5th Special Forces Group (United States)

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5th Special Forces Group
5th Special Forces Group beret flash
ActiveJuly 5, 1962
CountryUnited States of America
BranchUnited States Army
Part ofUnited States Army Special Operations Command
United States Special Operations Command
Garrison/HQFort Campbell
EngagementsVietnam War
Operation Just Cause
Gulf War
Afghanistan (OEF)
Iraq War
Insignia
Background trimFile:5SFG trim.gif

The 5th Special Forces Group is a United States Army Special Forces unit that was activated on September 21, 1961 during the Cold War.

Unit History

Constituted July 5, 1942 in the Army of the United States as Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 1st Battalion, Third Regiment, 1st Special Service Force, a combined Canadian-American organization. It was activated four days later on July 9 at Fort William Henry Harrison, Montana. During World War II, 5th Group was disbanded[citation needed] on January 6, 1945 in France.

5th Group was reconstituted on April 15, 1960, concurrently consolidated with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 5th Ranger Infantry Battalion (activated September 1, 1943). The consolidated unit was redesignated as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 5th Special Forces Group, 1st Special Forces. Organic elements were constituted on September 8, 1961. 5th Group was reactivated September 21, 1961 at Fort Bragg, North Carolina

On October 1, 2005, the unit was redesignated as the 5th Special Forces Group, 1st Special Forces Regiment.[1]

Vietnam War service

During the Vietnam war the 5th Special Forces Group was a new invention. It was first deployed as a battlefield advisory group for the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN). By February 1965, it was deployed as a mainstay battle force[2] once the war was in full swing.[3] The group mostly operated behind enemy lines with either other Special Forces groups or South Vietnamese special forces. They were specialized in combating North Vietnamese Army (NVA) Regular forces, their allied Viet Cong guerillas, and other communist bloc insurgents. They used unconventional and conventional warfare, and were some of the last soldiers the United States pulled out of Vietnam.

In June 1969 an incident developed which led to the arrest in July of seven officers and one non-commissioned officer of the 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne) including the new commander, Colonel Robert B. Rheault.[4] The incident, which may have had Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) involvement, was the murder of a suspected double agent, Thai Khac Chuyen working on Project GAMMA and an attempt to cover it up. Mr. Chuyen would undergo some ten days of rigorous interrogation and solitary confinement. Ultimately, he would be shot and dumped into the sea. National newspapers and television picked up the story, most likely due to the involvement of the Special Forces, and the “Green Beret Affair” became another lightning rod for anti-war feeling. Finally in September 1969 Secretary of the Army Stanley Resor announced that all charges would be dropped since the CIA, in the interests of national security, had refused to make its personnel available as witnesses.[5]

On March 5, 1971, 5th SFG returned to Fort Bragg.[3] During their time in Vietnam, members of the unit earned 19 Medals of Honor, making it the most prominently decorated unit for its size in that conflict.

5th Special Forces Group Honors during the Vietnam War

The awards that the men of the 5th Special Forces Group earned in the course of the ten years that were served in Vietnam speak for themselves. Thirteen[citation needed] men received the Medal of Honor [plus nine[citation needed] more when counting Military Assistance Command, Vietnam - Studies and Observations Group (MAC-V SOG)], the nation's highest award for conspicuous gallantry and exceptional heroism under fire:

* Awarded posthumously

In addition men of the Special Forces earned the following number of awards:

The 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), 1st Special Forces, earned the following unit awards in the Vietnam conflict:

United States Army Special Forces campaign participation credits number fourteen (see Campaign Participation Credit below) for the Vietnam conflict and range from March 15, 1962 to December 31, 1970.

References :[6] Vietnam Studies, U.S. Army Special Forces 1961–1971, CMH Publication 90-23, Department of the Army, Washington, D.C. 1989 (First Printed, 1973)

Unit Moves

The 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne) remained at Fort Bragg until June 10, 1988, when the Group colors were cased at a ceremony marking its departure from Fort Bragg. The colors were officially uncased by Maj. Gen. Teddy G. Allen, Commander of the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) and Fort Campbell, Kentucky Col (now MG ret.) Harley C. Davis, Commander of the 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), and Command Sgt. Maj. Joseph Dennison on June 16, 1988 at its new home at Fort Campbell, KY.

Late Cold War

In 1989, through ‘Operation Salam’, demining training camps for Afghans were established at Risalpur and Quetta in Pakistan under UN auspices. From 1989–1995 a total of 17,055 mine clearance personnel were trained at these camps. Part of Operation Salam’s agenda was also to impart mine awareness to Afghan refugees to identify mines and undertake due precautions.

The UNSSM for service with the United Nations Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Assistance to Afghanistan (UNOCHA) was awarded to 5th Group soldiers who participated in this operation.

Operations Desert Shield & Desert Storm

The 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne) added to its rich[weasel words] combat history during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. In August 1990 the Group was called upon to conduct theater operations in Southwest Asia in response to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. During this crisis the Army's First Special Operations Task Force, (ARSOTF), consisting of elements of the 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne) comprising 106 special operations teams performing a myriad of [quantify] missions that spanned the scope of operations: support to coalition warfare; conducting foreign internal defense missions with Saudi Arabian Land Forces, performing special reconnaissance, border surveillance, direct action, combat search and rescue missions; and advising and assisting a pan-Arab equivalent force larger than six U.S. divisions, as well as conducting civil-military operations training and liaison with the Kuwaitis. The border surveillance mission assigned the 5th Special Forces was among the most vital[weasel words] in providing "ground truth" to the American and Pan Arab Forces. A new chapter in coalition warfare was written [weasel words] while new military relationships were forged which continue their importance today.[3]

General Norman Schwarzkopf described the Special Forces as "the eyes and ears" of the conventional forces and the "glue that held the coalition together."[7]

During the period of August 2, 1990 – November 30, 1995, selected members [who?]were awarded the Southwest Asia Service Medal, Saudi Arabia Kuwait Liberation Medal, Kuwaiti Kuwait Liberation Medal, National Defense Service Medal and the Valorous Unit Award reference General Orders 14

Southwest Asia

Selected members of the unit are eligible the wear the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal for participating in the following activities between December 95 – March 18, 2003 in SW Asia:

  • Operation Southern Watch
  • Maritime Intercept Operation
  • Operation Vigilant Sentinel
  • Operation Northern Watch
  • Operation Desert Thunder
  • Operation Desert Fox
  • Exercise Intrinsic Action
  • Exercise Iris Gold
  • Operation Desert Spring

Operation Restore Hope & United Shield

On December 3, 1992, U.N. Security Resolution 794 authorized the U.S. led intervention "to use all necessary means to establish a secure environment for humanitarian relief operations in Somalia as soon as possible."[3] Selected[weasel words] members awarded the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal and the United Nations Medal.

Operation Uphold Democracy

U.S. special operations forces played an essential[weasel words] role in establishing security and assuring de facto public administration in rural areas.[8] Selected members of the unit are eligible the wear the Armed Forces Service Medal for participating in the following operations between April 1, 1995 – January 31, 2000, Operations: UNMIH, USFORHAITI; USSPTGP-HAITI and/or the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal and the United Nations Medal (Haiti) for the period September 16, 1994 – March 31, 1995,for Operation UPHOLD DEMOCRACY

Operation Enduring Freedom

By September 13, 2001, the 5th Special Forces Group was order to stand up a forward headquarters to conduct operations in Afghanistan.[9] On October 19, Operational Detachment Alpha 555, 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne) was the first of several 5th Group teams to infiltrate into Afghanistan, and work with the Northern Alliance to bring down the Taliban government.[10]

Major Mark E. Mitchell of the 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne) in Operation Enduring Freedom was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for gallantry in November 2001 at Qala-i-Jang Fortress, Mazar-e Sharif, Afghanistan.

Operation Iraqi Freedom

During Operation Iraqi Freedom 5th SFG(A) assisted in the capture of Saddam Hussein, and is currently[when?] deployed throughout Iraq as part of Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force - Arabian Peninsula (CJSOTF-AP).[citation needed] They are responsible for many[weasel words] captures of terrorist leaders in Iraq.

Subordinate Units

HHC

1st Battalion

2nd Battalion

3rd Battalion

4th Battalion

Group Support Battalion

5th Special Forces Group, 1st Special Forces Regiment Honors

Campaign Participation Credit

World War II: *Aleutian Islands; *Naples-Foggia; *Anzio; *Rome-Arno; *Southern France (with arrowhead); *Rhineland

Vietnam: *Advisory; *Defense; *Counteroffensive; *Counteroffensive, Phase II; *Counteroffensive, Phase III; *Tet Counteroffensive; *Counteroffensive, Phase IV; *Counteroffensive, Phase V; *Counteroffensive, Phase VI; *Tet 69/Counteroffensive; *Summer-Fall 1969; *Winter-Spring 1970; *Sanctuary Counteroffensive; *Counteroffensive, Phase VII

Southwest Asia: *Defense of Saudi Arabia; *Liberation and Defense of Kuwait; *Cease-Fire

War on Terrorism: To be determined

Decorations
  • Presidential Unit Citation (Army) for VIETNAM 1966–1968
  • Presidential Unit Citation (Army) for AFGHANISTAN 2001–2002
  • Valorous Unit Award for IRAQ-KUWAIT 1991
  • Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army) for VIETNAM 1968
  • Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm for VIETNAM 1964–1969
  • Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm for VIETNAM 1969–1970
  • Republic of Vietnam Civil Action Honor Medal, First Class for VIETNAM 1968–1970

1st Battalion additionally entitled to:

  • Army Superior Unit Award for 1992–1993

2d Battalion additionally entitled to:

  • Army Superior Unit Award for 1992–1993

3d Battalion additionally entitled to:

  • Army Superior Unit Award for 1992–1993 [1]

Commanders

COL L. H. Schweiter September 1961 – July 1962

COL L. E. Wills July 1962 – July 1963

COL G. C. Morton September 1962 – November 1963

COL T. Leonard November 1963 – July 1964

COL H. F. Roye July 1964 – August 1964

COL J. H. Spears August 1964 – July 1965

COL W. A. McKean July 1965 – June 1966

COL F. J. Kelly June 1966 – June 1967

COL J. F. Ladd June 1967 – June 1968

COL H. R. Aaron June 1968 – May 1969 (retired as Lieutenant General)

LTC C. G. Ross (Acting) May 1969 – June 1969

COL R. B. Rheault June 1969 – July 1969

COL A. Lemberes July 1969 – August 1969

COL M. D. Healy August 1969 – March 1971 (retired as Major General)

COL J. B. Durst March 1971 – June 1972

COL E. L. Keesling June 1972 – December 1973

COL A. C. Harris December 1973 – August 1974

COL R. Maladowitz August 1974 – February 1976

COL C. L. Stearns February 1976 – June 1977

COL R. A. Mountel June 1977 – December 1978

COL G. W. McGovern December 1978 – December 1980

COL H. E. Bynam June 1980 – December 1982

COL J. A. Guest December 1982 – June 1985 (retired as Major General)

COL L. W. Duggan June 1985 – June 1987

COL H. C. Davis June 1987 – November 1989 (retired as Major General)

COL J. W. Kraus November 1989 – August 1991

COL K. R. Bowra August 1991 – August 1993 (retired as Major General)

COL J. W. Noe August 1993 – August 1995

COL T. M. Carlin August 1995 – August 1997

COL D. P. Brownlee August 1997 – July 1999

COL C. W. Paxton July 1999 – July 2001

COL J. F. Mulholland July 2001 – July 2003 (active Lieutenant General)

COL H. E. Pagan July 2003 – July 2005 (active Brigadier General)

COL K. McDonnell July 2005 – July 2007

COL C. E. Conner July 2007 – Present

Pop Culture

5th Special Forces Group (Airborne) was made popular by the movie The Green Berets starring John Wayne.

Colonel Walter E. Kurtz was the Operations Officer for the 5th Special Forces Group in the film Apocalypse Now (1979)

The 'Tom Clancy's "Ghost Recon"' series features U.S. Special Forces Group 5, 1st Battalion, Delta Company, known in the games as "The Ghosts."

References

  1. ^ a b The U.S. Army Center of Military History, Force Structure and Unit History Branch, 5th Special Forces Group, 1st Special Forces Regiment
  2. ^ "WORK-IN-PROGRESS, Special Forces In Indochina". Sherman, Stephen. Radix Press 2006
  3. ^ a b c d 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne)
  4. ^ Kelly, Francis John (1972). History of Special Forces in Vietnam, 1961–1971. Washington, D.C.: Center for Military History, Department of the Army p148. http://www.army.mil/cmh-pg/BOOKS/Vietnam/90-23/90-23C.htm.
  5. ^ Seals, Bob (2007) The "Green Beret Affair": A Brief Introduction, http://www.militaryhistoryonline.com/20thCentury/articles/greenberets.aspx
  6. ^ Appendix B: U.S. Army Special Forces Honors
  7. ^ United States Army Special Forces Command Airborne
  8. ^ Operation Uphold Democracy
  9. ^ frontline: campaign against terror: on the ground: what are the special forces?|PBS
  10. ^ http://www.army.mil/usapa/epubs/pdf/go0610.pdf
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