Summary
The USASOC History Office has developed the following working definition to guide its identification of select Army Special Operations Forces (ARSOF) personnel who have distinguished themselves during their careers. For the purpose of this document, an ARSOF Icon is defined as:
“ARSOF persons whose long-term contributions warrant special recognition. Whether through their continuous valorous actions or their making of key contributions in the capability-building areas of doctrine, organization, training, manpower, leadership and education, personnel, and facilities (DOTMLP-F), these individuals have excelled and stand out amongst their peers.”
The actions and influence of these individuals over time transcend any single combat action or achievement. Overall, their steadfast promotion of institutional advancements within their chosen field of special operations have resulted in a lasting legacy of excellence. Their unselfish devotion to duty allowed them to leave their particular unit or branch fundamentally better than they found it. Simply put, their actions have served as a positive example to their fellow soldiers. Their contributions deserve a special place of prominence in the proud historical narrative of Army Special Operations. As new candidates for icon status are identified, the icon, with accompanying justification, will be forwarded to the USASOC command group for concurrence. Once approved, the new icon will be added to this page.

MAJ Raymond Ambrozak
1st Psywar Battalion, USABVAPAC, 6th PSYOP Battalion, MACV Senior District Advisor

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

LTC Leif Bangsboll
OSS, SF instructor, 77th SFG, 10th SFG

COL Aaron Bank
Commander, 10th SFG

COL Charles Beckwith
Creator/Commander,
SFOD-Delta

BG Donald Blackburn
Philippine Guerrilla Commander, 77th SFG, Operation Ivory Coast (Son-Tay Raid)

COL Heber Blankenhorn
WWI and WWII Psywar Pioneer

GEN Bryan Brown
Commanding General, USASOC and USSOCOM

MG James Bryan
Commander,
112th Signal Battalion

CW5 David Cooper
Command Chief Warrant Officer, 160th SOAR, U.S. Army Special Operations Aviation Command

LTG Dell Dailey
75th Ranger Regiment,
160th SOAR, JSOC, USASOC

BG William Darby
WWII Ranger Commander and Pioneer

MG Robert Frederick
Commanding General, First Special Service Force

COL Charles Fry
SCUBA/MFF pioneer, Latin American Specialist, Special Operations Command-South Commander

MG John Henry Hilldring
Director, Civil Affairs Division

COL Irwin Hunt
Officer in Charge, Civil Affairs, American Forces, Germany

COL Charles Hunter
De facto field Commander of Merrill’s Marauders

COL Jeffrey Jones
8th PSYOP Battalion,
4th PSYOP Group, National Security Council

BG Charles Karlstad
Ranger Training Center, Psywar Center Commander

CSM Galen Kittleson
Alamo Scouts, Special Forces, Cabanatuan Raid, Son Tay Raid

CSM Richard Lamb
Ranger, Special Forces, Panama, Somalia, Haiti, Iraq, Horn of Africa

COL Louis Mason
5th SFG, 1st SOCOM, 13th/528th Support Battalion

MG Robert McClure
Army Chief of Psychological Warfare

BG John McGee
(1908-1991)

MAJ Richard Meadows
Early SF, MACV-SOG,
SFOD-Delta

MG Frank Merrill
Commander, 5307th Composite Unit

LTC Henry Mucci
6th Ranger Battalion

COL Charles Munske
Military Government/Civil Affairs WWII and Korea

COL Ralph Puckett
Eighth U.S. Army Ranger Company, 10th SFG, Honorary Colonel of the Ranger Regiment, Medal of Honor Recipient

COL James Rowe
SF POW, Proponent of
SERE Training

MG James Rudder
Commander, 2nd Ranger Battalion

BG Crawford Sams
Civil Affairs Occupation of Japan, Commander United Nations Public Health & Welfare Detachment

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

COL Jack Shannon
OSS, First Executive Officer of the 10th SFG, First Commanding Officer of the 77th SFG, KCAC, Psywar, 1st SFG

COL Arthur Simons
6th Ranger Bn., Ranger Training Center, WHITE STAR, Son Tay Raid

MG John Singlaub
OSS, Ranger, JACK, CCRAK, MACV-SOG

LTC Mayo S. Stuntz
Supply Officer for Alamo Scouts Training Center

SGM Ernest K. Tabata
Special Forces WHITE STAR, Vietnam, SF Engineer Instructor

MG John Van Houten
(1904-1974)

COL Jay Vanderpool
Operative, Philippine Regional Section (PRS), Philippine Guerrilla Leader, Commander of North Korean Guerrilla Command, Rotary Wing Aviation Armed Combat Innovator

BG Russell Volckmann
Philippine Guerrilla Leader and Special Forces Visionary

BG Cornelius Wickersham
Commandant, School of Military Government, Civil Affairs in Europe

LTG Samuel Wilson
OSS, Merrill’s Marauders, Special Warfare Center, 6th SFG

LTG William Yarborough
Commanding General, Special Warfare Center Commandant, Special Warfare School