Stump the Chump: Green Beret History

Warrior-Mentor · 01-11-2009, 14:20

April 11, 1962 President Kennedy wrote a letter to Department of the Army concerning Special Forces.

Where can you find a copy of the letter?

Cool points for the first person to post a link...

JJ_BPK · 01-11-2009, 14:40

The Story of the Green Beret

Quote:

www.myplanet.net/danperry/greenb.htm

The green beret was originally designated in 1953 by Special Forces Major Herbert Brucker, a veteran of the OSS. Later that year, 1st Lt. Roger Pezelle adopted it as the unofficial head-gear for his A-team, Operational Detachment FA-32. They wore it whenever they went to the field for prolonged exercises. Soon it spread throughout all of Special Forces, although the Army refused to authorize its official use.

Finally, in 1961, President Kennedy planned to visit Fort Bragg. He sent word to the Special Warfare Center commander, Brigadier General William P. Yarborough, for all Special Forces soldiers to wear their berets for the event. President Kennedy felt that since they had a special mission, Special Forces should have something to set them apart from the rest. Even before the presidential request, however, the Department of Army had acquiesced and teletyped a message to the Center authorizing the beret as a part of the Special Forces uniform.

When President Kennedy came to Fort Bragg October 12, 1961, General Yarborough wore his green beret to greet the Commander-in-Chief. The president remarked, "Those are nice. How do you like the green beret?" General Yarborough replied: "They're fine, sir. We've wanted them a long time."

A message from President Kennedy to General Yarborough later that day stated, "My congratulations to you personally for your part in the presentation today ... The challenge of this old but new form of operations is a real one and I know that you and the members of your command will carry on for us and the free world in a manner which is both worthy and inspiring. I am sure that the green beret will be a mark of distinction in the trying times ahead."

In an April 11, 1962, White House memorandum for the United States Army, President Kennedy showed his continued support for the Special Forces, calling the green beret... "a symbol of excellence, a badge of courage, a mark of distinction in the fight for freedom."

and the letter

Quote:

FM PRESUS THE WHITE HOUSE WASHDC
TO CG FT BRAGG
DA GRNC
BT
UNCLAS CITE WH670-61 FOR BRIGADIER GENERAL WILLIAM P.
YARBOROUGH, COMMANDING GENERAL U.S. ARMY SPECIAL
WARFARE CENTER FORT BRAGG, N.C.
MY CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU PERSONALLY FOR YOUR
PART IN THE PRESENTATION TODAY AT FORT BRAGG, AND
ESPECIALLY FOR THE IMAGINATION AS WELL AS THE PRECISION
WHICH YOUR DIRECTION GAVE TO A DIFFICULT SUBJECT. I CAME
AWAY WITH A NEW APPRECIATION OF YOUR MISSION AND
ENTHUSIASM FOR ITS PERFORMANCE. I KNOW THAT YOU AND
YOUR MEN NOT ONLY SERVE AS GOOD INSTRUCTORS, BUT AS AN
INSPIRATION TO THE ALLIED OFFICERS WHO ATTEND YOUR
SCHOOL. PLEASE CONVEY MY CONGRATULATIONS AND MY
APPRECIATION TO ALL OF THE MEN WHO TOOK PART. THE
CHALLENGE OF THIS OLD BUT NEW FORM OF OPERATIONS IS A
REAL ONE AND I KNOW THAT YOU AND THE MEMBERS OF YOUR
COMMAND WILL CARRY ON FOR US AND THE FREE WORLD IN A
MANNER WHICH IS BOTH WORTHY AND INSPIRING. I AM SURE
THAT THE GREEN BERET WILL BE A MARK OF DISTINCTION IN THE
TRYING TIMES AHEAD.
JOHN F. KENNEDY
BT
CFN WH670-61
13/0259Z RUEPWW

Warrior-Mentor · 01-11-2009, 18:00

Thanks Jim. I've seen a copy of the actual letter on the web somewhere and darned if I can find it now.

JJ_BPK · 01-11-2009, 18:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by Warrior-Mentor

Thanks Jim. I've seen a copy of the actual letter on the web somewhere and darned if I can find it now.

This is off someone's blog,, I looked, but the Dem's have hid all Jack's weakness..

I think we should keep looking...

My $00.0002

UPDATE: I forgot my google-foo

search "WH670-61"

http://www.groups.sfahq.com/sf_heral...yarborough.htm

corpidelite.info/GreenBerets.html

Beerhunter · 01-11-2009, 20:47

Check out this document at the JFK Library:

http://www.jfklibrary.org/Historical...Desk/NSAMs.htm

click on NSAM 2- Development of Counter Guerilla Forces

I believe that this order expanded Special Forces and started the Navy's Seals.

**Bill Harsey** · 01-11-2009, 21:01

This doesn't quite count but I have a framed black and white photograph of the 12 October 1961 meeting of Yarborough and Kennedy on my shop wall. It is signed to "me" by one General William P. Yarborough.

Go For Broke · 05-11-2009, 19:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by Warrior-Mentor

April 11, 1962 President Kennedy wrote a letter to Department of the Army concerning Special Forces.

Where can you find a copy of the letter?

There is a copy in the 1962 version of Special Warfare (Page 5).

V/R,

koz · 05-12-2009, 09:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by Go For Broke

There is a copy in the 1962 version of Special Warfare (Page 5).

V/R,

Well done sir, well done.

On page 4 - the QP to the right looks as though there is no flash on his beret. Does he have a flash and it's just blended in or is there no flash. Is that an unassigned QP?

Go For Broke · 05-12-2009, 11:40

I can think of two possible reasons -

1. He and the E-7 on the left are not flash qualified, I am sure one of the older gentlemen on here can provide better timelines WRT when flash qualified vs candy stripe vs green beret was in prominance

2. Both the Lieutenant (Right) and the Sergeant First Class (Left) are from the 7th Group - both at Bragg in the 60's

Just my humble $0.02

Although, it is interesting that neither of the officers are wearing rank on their flash - when did this start happening?

V/R,

Richard · 05-12-2009, 12:10

It's a 5th SFG ODA prior to deployment of the Group to RVN in 1964. It used to be that personnel were often assigned to a Group and utilized prior to attending SFTG and not fully 'flash qualified' until (1) finishing SFTG and (2) successfully participating in ODA ops for a period of time (generally around 6 months or so). The full qualification was then awarded by the Group CDR.

Overseas based Group's could do the same but with the OFF/NCO completing a series of correspondence courses vice attending SFTG.

All this decentralization makes it difficult to sometimes track down the record of whether or not someone was/wasn't SF qualified.

Richard's $.02

swpa19 · 05-12-2009, 12:26

RICHARD and GO FOR BROKE have good valid points. In the early 60s (prior to the candy stripe) Un-qualified personell wore the beret and crest without the flash.

Personell could become flash qualified as Richard says. This process was also known as P.O.I. Point of Instruction qualification. This was particularly true in Europe.

Instances like those quoted, also applied to Guard and Reserve in the mid 1960s.

Im pretty sure that the above was the case. I will defer to someone more knowledgeable though. Given my recurring bouts with "Parts"heimers.

I was following this process till the introduction of the M-151 Light Utility Vehicle ended dreams of becoming SF and a Military Career.