COL James ‘Nick’ Rowe
Colonel James ‘Nick’ Rowe discusses his experience as a prisoner of war during the Vietnam War. Rowe discusses the importance of his foundation, his values, and his faith in helping him survive his time in the prison camp.
Rowe talks about how his upbringing, his time at West Point, and his military training all contributed to his ability to cope with the challenges of being a prisoner of war. He emphasizes the importance of having a strong sense of identity and purpose, as well as the importance of staying true to one’s values.
Rowe also discusses the role that faith played in his survival. He credits his faith with giving him hope and strength during a difficult time. He also talks about the importance of finding meaning and purpose in one’s suffering.
Overall, this video is a powerful testament to the human spirit and the importance of faith, values, and identity in times of adversity.
CPT Peter K. Lutken Jr.
Dr. Richard Stewart, the U.S. Army Special Operations Command historian, interviews Mr. Peter Lutken Jr., a member of Detachment 101 of the OSS (Office of Strategic Services) during World War II in the China-Burma-India theater. Lutken shares his experiences starting with his work with V Force, a British intelligence unit, before joining Detachment 101. He recounts his initial assignment to reconnoiter trails in the mountains between India and Burma to assess the feasibility of animal transport in challenging terrain.
MG Sidney Shachnow
An interview with MG Sidney Shachnow, who delves into his experiences within the Special Forces. MG Shachnow sheds light on the significance of teamwork within the Special Forces, emphasizing its collaborative nature and the shared values, goals, and mission focus that unite its members. He further describes it as a brotherhood that fosters enduring bonds. The video also brings to light an incident during MG Shachnow’s deployment in Berlin, where he ventured into an off-limits subterranean system, driven by his mission-oriented mindset and sense of duty. While he acknowledges getting into trouble for this action, he also underscores the existence of a darker side to being part of the Special Forces. MG Shachnow emphasizes the importance of learning from the past, acknowledging the Special Forces’ young age yet rich history. He advocates for increased compensation for Special Forces soldiers. The video concludes with MG Shachnow sharing how he has maintained his connection to the military despite retirement, mentioning family members who continue to serve and his ongoing contributions to the Special Forces community. He expresses his pride in his service and cherishes his memories.
SGM Ernest K. Tabata
An interview with Sergeant Major Ernest K. Tabata about his experience in the US Army and Special Forces.
SGM Tabata first talks about his background. His father came from Japan and his mother was raised in Maui. He joined the US Army after graduating from high school in 1949.
Then he talks about his service in the Korean War. He was assigned to the 1st Cavalry Division and then the 25th Infantry Division. He was captured by the Viet Minh during the Battle of Maryang San and was held as a prisoner of war for nine days.
After the war, SGM Tabata served in various assignments, including as a military advisor in South Vietnam and as an instructor at the John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School. He retired from the Army in 1981.
In the interview, SGM Tabata also talks about the importance of teamwork and camaraderie in the Special Forces. He says that the Special Forces is a special unit where people build up close relationships with each other.
SGM Tyrone J. Adderly
Interview with SGM Tyrone J. Adderly about his experience in the military.
Adderly talks about his motivations for joining the military, including his Uncle George who served in the military and his grandmother who instilled in him the respect for the uniform. He also talks about his athletic background and how he excelled in boxing.
Adderly describes his training in the military, including basic training, jump school, and Ranger school. He highlights his competitive nature and how he was always striving to achieve more.
Adderly then talks about a specific mission he was involved in, where he was part of a team that rescued 70 prisoners of war. He describes the briefing he received before the mission, the challenges they faced, and the success of the mission.
MAJ David E. McCracken
This video is about the planning and execution of operation JUST CAUSE. The speaker, Colonel David E. mccracken, was the commander of the operation.
In the video, Colonel mccracken discusses the different teams that were involved in the operation, the challenges they faced, and the importance of training and preparation. He also talks about the equipment that was used and the overall success of the mission.
SSG Deams B. Smith
Interview with CW3 Deams ‘Brad’ Smith about his experience as a member of the 617th Special Operations Squadron during Operation Desert Storm. In the interview, Smith discusses the extensive training that he and his team underwent in preparation for the mission, as well as the challenges they faced during the operation.
One of the key points that Smith makes is the importance of teamwork and communication. He describes how he and his team were able to work together seamlessly, even in the most challenging conditions. For example, he mentions that they were able to identify each other by their silhouettes alone. This level of trust and understanding was essential to the success of the mission.
Smith also discusses the importance of training and preparation. He says that his team trained for months prior to the operation, and that this training paid off in a big way. For example, they were able to fast-rope from a height of 200 feet in high winds without any serious injuries.
COL Charles H. Fry
Colonel Fry discusses several important lessons he learned throughout his career. One lesson is the importance of taking small steps to achieve big goals. He learned this from Captain Daniel Hughman, who told him the story of coloring water drop by drop until the entire lake is colored. Colonel Fry applied this lesson to his own leadership by making small changes over time, such as adding a new paragraph to the B paragraph field order to suggest changes to policies and plans.
Another lesson Colonel Fry discusses is the importance of mentorship. He believes that both traditional mentorship, where a more experienced person teaches a less experienced person, and reverse mentorship, where a less experienced person teaches a more experienced person, are valuable. He shares an example of how he mentored a new battalion commander by helping him to understand the challenges of leading troops through difficult terrain.
Colonel Fry also discusses the importance of cultural awareness. He learned this lesson while serving in Latin America, where he had to develop lesson plans in Spanish and learn about the local culture in order to effectively train officers. He believes that it is important for leaders to be aware of the culture of the people they are working with.
CSM Richard C. Lamb
CSM Richard C. Lamb talks about his experience in the Just Cause mission in Panama. He talks about the importance of relationships, training, and innovation for the success of the mission.
Specifically, he talks about how the team had to do a lot of reconnaissance on the targets before the mission. They also had to train hard on fast rope techniques, as this was a new way of infiltrating targets. The team also had to build relationships with the 617th Air Force Special Operations Squadron, as they would be working together on the mission.
During the mission, the team had to take down lines of communication and find Noriega. They were able to do this successfully because of their training and their ability to innovate. For example, they had to figure out a way to throw the fast rope out of the helicopter without it getting caught in the rotor wash.
Overall, CSM Lamb says that the success of the Just Cause mission was due to the leadership, people, training, and ability to innovate of the team. He is proud that these qualities are still being instilled in soldiers today.
1LT Paul R. Longgrear
This video is an interview with 1LT Paul R. Longgrear about his experience in the Vietnam War.
The interview starts with Longgrear describing his arrival in Vietnam and his first mission, which was to take an ambush out near a river. He then talks about being assigned to Long B with 160 mercenaries and 4 patons. They were tasked with doing long range patrolling for the camp and securing it while it was being rebuilt.
One day, they were attacked by North Vietnamese tanks and infantry. Longgrear and his men were able to defend the camp, but they were eventually overrun. They were told by the Marines that they would not be coming to rescue them, so they decided to make a run for it. They were able to escape with the help of airstrikes from the Coral Sea.
Longgrear talks about the compassion he carries from his experience in Vietnam, having seen so many young men die. He also talks about the importance of being a competent leader and the trust he had in his men.
The interview ends with Longgrear talking about his experience working with indigenous people and the importance of cultural understanding. He also talks about the importance of night fighting and the tactics he used to counter the VC.
Overall, this video is a firsthand account of the Vietnam War from the perspective of 1LT Paul R. Longgrear. It is a valuable resource for anyone who wants to learn more about the war and the experiences of those who fought in it.