special Forces teams were instrumental in establishing the Northern Alliance coalition that ousted the Taliban government in Afghanistan in Operation Enduring Freedom and were critical to the success of the Coalition ground campaign in Iraq. In Operation Iraqi Freedom, Special Forces teams trained and fought with the Kurds in northern Iraq, cleared the western desert of Scud missiles and provided long-range special reconnaissance to the Coalition ground forces on the drive to Baghdad.

The "Quiet Professionals," Special Forces units are today deployed worldwide displaying their dominance in full-spectrum operations through their unconventional warfare expertise. From humanitarian assistance and training of indigenous forces, to direct action and special reconnaissance missions, Special Forces Soldiers live up to the Special Forces motto: De Oppresso Liber, "To Free the Oppressed".

1st SFG (A) Flash

The 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne) flash is “Asian Gold” in color. It became the only official Army insignia to continuously commemorate our slain President, John F. Kennedy, when the Army added a black border to the insignia following the Commander in Chief’s assassination in 1963. Due to a close relationship between President Kennedy and the Special Forces (President Kennedy first authorized the green beret), protocol was changed during the president’s funeral to permit a green beret to be placed on the grave site (normally, only done by each parent service). Sgt. Maj. Francis J. Ruddy, an original member of the 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne), placed his beret on the president's grave. 

Special Forces Shoulder Sleeve Insignia

The gold and teal Special Forces shoulder patch, originally approved in 1955, is authorized for wear by personnel of the U.S. Army Special Forces Command (Airborne) and subordinate units.

Gold and seal colors are assigned to units that are at first "branch unassigned," like the Special Forces. The arrowhead shape represents the craft and stealth of the Native American Warriors who inspired the First Special Service Force and reflect the skill of the Special Forces Soldier. The upturned dagger represents the Fairbairn-Sykes knife used by British Commandos in World War II, a version of which was also used by members of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS). Three bolts of lightning bisecting the dagger evoke the unconventional nature of Special Forces operations and represent their ability to strike or infiltrate rapidly by air, water or land.

Worn above the shoulder insignia are the Airborne and Special Forces Tab. The Airborne Tab is authorized within the Army in three colors to coordinate with those colors used in the shoulder sleeve insignia. Approval for the shoulder patch was amended in 1958 to include the black and gold Airborne Tab. The gold and teal Special Forces Tab was approved in 1983.

1st Special Forces Group (Airborne)

Chapter 46 being based in the Philippines consists primarily of former 1st SFG(A) personnel. Here's a short overview of the group.

The 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne) has a long and storied history serving the Nation during peacetime and war. Stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington, the 1st SFG (A) is the lead Special Forces Group on operations in Asia and the Pacific.

Special Forces units perform seven doctrinal missions: Unconventional Warfare, Foreign Internal Defense, Special Reconnaissance, Direct Action, Combating Terrorism, Counter-proliferation, and Information Operations. These missions make Special Forces unique in the U.S. military, because they are employed throughout the three stages of the operational continuum: peacetime, conflict and war.

Special Forces Soldiers are renowned for their ability to deploy in small teams, operate independently, and conduct their mission in austere environments. Whatever situation may arise, be assured the men of the Special Forces stand ready to answer the Nation's call to duty - De Oppresso Liber.

Fallen Heroes:

The 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne) honors the great strength and heroic sacrifice of those who gave their all, even their very lives, for the freedom of our nation, the liberation of the oppressed and the honor of 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne). The 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne) holds the honor and distinction of having the first and last casualties of the Vietnam War, and the first of the War on Terrorism. Capt. Harry Cramer was the first killed in Vietnam on October 21, 1957, and the last was Sgt. Fred Mick killed October 12, 1972. The first U.S. casualty of the War on Terrorism, Sgt. 1st Class Nathan Chapman was killed in an ambush on January 4, 2002, near Khost, Afghanistan. The following are those who died on active duty while serving with or had formally served with the 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne):  NOTE - Please let us know who we missed after Feb 2018.

CPT HARRY G. CRAMER 21-Oct-57 

CPT HERMAN K. DURRWATCHER 13-Jan-62 

SP5 JAMES GABRIEL JR 08-Apr-62 

SSG WAYNE F. MARCHAND 08-Apr-62 

CPT TERRY D. CORDELL 15-Oct-62 

SFC RICHARD D. BENZEL 06-Dec-62 

SSG ROBERT J. HAIN 06-May-63 

CPT JAMES H. BRODT 29-May-63 

PFC NEIL K. MACIVER 29-May-63 

SSG CLAUDE W. MCBRIDE 23-Aug-63 

SFC WILLIAM J. EVERHART 08-Nov-63 

SP5 BILLY M. SMITH 08-Nov-63 

SFC VERNDEAN A. BROCKMAN 16-Nov-63 

SP5 JAMED D. PARKER 18-Nov-63 

CPT HERBERT F. HARDY JR 04-Mar-64 

SFC THOMAS L. LEWIS 23-Mar-64 

SFC JESSE A. GRAY 12-Jun-64 

SP4 GEORGE W. UNDERWOOD 23-Jul-64 

MSG DENNIS C. KIDD 04-Aug-64 

CPT` ALAN B. HARRIMAN 15-Aug-64 

SFC WILLIAM R. PATIENCE JR 21-Aug-64 

SSG DELBERT L. VAUGHN JR 04-Oct-64 

CPT HERMAN TOWERY 22-Oct-64 

PFC WILLIAM C. TOTH 27-Oct-64 

SSG EUGENE M. PALISKIS 16-Nov-64 

SFC DOMINICK SANSONE 10-Dec-64 

SGT TOMMIE D. EMERT 13-Dec-64 

SGT EMMETT H. HORN 23-Dec-64 

MSG ROBERT L. WHITE 29-Jan-65 

SP5 RONALD S. GAFFNEY 19-Feb-65 

SP4 MARK R. CHASE 04-Mar-65 

SSG DONALD C. DEDMON 10-Jun-65 

SP4 ROBERT D. BROWN 18-Jun-65 

SFC ALFRED H. COMBS 25-Jun-65 

SFC FRED TAYLOR 13-Jul-65 

CPT HERBERT J. DEXTER 18-Sep-65 ,

SSG DAVID A. MORGAN 23-Sep-65 

SSG JIMMIE L. MCBYNUM 22-Oct-65 

SSG EARL I. BROWN 29-Jan-66 

SSG DONALD L. DOTSON 29-Jan-66 

SSG GEORGE A. HOAGLAND III 29-Jan-66 

SSG RONALD T. TERRY 29-Jan-66 

SP5 PHILLIP T. STAHL 09-Mar-66 

SGT OWEN F. MCCANN 10-Mar-66 

CPT WILLIAM H. CRAIG JR 17-Mar-66 

SFC ALDEN B. WILLEY 27-Mar-66 

SFC MAURICE A. CASEY 24-May-66 

CPT JAMES E. CASALE 29-May-66 

SSG DONALD J. FAWCETT 03-Jul-66 

SGT EUGENE R. MOREAU 27-Aug-66 

SSG DANNY G. TAYLOR 28-Sep-66 

SGM EDDIE LEE WILLIAMS 03-Oct-66 

SFC FREDERICK H. LEWIS 18-Oct-66 

SP4 CREIGHTON R. DUNN 24-Oct-66 

SSG JIMMIE C. HONLEY 20-Nov-66 

CPT JOHN R. MINUTOLI 06-Apr-67 

MSG JAMES C. HELTON 17-Apr-67 

CPT WALTER L. SWAIN 26-Apr-67 

LTC EDWARD R. FRANK SR 18-May-67 

SFC JAMES C. FEKETE 15-Jun-67 

CPT ARTHUR J. GREEN 03-Aug-67 

SFC EDWARD A. COFFEY 11-Aug-67 

CPT THOMAS D. CULP 11-Sep-67 

MSG CLEN LOCKLEAR 11-Oct-67 

1LT STEPHEN F. PETERS 26-Oct-67 

MAJ EDWARD J. MURPHY JR. 17-Nov-67 

MSG SAMUEL S. THERIAULT 27-Nov-67 

MSG FRANK C. PARRISH 16-Jan-68 

SFC CHARLES N. TREDINNICK 29-Jan-68 

SFC CHARLES E. WHITE 29-Jan-68 

SFC GILBERT L. HAMILTON 02-Feb-68 

SFC CHARLES W. LINDEWALD JR. 07-Feb-68 

SFC ROBERT N. BAKER 21-Feb-68 

SP5 JEFFEREY MCCLATCHY JR. 01-Mar-68 

LTC ROBERT LOPEZ 06-Mar-68 

SFC ESTEVAN TORRES 22-Mar-68 

SFC DENNIS R. THORPE 15-Apr-68 

SGT SAMUEL R. HUGHES 21-Apr-68 

MSG DANIEL D. KEYES 14-May-68 

SFC ROBERT D. OWEN 23-May-68 

SFC JOHN SALAZAR 03-Jun-68 

MSG CLARENCE E. HORNBUCKLE 06-Jun-68 

MSG FRANCIS E. MANUEL 15-Jun-68 

MAJ FREDRICK G. TERRY 04-Jul-68 

SGT THOMAS J. TOMCZAK 23-Jul-68 

MSG CHARLES R. NORRIS 23-Aug-68 

SGM RICHARD E. PEGRAM JR. 23-Aug-68 

SGM GILBERT A. SECOR 23-Aug-68 

SFC GEORGE W. COONE JR. 11-Nov-68 

SFC RALPH CANNON 11-Feb-69 

SFC JOSEPH C. HAGA 25-Mar-69 

MSG BRUCE I. LUTTRELL 20-May-69 

SSG STEVEN NAGY 27-Jul-69 

SSG MICHAEL A. PIACENTINO 28-Sep-69 

SSG DONALD M. SHUE 03-Nov-69 

SFC JAMES HERNY ZUMBRUN 10-Jan-70 

WO1 ELDON R. PAYNE 14-Feb-70 

MSG JAMES W. FINZEL 06-Mar-70 

MSG WILLIE D. STEPHENS 06-Mar-70 

CPT DONALD C. TANNENBAUM 09-Apr-70 

MAJ SHANE N. SOLDATO 23-May-70 

SFC ARNO J. VOIGT 04-Jun-70 

SFC CHARLES H. GRAY 31-Aug-70 

MAJ PAUL E. LEARY JR. 16-Jan-71 

SFC WILLIAM M. FERNANDEZ 19-Feb-71 

MAJ WILLIAM R. CAROL JR. 19-Feb-71 

CPT BRYAN J. SUTTON 17-Mar-71 

MSG DONALD F. WEST 28-Apr-71 

MSG DON R. GILBRETH 14-Sep-71 

LTC RONNIE A. MENDOZA 05-Jun-72 

SGT JAMES R. LAYTON 22-Jul-72 

CPT JOHN A. SPIRES 22-Jul-72 

SGT FRED GEORGE MICK 12-Oct-72 

SSG JOHN F. O'BRIEN 28-Dec-84 

SPC DAREN BUCK 08-Jun-85 

MSG CHARLES W. CLARK 13-Nov-86 

PV2 JEFFEREY D. STALLINGS 01-Aug-87 

SFC KASEMSOOK PATSANONT 10-Aug-88 

CPT RANDI HORSTMAN 17-Oct-88 

SPC GLENN C. O'BRIEN 27-Jan-90 

SGT JAMES COLON 09-Jul-90 

SFC JJ BOYINGTON 15-Jul-90 

CPT GREGORY M. SANBORN 27-Jul-90 

SFC KEVIN L. DEVORAK 18-Oct-90 

SSG KEVIN W. BUTLER 26-Jun-91 

SSG JASON R. STEGALL 31-Oct-91 

SPC GLENN DALE FREEMAN 08-Dec-92 

SSG DARCY C. CRAIN 21-Feb-93

PFC WILLIAM C. RIDDLE 21-Feb-93 

MSG TIM MARTIN 03-Oct-93 

CW3 EDWARD O. KINSLEY 03-Jun-94 

SFC FRANK D. STONKO 13-Mar-95 

SSG JAKOB J. NONNENSEN III 01-Jun-95 

WO1 JAMES F. FRANZ 20-Oct-95 

SSG CHRISTOHPER A. STARR 21-May-97 

MSG SAMUEL BOOTH FOSTER 03-Oct-98 

CW2 THOMAS J. BROOKS 09-Jan-99 

MSG GAETANO J. CUTINO 11-Sep-99 

MAJ W. COLE HOGAN JR. 11-Sep-01 

SSG RICHARD A. RAZ 26-Sep-01 

SFC NATHAN R. CHAPMAN 04-Jan-02 

SSG ROBERT T. FOSTER 16-Feb-02 

1SG HOWARD E. HINKLE 01-Jun-02 

SFC DAVID E. EVILLE 01-Jun-02 

CW3 JOHN B. MURPHY JR. 18-Sep-02 

SFC MARK W. JACKSON 02-Oct-02 

CPT JIMMY P. DICUS 21-Sep-03 

2LT BENJAMIN J. COLGAN 01-Nov-03 

SSG MARK LANE 13-Feb-04 

SFC ROBERT K. MCGEE 01-Jul-04 

SGT JEREMY R. WRIGHT 03-Jan-05 

SFC OBEDAIH J. KOLATH 28-Aug-05 

MSG JOSEPH J. ANDRES JR. 24-Dec-05 

SFC TUNG M. NGUYEN 14-Nov-06 

MSG EARL KALANI 02-Feb-68 

SGM BRADLY D. CONNER 09-May-07 

SFC NATHAN L. WINDER 26-Jun-07 

SFC ADRAIN M. ELIZADLE 23-Aug-07 

SFC MICHAEL J. TULLY 23-Aug-07 

SSG JOSEPH F. CURRERI 26-Oct-07 

SSG THOMAS S. STORRS 30-Oct-07 

SGM CRAIG A. GRIFFIN 10-Nov-07 

SSG DAVID W. TEXTOR 15-Jul-08 

MSG ROBERT D. PLATO 20-May-68 

SSG JACK M. MARTIN III 29-Sep-09 

SFC CHRISTOPHER D. SHAW 29-Sep-09 

SSG RUSTY H. CHRISTIAN 28-Jan-10 

MSG MARK W. COLEMAN 02-May-10 

SGT ANDREW JAMES CREIGHTON 04-Jul-10 

SFC DAE HAN PARK 12-Mar-11 

SFC 15-Jul-11 SSG 17 -Sep -11 

SFC 15-Jan-12 SSG 01 -Sep -12 

SFC 21 -Mar -13 SSG 01 -May13 

SGT 21 -Sep -13 CPT 11 - Sep -15 

SSG 5-Jan-16 SSG 

SSG WYATT A . GOLDSMITH 15-Jul-11

SSG MICHAEL W . HOSEY 17 Sep-11

SFC BENJAMIN B. WISE 15-Jan-12

SSG JEREMIE S. BORDER 01-Sep-12

SFC JAMES F. GRISSOM 21-Mar-13

SSG MICHAEL H . SIMPSON 01-May-13

SGT JOSHUA J . STRICKLAND 21-Sep-15

CPT JAMES M. AHN 11-Sep-15

SSG MATHEW Q. McCLINTOCK 5-Jan-16

SSG MATTHEW V. THOMPSON 23-Aug-16

SSG MICHAEL J. MANTENUTO 24 Apro-17

SPC JEREMY P. ALLEN 7-Feb-18 

SFC DUSTIN B. ARD 29-Aug-19

SFC JEREMY W. GRIFFIN  16-Sep-2019