SOC USA II.

This is coolbert:

Within context of the previous blog entry here with some American special operations successes and failures of the Second Indo-China War.

Hardly a complete listing but nonetheless indicative of what occurs in these type of special operations, risky and dangerous at best!

But then, what military mission was ever NOT fraught with danger?

1. Leaping Lena.

South Vietnamese personnel as trained by American Special Forces ["Green Berets"] to conduct strategic reconnaissance missions, cross-border type operations of the most dangerous type. Results 100 % unsuccessful, treachery to blame.

"operational and strategic reconnaissance into long-held Viet Cong areas and direct air strikes on them, they were also to conduct bomb damage assessment, conduct small scale reconnaissance and hunter-killer operations, capture and interrogate VC / NVA, tap communications, bug compounds and offices, rescue downed aircrew and prisoners of war, emplace point minefields and other booby traps, conduct psychological operations, and perform counter intelligence operations. They were to focus on base areas and infiltration routes in the border areas."

To the extent these South Vietnamese were trained by American special operations troops this is a U.S. failure.

2. Bright Light.

Special operations missions the objective to rescue/repatriate American prisoner-of-war [POW]. NOT ONE instance of an American POW being rescued, released from captivity. Many hundreds of allied South Vietnamese troops being held prisoner however rescued.

3. Son Tay.

"The objective was the recovery of 61 American prisoners of war thought to be held at the camp, but the mission failed when it was found during the raid that the camp contained no prisoners. They had previously been moved to another camp."

The Son Tay Raid. Also referred to as Operation Ivory Coast. American raiders in North Vietnam again their mission to rescue/repatriate American POW. Mission also 100 % unsuccessful to the extent NO POW rescued.

Devoted readers to the blog finding this topic interesting please refer to the article: "The Group: Successes and Failures of the United States’ Special Operations".

coolbert.