The iconic green beret worn by Army Special Forces units dates back to the 1950s in the United States, and the Green Berets are today recognized as one of the strongest arms of the U.S. military. Their missions are uniquely designed for small squads to quickly and quietly take efficient action against enemies abroad. This title takes readers among the ranks of the Green Berets, explaining the units’ work in counterterrorism, covert reconnaissance, and more. Colorful photographs complement the text to transport readers behind the scenes of this celebrated unit.

Based in part on the unpublished ms. of Col. Robert B. Rheault, this book presents the history of the first thirty years of the Green Berets. The author relates the entire available story starting with the training of the 10th Special Forces at Fort Bragg, and later at Bad Tolz in Bavaria. The ability of these men to operate as advisors in foreign countries, helping to train other armies, is dependent on their very special knowledge of the people, their customs, language, and the terrain. Guerrilla warfare, insurgency, counterinsurgency, all come within the circle of their operations. President John F. Kennedy gave a powerful impetus to the growth of SF, but they really came into prominence during the Vietnam War. Their Civic Action programs ("Winning the hearts and the minds of the people") and "Psy Ops" became well known. They maintained camps in the far-flung Vietnamese provinces among the Katu and the Bru, in Cambodia, with the Montagnards, the Hoa Hao and the Cao Dai religious groups. Colonel Simpson was personally responsible for increasing the strength of the Mobile Strike Forces composed of Vietnamese nationals from 1,000 to 10,000 men. The main function of these Mike Forces was to come to the aid of besieged fighting units, and this they did more quickly and effectively than any regular army unit. Simpson contends, in fact, that a more effective use of Mike Forces might have made the U.S. combat troops unnecessary.

The author of an award-winning memoir about growing up black in Mississippi, Chalmers Archer turns his attention in this book to his experiences as one of the first members of the U.S. Army's Special Forces. His perspective is unique, not only as one of the first to wear the Green Beret but as a black man in the early days of armed forces integration. Archer participated in some of the earliest forays into Laos, long before Southeast Asia was in American headlines, and he was a member of the first U.S. unit to go into Vietnam. He trained the first Special Forces teams of the South Vietnamese army and participated in some of their earliest operations, many of them unknown until now because of their highly classified nature. He saved the lives of the first American and Vietnamese soldiers injured in war and also witnessed the first American combat death in Vietnam, holding the man in his arms as he died. His unit operated alongside the Central Intelligence Agency and helped influence American foreign policy. A self-described soldier-teacher, he developed and spread the early gospel of special warfare while serving in the Philippines, Hawaii, Korea, Taiwan, and Panama, as well as in Southeast Asia. All of these activities are fully chronicled in this book, but Archer's perspective as an African American in an elite unit of the U.S. armed forces in the 1950s gives his memoir additional depth and insight. It is an uplifting--though sometimes harrowing--story of struggle in unfamiliar environments and an eye-opening account of events little known today.

The Green Berets are a Special Forces unit of the United States Army. They carry out a variety of missions, including search-and-rescue, counterterrorism, and strategic assaults on enemy positions. Intense training and proper equipment ensure that these brave soldiers complete their missions in a safe and efficient manner.

A retired lieutenant colonel presents a behind-the-scenes portrait of the legendary North Carolina camps where Special Forces soldiers are trained, outlining the infamous Q Course where leaders endure brutal tests of strength, stamina, and ingenuity.

The author of an award-winning memoir about growing up black in Mississippi, Chalmers Archer turns his attention in this book to his experiences as one of the first members of the U.S. Army's Special Forces. His perspective is unique, not only as one of the first to wear the Green Beret but as a black man in the early days of armed forces integration. Archer participated in some of the earliest forays into Laos, long before Southeast Asia was in American headlines, and he was a member of the first U.S. unit to go into Vietnam. He trained the first Special Forces teams of the South Vietnamese army and participated in some of their earliest operations, many of them unknown until now because of their highly classified nature. He saved the lives of the first American and Vietnamese soldiers injured in war and also witnessed the first American combat death in Vietnam, holding the man in his arms as he died. His unit operated alongside the Central Intelligence Agency and helped influence American foreign policy. A self-described soldier-teacher, he developed and spread the early gospel of special warfare while serving in the Philippines, Hawaii, Korea, Taiwan, and Panama, as well as in Southeast Asia. All of these activities are fully chronicled in this book, but Archer's perspective as an African American in an elite unit of the U.S. armed forces in the 1950s gives his memoir additional depth and insight. It is an uplifting--though sometimes harrowing--story of struggle in unfamiliar environments and an eye-opening account of events little known today.