Books on SOG

[longrange1947]

While Duncan is very controversial, he does write a very good book. I read it in 1967 and it influenced my coming into SF. He had just left Fort Ord as the SF recruiter.

I jumped in blind and with both feet.

The guys today have a much better heads up on what ia happening and going to happen then we did back then.

It was a bit of a culture shock that first few days and weeks.

[Christophe]

MAB32,
here is a list of SOG books. Hope it helps:
http://www.macvsog.cc/books.htm

Well, there went my book entitled "Special Forces At War" By Shelby Stanton. This book just lost its value overnight because of the Military Book Club. Anyhow, I am probably going to buy two of these and sit on the original.


Here it is:
http://www.militarybookclub.com/doc/...equestid=50696

I highly recommend this book to all who want to study SF in Vietnam. The book is filled literally with pictures on every page (B&W) about SF in Vietnam.

[Richard]

Originally Posted by MAB32

Well, there went my book entitled "Special Forces At War" By Shelby Stanton. This book just lost its value overnight because of the Military Book Club. I am going to buy two of these and sit on the original. Here it is:

http://www.militarybookclub.com/doc/...equestid=50696

I highly recommend this book to all who want to study SF in Vietnam. The book is filled literally with pictures on every page (B&W) about SF in Vietnam.

IMO, copies won't have nearly the value of the originals. Look at Vietnam Order of Battle, for example.

One of the best things about SF at War are all the photos of the A Camps which you can't find anywhere else.

Richard's $.02

Yes Sir you are spot on. I missed the first edition of "Vietnam Order of Battle" and thought she was gone forever. At the time I had no Fiscal funds left. Therefore, when it came out again as a reprint and it was indeed cheaper than the original,so I splurged and bought it. So now I am curious as to know how publisher(s) decide what to reprint and why. I am amazed at even the fact that this is being reprinted. This book is considered very rare now with copies selling for $1000+. So basically it bombed on the bookshelves. Popularity cannot be in the top five reasons to do a reprint can it be?

[KW9598]

Across the Fence by John Stryker Meyer is an excellent read and accurate to the word. John and I are good friends and I've met 95% of the guys he ran with mentioned in the book. Real, amazingf stuff.

Also, not sure if anyone mentioned it, the SOG pictorial coffee table book is excellent. Packed full of pics from SOG's beginning to end. You can even view pics of Eldon Bargewll and Ken Bowra (retired SF GO's) as SSG's, loaded for bear prior to INFIL. Will set you back $80 but it's well worth it.

http://www.amazon.com/SOG-Photo-Hist...205062-3230533

If you dont want to spend the $80, like everyone else said, read the paperback FOR SURE.

[Monsoon65]

Originally Posted by Richard

The Dying Place - David Maurer (CCN)

Great book. I think I read this one at least once a year. I've burned thru about three copies so far.

[anythingrandom]

I enjoyed "Masters of Chaos" by Linda Robinson.

http://www.amazon.com/Masters-Chaos-.../dp/1586482491

Senator McCain gives it a great review, as well.

[JSE]

Originally Posted by anythingrandom

I enjoyed "Masters of Chaos" by Linda Robinson.

Try as I might, I could not finish that book... Roughneck Nine-One was good though.

Here's a few more SOG titles that may have been left out of the Master List:

- Soldier's Heart by Lee Burkins
- Project Omega: Eye of the Beast by James E. Acre
- Spies & Commandos by Kenneth Conboy and Dale Andrade` (I haven't read this one yet)
- The Secret War Against Hanoi by Richard H. Shultz, Jr. (I haven't gotten to this one yet either, but it's all about SOG's dirty little war)
- SOG Medic by Joseph Parnar
- Kontum, Command and Control by Frank Greco (Probably impossible to find as there were only 165 copies printed; mine is #62)
- We Few by Nick Brokhausen
- Prairie Fire by Kent White

Any book printed by RealWarStories.com is going to be very hard to find unless you know the authors. RWS publications went under a few months and they will not be back from what John Meyer told me. Unfortunate too because they printed up some great titles. Nick Brokhausen was working on his sequel to We Few and I have heard whether or not he'll be able to find another publisher.

BTW, if any of you lads want a review of the books listed in this thread, I'll be more than happy to oblige you with one as I've read just about all of them.

[kriegsmodell]

Thought I would add a few more to this list from my reference library. Tried to include only those with some degree of significant MACVSOG content.

- The Three Wars of Roy Benavidez - Benavidez, Roy P. with Oscar Griffin
- South-East Asian Special Forces * - Conboy, Kenneth
- Shadow War-The CIA's Secret War in Laos * - Conboy, Kenneth & James Morrison
- The War in Cambodia 1970-75 * - Conboy, Kenneth & Kenneth Bowra (yes, that Bowra)
- Gone Native-An NCO's Story * - Cornett, Alan G.
- Code Name: Copperhead - Garner, Joe R. with Avrum M. Fine
- Apollo's Warriors * - Haas, Michael E.
- War in the Shadows-The Vietnam Experience * - Lipsman, Samuel (ed)
- A Contagion of War-The Vietnam Experience * - Maitland, Terrance & Peter McInerney
- Special Operations Association Commemorative - McCarthy, Gene (ed)
- On the Ground - Meyer, John Stryker and John E. Peters
- Above and Beyond - Jim Morris
- Green Hornets * - Mutza, Wayne
- 15 Months in SOG-A Warrior's Tour - Nicholson, Thom (controversial content)
- Night of the Silver Stars * - Phillips, William R.
- U.S. Special Forces Shoulder and Pocket Insignia * - Pugh, Harry
- Who's Who From MACV-SOG - Sherman, Stephen
- Hazardous Duty * - Singlaub, John K.
- Special Forces in Southeast Asia * - Smyth, Cecil B. Jr.
- Insignia of Special Forces in Southeast Asia * - Smyth, Cecil B. Jr.
- Badges & Insignia of the Elite Forces * - Thompson, Leroy (use caution)
- Elite Unit Insignia of the Vietnam War *- Thompson, Leroy (use caution)
- Secret Army, Secret War - Tourison, Sedgwick
- Hunting the Jackal * - Waugh, Billy with Tim Keown

As in previous postings * indicates not all about MACVSOG. Could have included quite a few others but tried to avoid general USSF reference works, other Recon project histories, and books with only slight mention of SOG. Also did not include journal works, magazine articles, etc. Perhaps the topic for a different thread at some point.

[Christophe]

As posted by JSE: - Project Omega: Eye of the Beast by James E. Acre-

Great book, excellent read, with a bunch of great pics. The book is pretty big (format).
Mine is a gift from Mr.Acre, and personally signed by him ; a fine man to say the least, and incredibly humble.
I got in contact with him through Mr. Noe.
The book is one of my most prized possessions.

[kriegsmodell]

Just picked this one up off of Amazon and so far it is excellent:

"Born a Soldier-The Times and LIfe of Larry Thorne" by J. Michael Cleverley

This is a new (first US printing) full biography of SF legend Larry Thorne to include his time in SOG, etc ....

[SRGross]

2) Reflections of a Warrior By FranklinD. Miller

I liked it alot, seems to me straight from him, not polished as said before, a mix of alot of things, form being scared as heck, to humor. Good All round read, I read the whole book in one day.

Above and Beyond - Jim Morris
Excellent really enjoyed it, for one reason, it is not about the men, but about your buddies and the limits of throwing away your personal safety for you friends/buddies/comrades. I have actually read it twice, and still impressed, especially since I knew some of these men.

[alright4u]

Originally Posted by SRGross

2) Reflections of a Warrior By FranklinD. Miller

I liked it alot, seems to me straight from him, not polished as said before, a mix of alot of things, form being scared as heck, to humor. Good All round read, I read the whole book in one day.

Above and Beyond - Jim Morris
Excellent really enjoyed it, for one reason, it is not about the men, but about your buddies and the limits of throwing away your personal safety for you friends/buddies/comrades. I have actually read it twice, and still impressed, especially since I knew some of these men.

Try Jim Bolen's new book. I do not read SOG books. Know Tilt and others.

[Kasik]

IMHO, one of the best books written regarding SOG.