Operation Eagle Claw Desert One

Operation Eagle Claw – April 1980

April 24, 2020 John Friberg 0

A U.S. effort to rescue American hostages in the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, Iran ended in failure on April 24, 1980. The Army Special Forces unit tasked with the mission was to rescue 53 hostages being detained by Iran. The […]

Combat Diver Foundation

Combat Diver Foundation

March 19, 2020 SOF News 0

The Combat Diver Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit public charity dedicated to preserving the history of the Combat Diver community. Though the foundations story began with a recognition that the class plaques at the Special Forces Underwater Operations School in […]

Proxy Warfare - Hmong Guerrilla Company, Phou Vieng, 1961, Wikimedia Commons.

Pub – Proxy Warfare and U.S. SOF

August 10, 2019 John Friberg 0

A report by CNA Analysis & Solutions provides a study of past and current use of proxy warfare by the United States. It examines case studies of the use of proxy forces by the U.S., identifies several common themes, and […]

Tip of the Spear, USSOCOM, June 2019

Tip of the Spear – USSOCOM – June 2019

August 1, 2019 John Friberg 0

The United States Special Operations Command has published the June 2019 issue of Tip of the Spear. This 40- page online PDF has a number of interesting articles about U.S. special operations forces participating in exercises and operations around the […]

2016 - The Year in Review

SOF in 2016 – The Year That Was . . .

December 31, 2016 SOF News 0

2016 – “The Year That Was”. A collection of articles that look back at 2016 in terms of national security, defense, Middle East, Afghanistan, India, Africa, books, war, conflict, and . . . of course . . . special operations. […]

Pearl Harbor Day Dec 7th

Pearl Harbor Day

December 7, 2016 SOF News 0

Pearl Harbor Day is observed every year on December 7th. The Japanese conducted a surprise attack against the United States at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii on this day in 1941. Numerous U.S. Navy ships were sunk and 2,403 military members and […]

Son Tay Raid 21-22 November 1970 - Image from USSOCOM Facebook 21 Nov 2016)

Son Tay Raid – November 20-21, 1970

November 21, 2016 John Friberg 0

On the night of 20-21 November 1970 U.S. Special Forces Soldiers and aviation crews conducted the Son Tay Raid into North Vietnam to rescue American prisoners of war held in the Son Tay prison camp. The unit that conducted the […]

Map of Southern Africa (derived from CIA map)

History – South African Para Raid on SWAPO

November 8, 2016 SOF News 0

In 1978 the South African government conducted a South African para raid against a South-West Africa People’s Organization (SWAPO) base in southern Angola. The base was a training and staging area for SWAPO to conduct military operations into Namibia (at […]