Out of Many, One

This site is dedicated to the diverse men and women who have served honorably in ARSOF since World War II. Their skills, experience, courage, and sacrifice have made ARSOF the most formidable military force in the world. With common purpose and a sense of duty to the nation, all of these soldiers form an unbreakable ARSOF family. Sine Pari.

The power to unite people from diverse backgrounds has long been recognized as a strength of our Republic. In fact, one of our founding principles is found in the oft repeated, but seldom understood Latin phrase E Pluribus Unum, meaning literally “Out of Many, One.” This phrase signifies how people from the thirteen disparate colonies came together to form one nation, regardless of differences in their individual backgrounds, circumstances, or means. People from all walks of life banding together as a cohesive force has long been a cornerstone of the American way of life, and holds true in Army Special Operations Forces throughout history.

WWII

World War II was a pivotal event in American history, and a formative period for what is now called ARSOF. National mobilization for total war gave rise to a larger and more powerful U.S. Army than had ever existed before. With unprecedented manpower and resources, the Army created new units with expanded capabilities to meet operational requirements. These included units manned, trained, and equipped to conduct unconventional warfare, commando raids, psychological warfare, and military government. Key to the success of these highly specialized organizations were men and women from various ethnic, cultural, and racial backgrounds. For example, recent European emigrants served in Psywar and the Office of Strategic Services; Asian-Americans served in Ranger legacy units, the Military Intelligence Service, and the OSS; Native Americans and persons of many ethnic backgrounds served in the Alamo Scouts; and Filipinos and their American counterparts conducted a long-term guerrilla warfare campaign against the Japanese.

From Ledo to Leeches: The 5307th Composite Unit (Provisional) Over the Hills and Far Away: The MARS Task Force, the Ultimate Model for Long Range Penetration Warfare Skokoski’s Journey: Service in Three WWII Special Operations Units
VIDEO: The Story of the 2nd Ranger Company.
Credit: 75th Ranger Regiment
Elizabeth McIntosh

… within the Army Special Operations community she is most remembered for her WWII service. As a civilian in the Morale Operations (MO) Branch of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), McIntosh was one of the first females to conduct Psychological Operations overseas.

Source: Setting the ‘Rising Sun’: The WWII service of Psywarrior Elizabeth McIntosh

Korean War

In the late-1940s and early-1950s, the U.S. was on the cusp of the Civil Rights Movement, the concerted effort against racial segregation. Signs of change were evidenced by President Harry S. Truman integrating the armed forces in July 1948. Meanwhile, internationally, Communism was expanding at an alarming rate. Just five years after World War II ended, conflict erupted on the Korean peninsula. The U.S., in concert with the United Nations, intervened as part of its commitment to prevent the spread of Communism. During the conflict, the Army revitalized its special operations capabilities. The Korean War witnessed the heroism of the all African-American 2nd Ranger Infantry Company (Airborne)—a vestige of the segregated Army—and various nationalities and ethnicities joining Special Forces, Psywar, and Civil Affairs/Military Government units.

Ernest K. Tabata

USASOC’s very own Ernest K. Tabata, Special Forces/instructor, remembered the Bob Hope Show in P’yongyang with fondness; “ it was almost as much fun as watching trains being driven off the Taedong River Railroad Bridge during the evacuation.”

SGM Tabata Interview (AUDIO)

For more on SGM Tabata, visit his ARSOF Icon page.

Vietnam War

Against the backdrop of the Cold War, the U.S. remained committed to defending its allies against Communist aggression by intervening in Vietnam. Despite great internal division and discord within the U.S. regarding the war and civil rights, Americans from all backgrounds served their country loyally in the Army, and in ARSOF. This is evidenced by the valor and sacrifice of Special Forces Medal of Honor recipients, including Hispanic-Americans SSG Roy P. Benavidez and SFC Jose Rodela, foreign-born SSG Laszlo Rabel, and African-Americans SFC Eugene Ashley, Jr., SFC William M. Bryant, and SSG Melvin Morris.

ARSOF Medal of Honor Recipients

SFG Eugene Ashley Jr.

On 6 and 7 February 1968, Sergeant Ashley was the Senior Special Forces Advisor of a hastily organized assault force whose mission was to rescue entrapped United States Special Forces Advisors at Camp Lang Vei. During the initial attack on the Special Forces camp by North Vietnamese Army forces, Sergeant Ashley supported the camp with high explosive and illumination mortar rounds.

When communications were lost with the main camp, he assumed the additional responsibility of directing airstrikes and artillery support. Sergeant Ashley organized and equipped a small assault force composed of local friendly personnel.

During the ensuing battle, Sergeant Ashley led a total of five vigorous assaults against the enemy, continuously exposing himself to a voluminous hail of enemy grenades, machinegun and automatic weapons fire. Throughout these assaults, he was plagued by numerous boobytrapped satchel charges in all bunkers on his avenue of approach.

SFC William M. Bryant

Sergeant First Class William M. Bryant, assigned to Company A, 5th Special Forces Group, 1st Special Forces, distinguished himself on 24 March 1969 while serving as Commanding Officer of Civilian Irregular Defense Group Company 321, 2d Battalion, 3rd Mobile Strike Force Command, during combat operations in Long Khanh Province, Republic of Vietnam.

The battalion came under heavy fire and became surrounded by the elements of three enemy regiments. Sergeant Bryant displayed extraordinary heroism throughout the succeeding 3 hours of incessant attack as he moved throughout the company position heedless of the intense hostile fire while establishing and improving the defensive perimeter, directing fire during critical phases of the battle, distributing ammunition, assisting the wounded, and providing the leadership and inspirational example of courage to his men.

When a helicopter drop of ammunition was made to resupply the beleaguered force, Sergeant Bryant with complete disregard for his own safety ran through the heavy enemy fire to retrieve the scattered ammunition boxes and distributed needed ammunition to his men.

SSG Roy P. Benavidez

Master Sergeant (then Staff Sergeant) Roy P. Benavidez, United States Army, distinguished himself by a series of daring and extremely valorous actions on 2 May 1968 while assigned to Detachment B-56, 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), 1st Special Forces, Republic of Vietnam.

On the morning of 2 May 1968, a 12-man Special Forces Reconnaissance Team was inserted by helicopters in a dense jungle area west of Loc Ninh, Vietnam to gather intelligence information about confirmed large-scale enemy activity. This area was controlled and routinely patrolled by the North Vietnamese Army.

After a short period of time on the ground, the team met heavy enemy resistance, and requested emergency extraction. Three helicopters attempted extraction, but were unable to land due to intense enemy small arms and anti-aircraft fire.

SSG Melvin Morris

Staff Sergeant Melvin Morris distinguished himself by acts of gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty while serving as Commander of a Strike Force drawn from Company D, 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), 1st Special Forces, during combat operations against an armed enemy in the vicinity of Chi Lang, Republic of Vietnam on September 17, 1969.

On that afternoon, Staff Sergeant Morris’ affiliated companies encountered an extensive enemy mine field and were subsequently engaged by a hostile force.

Staff Sergeant Morris learned by radio that a fellow team commander had been killed near an enemy bunker and he immediately reorganized his men into an effective assault posture before advancing forward and splitting off with two men to recover the team commander’s body.

SSG Laszlo Rabel

Staff Sergeant Lazlo Rabel, United States Army, distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity while serving as leader of Team Delta, 74th Infantry Detachment (Long Range Patrol), 173d Airborne Brigade, in Binh Dinh Province, Republic of Vietnam on 13 November 1968.

At 1000 hours on this date, Team Delta was in a defensive perimeter conducting reconnaissance of enemy trail networks when a member of the team detected enemy movement to the front.

As Sergeant Rabel and a comrade prepared to clear the area, he heard an incoming grenade as it landed in the midst of the team’s perimeter.

SFC Jose Rodela

Sergeant First Class Jose Rodela distinguished himself by acts of gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty while serving as the company commander, Detachment B-36, Company A, 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), 1st Special Forces, during combat operations against an armed enemy in Phuoc Long Province, Republic of Vietnam on September 1, 1969.

That afternoon, Sergeant First Class Rodela’s battalion came under an intense barrage of mortar, rocket and machine gun fire. Ignoring the withering enemy fire, Sergeant Rodela immediately began placing his men into defensive positions to prevent the enemy from overrunning the entire battalion.

Repeatedly exposing himself to enemy fire, Sergeant First Class Rodela moved from position to position, providing suppressing fire and assisting wounded, and was himself wounded in the back and head by a B-40 rocket while recovering a wounded comrade.

SGM TYRONE J. ADDERLY

Special Forces Vietnam, Son Tay Raider, SF ‘Q’ Course Instructor


VIDEO PROFILE:
IN HIS OWN WORDS


Visit SGM Adderly’s ARSOF Icon page.

Cold War

After World War II, the U.S. and its allies were engaged in a decades-long Cold War against the Communist Soviet Union, the People’s Republic of China, and their satellites. While direct conflict between the two superpowers was averted, the Cold War was characterized by proxy wars, and the ever-present threat of nuclear annihilation. Comprised of an assorted mix of soldiers, ARSOF prepared for large-scale conflict while executing specialized missions around the world. These ranged from naturalized citizens serving in psywar units in West Germany, to Hispanic-American SF soldiers aiding South American allies in the fight against Communism.

PSYCHE KREUZOTTERS ON THE LOOSE CIVIL AFFAIRS SUPPORTS THE ASSAULT

The Lodge Act

“If it hadn’t been for the U.S. Army, it would have been the French Foreign Legion. I learned to love freedom and democracy later, but at that time, my primary motivation was to be a soldier again.”

- Peter V. Astalos, WWII Eastern Front veteran

BULL SIMONS AWARD RECIPIENT CW5 Fred Arooji

Operation EAGLE CLAW, Special Operations Pilot

Chief Warrant Officer Five Fred Arooji is a native of Abadan, Iran. During his distinguished military career, CW5 Arooji earned the respect and admiration of subordinates, peers, and leaders alike. He enlisted in the Air Force in 1974 and attended Basic Training at San Antonio, Texas. He graduated from Advanced Individual Training at Lowery Air Force Base, Colorado, as an Electrical Optical Sensors Technician, and was assigned to Kadena Air Base, Japan, Osan Air Base, Korea, and Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina. He was selected to participate in Operation EAGLE CLAW in 1980, the effort to rescue American hostages held in Iran. Despite mission failure, Arooji performed admirably during the operation. In July 1982, CW5 Arooji did an inter-service transfer to the Army as a Rotary Wing Aviator.

In 1983 CW5 Arooji began a long special operations aviation career, during which he served as Mission Pilot, Test Project Officer, Instrument Flight Examiner, Standardization Instructor Pilot, and Instructor Pilot.

MG SIDNEY SHACHNOW

Commanding General, SF Command and JFK Special Warfare Center & School


VIDEO PROFILE:
IN HIS OWN WORDS


Visit MG Shachnow’s ARSOF Icon page.

Post 9/11

The devastating terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001 led the U.S. into a protracted war against violent extremist organizations. As they had since World War II, men and women of all ethnic, racial, cultural, and religious backgrounds volunteered to defend America after 9/11. Inclusivity in ARSOF was evidenced by the enlistment of immigrants-turned-citizens via the Military Accessions Vital to the National Interest (MAVNI) program, and women serving in Cultural Support Teams (CSTs), to support Special Forces and Ranger missions in Afghanistan.

ARTICLE

CAT-812 in Haiti: Rescue in Jérémie

To facilitate its mission, CAT 812 gained an interpreter. Private First Class (PFC) Anastasia Anse*, a soldier in the 528th Sustainment Brigade, Special Troops Battalion, at Fort Bragg, NC, explained that USASOC had placed a call for Haitian Creole speakers to all its units. Because of her Haitian mother, Anse spoke Haitian Creole (as well as French and Spanish) and had lived there as a child. She volunteered.

PFC Anse tending to the wounds of an injuried Haitian civilian.
A CST-3 member supporting VSO for Special Operations Task Force-South (SOTF-S) talks with Afghan children in Khakrez District, Kandahar Province, on 5 June 2012.

USASOC Cultural Support Team Program

  • All Female Teams
  • Direct Support to Rangers and Special Forces
  • 7 Deployments to Afghanistan in 4 years
  • Supported 96 Direct Action Missions and 135 VSO Missions
  • Mission Success!

Source: The U.S. Army Cultural Support Team Program

Post-9/11 Profiles

IN THEIR OWN WORDS

1LT Chelanga
VIDEO: 1LT CHELANGA
SSG Woolford
VIDEO: SSG WOOLFORD
MSG Guigni
VIDEO: MSG GUIGNI

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